Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Elista and Kazan

For one person, living is cheaper in Elista: $946 a month against $1,254 in Kazan, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Elista, Russia
Kazan, Russia
Elista
🇷🇺 Russia
$946
/mo nomad
Kazan
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,254
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Elista and in Kazan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Elista and in Kazan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $946 per month in Elista vs $1,254 in Kazan, rent included.

  • Elista $946
  • Kazan $1,254

A couple spends around $1,491 per month in Elista vs $1,944 in Kazan, rent included.

  • Elista $1,491
  • Kazan $1,944

A family of three spends $2,036 per month in Elista vs $2,635 in Kazan, rent included.

  • Elista $2,036
  • Kazan $2,635

Elista is about 25% cheaper than Kazan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Elista and Kazan are more affordable than the global median – Elista 30% lower, Kazan 8% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Elista
Kazan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.01 ₽564
$13.87 ₽1,117
-49.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.5 ₽4,061
$40.79 ₽3,283
23.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.46 ₽520
$6.49 ₽522
-0.46%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ₽219
$3.27 ₽263
-16.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02 ₽82.4
$1.42 ₽115
-28.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.60 ₽47.96
$0.63 ₽50.6
-4.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.17 ₽93.8
$1.83 ₽148
-36.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.82 ₽147
$2.47 ₽199
-26.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Elista
Kazan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.04 ₽83.5
$1.14 ₽91.7
-8.77%
White Bread (500g)
$0.57 ₽45.68
$0.77 ₽62.3
-25.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 ₽93.3
$1.59 ₽128
-27.04%
Eggs
$1.45 ₽117
$1.49 ₽120
-2.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.70 ₽620
$11.67 ₽939
-34.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.73 ₽380
$4.84 ₽390
-2.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.99 ₽965
$11.03 ₽888
8.70%
Apples (1kg)
$1.29 ₽104
$2.00 ₽161
-35.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 ₽122
$1.73 ₽139
-12.72%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.45 ₽117
$2.00 ₽161
-27.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.65 ₽213
$3.16 ₽255
-16.14%
Potato (1kg)
$0.74 ₽59.7
$0.85 ₽68.5
-12.94%
Onion (1kg)
$0.48 ₽38.67
$0.55 ₽44.18
-12.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.38 ₽30.68
$1.50 ₽121
-74.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 ₽54.6
$0.78 ₽63.0
-12.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.93 ₽236
$3.02 ₽243
-2.98%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.49 ₽764
$8.01 ₽645
18.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.13 ₽90.6
$1.10 ₽88.7
2.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 ₽163
$1.99 ₽160
1.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Elista
Kazan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.57 ₽45.88
$0.58 ₽46.91
-1.72%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.45 ₽2,049
$31.56 ₽2,540
-19.36%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.24 ₽180
$2.50 ₽201
-10.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.36 ₽29.25
$0.53 ₽42.92
-32.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.77 ₽304
$7.58 ₽610
-50.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.90 ₽72.6
$0.85 ₽68.3
5.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K ₽2.2M
$53.0K ₽4.3M
-49.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.3K ₽2.6M
$42.4K ₽3.4M
-23.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Elista
Kazan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.5 ₽6,881
$128 ₽10.3K
-33.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.57 ₽529
$5.61 ₽451
17.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.81 ₽628
$7.33 ₽590
6.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Elista
Kazan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.64 ₽3,030
$37.72 ₽3,036
-0.21%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.99 ₽2,012
$31.24 ₽2,515
-20.01%
Cinema Ticket
$4.39 ₽353
$6.72 ₽541
-34.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Elista
Kazan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$348 ₽28.0K
$301 ₽24.3K
15.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,865 ₽472.1K
$6,657 ₽535.8K
-11.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Elista
Kazan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.8 ₽6,822
$95.3 ₽7,667
-11.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.4 ₽4,298
$96.1 ₽7,738
-44.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$55.1 ₽4,434
$108 ₽8,653
-48.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 ₽8,749
$79.0 ₽6,355
37.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Elista
Kazan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$479 ₽38.5K
$699 ₽56.2K
-31.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$323 ₽26.0K
$448 ₽36.1K
-27.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$924 ₽74.4K
$1,158 ₽93.2K
-20.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$515 ₽41.5K
$806 ₽64.9K
-36.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,037 ₽163.9K
$4,519 ₽363.7K
-54.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,345 ₽108.3K
$2,489 ₽200.4K
-45.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Elista
Kazan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$374 ₽30.1K
$1,000 ₽80.5K
-62.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
21.33
20.8
2.55%

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

Last update for Elista: October 27, 2026

Last update for Kazan: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Elista
$323
Kazan
$448 38.8% $125
Groceries & Markets
Elista
$185
Kazan
$213 14.7% $27
Clothing & Footwear
Elista
$136
Kazan
$170 25.2% $34
Eating Out
Elista
$124
Kazan
$192 54.8% $68
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Elista
$100
Kazan
$141 41.1% $41
Sport & Entertainment
Elista
$46
Kazan
$51 10.2% $4.7
Getting Around
Elista
$32
Kazan
$39 22.9% $7.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $479 in Elista versus $699 in Kazan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Kazan are about 2.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50 in Elista versus $41 in Kazan. Groceries tell a different story – $185 in Elista vs $213 in Kazan – so Elista wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇷🇺 Elista
🇷🇺 Kazan
🕒 Local time
21:47 9:47 PM
21:47 9:47 PM
Same time as Elista
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
103,219
1,257,341
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to RUB – Russian Ruble Converter

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 80.49 RUB (100 RUB = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 89.61 RUB (100 RUB = 1.12 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Elista Kazan 1,110 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Elista
  • Kazan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Elista vs Kazan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Elista cheaper than Kazan?
Yes – Kazan is pricier by about 33%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,419 per month in Elista and $1,880 in Kazan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Elista, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $479 there versus $699 in Kazan.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $348 per month in Elista and $301 in Kazan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Elista and in Kazan?
Groceries cost about 15% more in Kazan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is it better to live in Elista or in Kazan?
It depends on your priorities. Kazan has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $946 in Elista to $1,254 in Kazan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Elista. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kazan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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