Cost of Living Comparison Between Arkhangelsk and Rostov-on-Don Cost of Living Comparison Between Arkhangelsk and Rostov-on-Don

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,068 in Arkhangelsk versus $996 in Rostov-on-Don.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,606 in Arkhangelsk versus $1,555 in Rostov-on-Don.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Arkhangelsk versus $2,113 in Rostov-on-Don.

Living in Arkhangelsk is roughly 7% more expensive than Rostov-on-Don, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Arkhangelsk 20% lower, Rostov-on-Don 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.37 ₽691

$11.24 ₽829

-16.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.20 ₽2,745

$38.44 ₽2,836

-3.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.42 ₽474

$4.99 ₽369

28.66%

Cappuccino

$2.07 ₽153

$2.51 ₽186

-17.53%

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

$1.16 ₽85.9

$1.20 ₽88.8

-3.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₽34.91

$0.70 ₽51.5

-32.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 ₽155

$1.24 ₽91.3

69.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₽95.6

$2.28 ₽168

-42.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 ₽81.9

$1.02 ₽75.4

8.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 ₽56.6

$0.55 ₽40.41

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 ₽149

$1.15 ₽84.9

75.65%

Eggs

$1.63 ₽120

$1.57 ₽116

3.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.28 ₽832

$8.12 ₽599

38.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 ₽415

$4.77 ₽352

18.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.33 ₽762

$7.38 ₽545

39.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 ₽120

$1.26 ₽93.2

29.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 ₽128

$1.65 ₽121

5.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 ₽169

$1.46 ₽108

56.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ₽153

$2.41 ₽178

-14.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ₽53.1

$0.72 ₽53.0

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₽47.59

$0.56 ₽41.22

14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₽67.7

$1.19 ₽87.7

-22.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₽40.34

$0.68 ₽50.0

-19.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 ₽236

$3.32 ₽245

-3.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.66 ₽713

$7.93 ₽586

21.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ₽82.8

$0.91 ₽67.5

23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ₽123

$2.11 ₽156

-21.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ₽36.34

$0.51 ₽37.82

-3.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.86 ₽1,392

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 ₽167

$1.94 ₽143

17.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 ₽104

$0.35 ₽26.16

302.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.31 ₽465

$6.36 ₽469

-0.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 ₽55.1

$0.78 ₽57.8

-3.85%

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

$34.9K ₽2.6M

$25.3K ₽1.9M

37.80%

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

$34.9K ₽2.6M

$39.9K ₽2.9M

-12.37%

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

$153 ₽11.3K

$96.2 ₽7,100

58.50%

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

$7.27 ₽537

$7.01 ₽517

3.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.75 ₽720

$8.06 ₽595

20.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.82 ₽2,348

$40.50 ₽2,989

-21.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.47 ₽1,880

$25.14 ₽1,855

1.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.65 ₽343

$4.94 ₽365

-5.87%

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

$323 ₽23.8K

$288 ₽21.2K

12.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,958 ₽513.4K

$8,215 ₽606.2K

-15.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$129 ₽9,527

$48.54 ₽3,582

165.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.34 ₽2,755

$62.3 ₽4,599

-40.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.5 ₽4,758

$113 ₽8,322

-42.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.9 ₽5,673

$102 ₽7,504

-24.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$450 ₽33.2K

$490 ₽36.1K

-8.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 ₽28.1K

$351 ₽25.9K

8.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₽46.6K

$937 ₽69.1K

-32.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 ₽42.0K

$576 ₽42.5K

-1.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,781 ₽131.4K

$2,807 ₽207.1K

-36.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,332 ₽98.3K

$1,738 ₽128.3K

-23.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$585 ₽43.1K

$966 ₽71.3K

-39.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.75

16.33

-3.55%

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

Last update for Arkhangelsk: June 1, 2026

Last update for Rostov-on-Don: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $450 in Arkhangelsk and $490 in Rostov-on-Don. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rostov-on-Don pays 65% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Arkhangelsk vs $38.00 in Rostov-on-Don. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $172, with Rostov-on-Don cheaper for home cooking.

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

Arkhangelsk vs Rostov-on-Don: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arkhangelsk and Rostov-on-Don differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($1,068 vs $996 including rent). Rostov-on-Don is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Rostov-on-Don earns 65% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $450 in Arkhangelsk versus $490 in Rostov-on-Don. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $323 in Arkhangelsk versus $288 in Rostov-on-Don. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Rostov-on-Don – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $37.00 in Arkhangelsk. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $996 in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,068 in Arkhangelsk, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rostov-on-Don but tight or insufficient in Arkhangelsk. The gap between the two cities makes Rostov-on-Don the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Rostov-on-Don gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Arkhangelsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.