This article discusses the nature of the living conditions of the workers in Western Siberia in the late XIX - early XXth century, the causes of their poor condition, the tendency to change. In general, except for minor groups, Siberian workers lived in poor living conditions. Particularly severe conditions were in mining and other seasonal workers’ settlements. The reason for this is twofold: on the one hand, the economic difficulties and the reluctance of businesses to spend capital to improve the living conditions of their workers, on the other hand, the willingness of the workers to live in inhuman conditions, lack of requirements for the improvement of housing and living conditions. Comparative analysis showed that the housing situation of the workers in European Russia was not as severe as in Siberia. The conditions for workers in Western Europe were slightly better. However, it should be noted there was a tendency to improve the living conditions of the Siberian workers, which can be traced both in the cities and in the mining towns, which however remained only as a trend, without changing the whole situation.