Cost of Living in Novosibirsk, Russia

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How Much Does It Cost to Live In Novosibirsk?

Novosibirsk is a city in Russia, in Novosibirsk Oblast, Siberia, Russia.

Given that it has a population of over 1.6 million people, Novosibirsk has the title of the third most populous city in Russia.

It also has a status as the capital of Siberia and since it’s so, the prices are well under the standard (given the fact that Siberia is not exactly a beloved area with its freezing cold winters).

If you’re on a tight budget, Novosibirsk is definitely a city where you’ll get by without problems since it’s significantly cheaper.

RESTAURANTS

There are many good dining options in Novosibirsk, and many local chain restaurants. Lenin Square is a popular place where you’ll find all kinds of restaurants, some expensive and some where you’ll find delicious food for only 5$. Many cafes offer lunch specials on weekdays and as for the street food, it’s so good in this city that even the lowest quality street food looks and tastes great.

MARKETS

For food, people generally shop at nearby shops and get locally produced food except for some types of fruits and vegetables that aren’t grown locally. If you purchase imported goods all the time, your cost of groceries will be higher, of course. You can also find fresh produce and fish in open markets that pop up daily all throughout the city. It’s always fresh, and usually much cheaper than the produce in supermarkets.

TRANSPORTATION

All means of public transportation are well developed. Public transport in Novosibirsk includes a metro system in the city center, apart from all the usual: buses, trams, taxi, and trolleybuses. A ride on intra-city public transport costs 0.50$ or less. Taxis are also available, cheap and operate mostly through an on-call service.

UTILITIES (MONTHLY)

Utilities in Novosibirsk are very cheap, probably cheaper than in most other Russian cities. For an apartment of 85m2 all basic utilities, including electricity, gas, garbage services, heating and cooling cost only around 87$. Calls to landlines from mobile phones are more expensive than calls to other mobile phones. The coverage is good in the city center and the tariffs very cheap. Internet works great in most houses and cafes.

SPORTS & LEISURE

Since there is plenty of snow in Siberia during the winter, going skiing or ice skating could be a lot of fun in Novosibirsk. There are a lot of ice arenas in the city and some of them are even free of charge! If you’re a fan of exercising indoors, a membership in a gym or a fitness club will cost you around 26$ per month.

CLOTHING & SHOES

There are a lot of different markets where you can shop for clothes and shoes in the city but the most famous are Central Market and Baroholka. Though it may not be the absolute best place to buy clothes, what you see there – you’ll see nowhere in the world. There are also many shopping malls, like Aura Planeta Mall, Mega Novosibirsk with high prices. For instance, quality jeans will cost you over 70$, and sneakers are close to 80$.

RENT PER MONTH

The majority of the population lives in apartment buildings and private houses are rare in Novosibirsk. And even though this city isn’t exactly the most popular (just think of the winters), rent is still not a bargain. An apartment located in the city center will cost no less than 350$, while a one-bedroom flat somewhere further away can be found for 230$.

Cost of Living Averages Table for Novosibirsk

How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Novosibirsk?

The people of Novosibirsk spend the biggest part of their incomes on food and groceries – like in most countries around the world.

For the people living in Novosibirsk, the biggest financial burden, apart from food is definitely rent, since it’s not as cheap as you would expect in a Siberian city.

Restaurants are on the third place on the list of biggest expenses here – since many people eat there every day, three times a day.

The interesting thing here is that people spend more money on sports and leisure than on utilities – because they’re very cheap in Novosibirsk.

Average Costs Breakdown

Novosibirsk: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages

The average salary in Novosibirsk is within the norm of all other cities in Russia, but taking into consideration the rents and the prices of utilities, transportation and other expenses, 450$ per month is not too high of a salary.

However, people living here are very optimistic, since there are many existing IT/other companies here, which means good chances to find a fine job.

Minimum wage in Novosibirsk is around 220$ which, although higher than in many other smaller cities of Russia, can definitely be a problem for the residents, since it’s barely enough to cover all basic needs.

Novosibirsk Safety Overview

READ THE FULL REPORT: Novosibirsk Safety Review

Safety Index:

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• OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
• TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: MEDIUM
• PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
• NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW
• MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM
• TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM
• SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM
• WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW

Cost of Living by City in Novosibirsk