Cost of Living Comparison Between Arkhangelsk and Saint Petersburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Arkhangelsk and Saint Petersburg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,076 in Arkhangelsk versus $1,273 in Saint Petersburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,673 in Arkhangelsk versus $2,032 in Saint Petersburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,271 in Arkhangelsk versus $2,791 in Saint Petersburg.

Living in Arkhangelsk costs roughly 16% less than in Saint Petersburg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Arkhangelsk 22% lower, Saint Petersburg 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₽931

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.28 ₽3,971

$41.15 ₽3,531

12.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.18 ₽788

$6.12 ₽525

50.00%

Cappuccino

$3.54 ₽303

$3.01 ₽258

17.61%

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

$2.31 ₽198

$1.34 ₽115

72.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₽200

$0.64 ₽54.6

264.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 ₽307

$2.35 ₽201

51.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 ₽510

$2.88 ₽247

106.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 ₽90.6

$1.09 ₽93.9

-2.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 ₽78.6

$0.87 ₽74.3

5.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 ₽153

$1.62 ₽139

10.49%

Eggs

$1.62 ₽139

$1.57 ₽135

3.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.08 ₽693

$11.58 ₽994

-30.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 ₽483

$6.01 ₽515

-6.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.50 ₽1,073

$11.42 ₽980

9.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ₽205

$1.70 ₽146

40.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ₽146

$1.55 ₽133

9.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 ₽98.2

$1.79 ₽154

-36.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 ₽203

$3.02 ₽259

-21.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ₽71.0

$0.75 ₽64.3

10.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 ₽38.52

$0.58 ₽49.79

-22.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 ₽40.48

$1.26 ₽108

-62.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₽47.58

$0.78 ₽67.3

-29.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.83 ₽243

$2.95 ₽253

-4.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 ₽698

$8.93 ₽766

-8.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₽67.3

$1.07 ₽91.7

-27.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₽248

$1.88 ₽162

53.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ₽49.98

$0.99 ₽84.6

-41.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.3 ₽4,320

$51.7 ₽4,437

-2.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 ₽393

$2.60 ₽223

76.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.16 ₽13.71

$0.71 ₽61.4

-77.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.39 ₽720

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₽70.3

$0.82 ₽70.0

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

$47.1K ₽4.0M

$34.2K ₽2.9M

37.80%

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

$34.2K ₽2.9M

$32.7K ₽2.8M

4.75%

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

$108 ₽9,256

$140 ₽12.0K

-22.68%

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

$9.36 ₽804

$7.37 ₽632

27.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.72 ₽1,521

$7.80 ₽669

127.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.5 ₽4,506

$41.54 ₽3,565

26.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.63 ₽3,916

$34.98 ₽3,002

30.45%

Cinema Ticket

$9.37 ₽804

$6.79 ₽583

38.00%

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

$176 ₽15.1K

$441 ₽37.9K

-60.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ₽1.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.8 ₽6,936

$86.7 ₽7,436

-6.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.23 ₽2,938

$49.99 ₽4,290

-31.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 ₽7,835

$134 ₽11.5K

-31.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 ₽7,852

$120 ₽10.3K

-23.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₽42.9K

$729 ₽62.6K

-31.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 ₽32.5K

$434 ₽37.2K

-12.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$708 ₽60.7K

$1,580 ₽135.6K

-55.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₽52.8K

$881 ₽75.6K

-30.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,471 ₽126.2K

$4,190 ₽359.5K

-64.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,109 ₽95.1K

$2,662 ₽228.4K

-58.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$488 ₽41.9K

$1,109 ₽95.2K

-56.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.04

14.77%

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

Last update for Arkhangelsk: August 31, 2026

Last update for Saint Petersburg: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Arkhangelsk and $729 in Saint Petersburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Petersburg pays 127% 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: $46.00 in Arkhangelsk vs $41.00 in Saint Petersburg. Groceries flip the comparison at $200 vs $216, with Arkhangelsk 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 Saint Petersburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arkhangelsk and Saint Petersburg differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,076 vs $1,273 including rent). Arkhangelsk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 127% lower in Saint Petersburg. 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: $500 in Arkhangelsk versus $729 in Saint Petersburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,076 per month in Arkhangelsk versus $1,273 in Saint Petersburg – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Arkhangelsk runs roughly 3% less than in Saint Petersburg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,076 in Arkhangelsk versus $1,273 in Saint Petersburg, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Arkhangelsk but tight or insufficient in Saint Petersburg. The gap between the two cities makes Arkhangelsk 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 Arkhangelsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.