Cost of Living Comparison Between Yekaterinburg and Novosibirsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Yekaterinburg and Novosibirsk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,158 in Yekaterinburg versus $1,017 in Novosibirsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,838 in Yekaterinburg versus $1,647 in Novosibirsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,519 in Yekaterinburg versus $2,276 in Novosibirsk.

Living in Yekaterinburg is roughly 14% more expensive than Novosibirsk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Yekaterinburg 14% lower, Novosibirsk 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.56 ₽1,000

$7.46 ₽550

81.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.97 ₽3,687

$37.34 ₽2,755

33.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.49 ₽479

$4.95 ₽365

31.11%

Cappuccino

$2.71 ₽200

$2.87 ₽212

-5.57%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 ₽105

$1.35 ₽99.9

5.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₽44.47

$0.84 ₽62.0

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 ₽142

$2.50 ₽185

-22.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₽166

$3.86 ₽285

-41.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 ₽84.9

$1.10 ₽81.2

4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 ₽51.8

$0.57 ₽41.82

22.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 ₽104

$1.69 ₽124

-16.57%

Eggs

$1.63 ₽121

$1.79 ₽132

-8.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.45 ₽919

$10.93 ₽807

13.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 ₽349

$5.10 ₽377

-7.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.68 ₽862

$10.06 ₽742

16.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ₽151

$2.09 ₽155

-1.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₽140

$1.93 ₽142

-1.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₽178

$1.93 ₽143

24.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.93 ₽216

$3.35 ₽247

-12.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ₽51.1

$0.76 ₽55.9

-9.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 ₽58.7

$0.67 ₽49.48

19.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₽100

$1.09 ₽80.2

24.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₽52.4

$0.73 ₽54.1

-2.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 ₽183

$3.20 ₽236

-22.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.17 ₽603

$9.58 ₽707

-14.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₽84.3

$0.91 ₽67.2

25.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 ₽183

$2.04 ₽151

21.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ₽32.46

$0.53 ₽39.18

-16.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.34 ₽1,870

$31.65 ₽2,336

-19.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 ₽187

$1.85 ₽136

37.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ₽23.92

$0.25 ₽18.41

28.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 ₽511

$3.90 ₽288

77.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 ₽56.0

$0.74 ₽54.8

2.70%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$31.6K ₽2.3M

$55.1K ₽4.1M

-42.76%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$47.1K ₽3.5M

$26.4K ₽2.0M

78.00%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$127 ₽9,407

$107 ₽7,867

19.56%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$7.10 ₽524

$5.48 ₽405

29.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.57 ₽706

$8.77 ₽647

9.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.96 ₽3,023

$60.7 ₽4,480

-32.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.79 ₽1,387

$24.37 ₽1,798

-22.90%

Cinema Ticket

$5.25 ₽388

$5.99 ₽442

-12.35%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$475 ₽35.0K

$354 ₽26.1K

34.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,844 ₽652.6K

$4,701 ₽346.9K

88.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.0 ₽5,088

$69.9 ₽5,158

-1.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.05 ₽3,398

$39.91 ₽2,945

15.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₽7,422

$96.6 ₽7,129

4.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.8 ₽5,519

$77.9 ₽5,745

-3.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 ₽43.1K

$470 ₽34.7K

24.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 ₽28.4K

$302 ₽22.3K

27.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,124 ₽82.9K

$840 ₽62.0K

33.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₽57.5K

$647 ₽47.7K

20.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,912 ₽214.9K

$3,092 ₽228.2K

-5.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,920 ₽141.7K

$1,999 ₽147.5K

-3.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,027 ₽75.8K

$897 ₽66.2K

14.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.39

17.38

-5.70%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Yekaterinburg: May 30, 2026

Last update for Novosibirsk: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $584 in Yekaterinburg and $470 in Novosibirsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yekaterinburg pays 14% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $50.0 in Yekaterinburg vs $37.00 in Novosibirsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $210 per month, with Novosibirsk cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Yekaterinburg vs Novosibirsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Novosibirsk is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Yekaterinburg pays 14% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $584 in Yekaterinburg versus $470 in Novosibirsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $475 in Yekaterinburg versus $354 in Novosibirsk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Yekaterinburg. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,017 in Novosibirsk versus $1,158 in Yekaterinburg, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Novosibirsk but tight or insufficient in Yekaterinburg. The gap between the two cities makes Novosibirsk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Novosibirsk is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Yekaterinburg, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Novosibirsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Yekaterinburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.