Cost of Living Comparison Between Irkutsk and Calarasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Irkutsk and Calarasi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,023 per month in Irkutsk vs $989 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,714 per month in Irkutsk vs $1,477 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,405 per month in Irkutsk vs $1,964 in Calarasi, rent included.

Irkutsk costs about 3% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Irkutsk and Calarasi are more affordable than the global median – Irkutsk 24% lower, Calarasi 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.30 ₽606

$10.06 RON 45.46

-17.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.10 ₽2,562

$27.26 RON 123

28.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ₽409

$7.71 RON 34.86

-27.37%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ₽223

$2.65 RON 11.97

15.47%

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

$1.49 ₽109

$1.53 RON 6.92

-2.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₽30.99

$1.79 RON 8.11

-76.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 ₽113

$2.24 RON 10.12

-30.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 ₽189

$3.52 RON 15.91

-26.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ₽101

$1.34 RON 6.08

3.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 ₽42.11

$1.09 RON 4.91

-46.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 ₽126

$1.77 RON 7.98

-2.26%

Eggs

$2.21 ₽161

$3.40 RON 15.35

-35.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.94 ₽1,091

$8.50 RON 38.41

75.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 ₽465

$7.12 RON 32.20

-10.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 ₽920

$9.15 RON 41.35

37.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ₽163

$1.18 RON 5.31

88.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 ₽183

$1.47 RON 6.66

70.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ₽221

$1.33 RON 6.02

127.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 ₽343

$1.91 RON 8.62

146.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 ₽78.6

$0.75 RON 3.37

44.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ₽67.0

$0.95 RON 4.31

-3.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 ₽158

$0.71 RON 3.20

204.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₽52.3

$0.80 RON 3.62

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 ₽274

$5.71 RON 25.79

-34.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.65 ₽704

$4.48 RON 20.27

115.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 ₽87.1

$0.98 RON 4.45

21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₽173

$1.42 RON 6.42

67.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ₽36.02

$0.45 RON 2.03

8.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.99 ₽729

$14.09 RON 63.7

-29.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₽135

$0.67 RON 3.03

176.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₽24.07

$0.66 RON 2.97

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.68 ₽342

$5.62 RON 25.39

-16.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₽60.1

$1.54 RON 6.98

-46.75%

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

$29.6K ₽2.2M

$25.4K RON 114.7K

16.52%

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

$25.6K ₽1.9M

$27.4K RON 123.9K

-6.58%

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

$95.9 ₽7,002

$148 RON 669

-35.14%

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

$6.83 ₽499

$8.65 RON 39.09

-21.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.34 ₽682

$7.62 RON 34.44

22.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.98 ₽2,845

$68.6 RON 310

-43.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.31 ₽1,045

$19.52 RON 88.2

-26.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 ₽363

$5.92 RON 26.77

-16.05%

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

$282 ₽20.6K

$424 RON 1,915

-33.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,973 ₽509.0K

$6,966 RON 31.5K

0.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.85 ₽2,689

$81.3 RON 367

-54.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.60 ₽2,817

$42.81 RON 194

-9.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 ₽7,421

$75.6 RON 342

34.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ₽7,685

$96.8 RON 437

8.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$551 ₽40.2K

$391 RON 1,768

40.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 ₽24.2K

$228 RON 1,032

44.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,165 ₽85.0K

$599 RON 2,709

94.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 ₽54.8K

$369 RON 1,666

103.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,153 ₽230.1K

$1,236 RON 5,587

155.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 ₽141.4K

$986 RON 4,458

96.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$816 ₽59.5K

$773 RON 3,495

5.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.29

6.62

191.39%

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

Last update for Irkutsk: May 31, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $551 in Irkutsk versus $391 in Calarasi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 6% higher in Irkutsk, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Irkutsk versus $27.00 in Calarasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $196 – making Calarasi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Irkutsk vs Calarasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,023 in Irkutsk, $989 in Calarasi – roughly 3% apart. Irkutsk costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,535 per month in Irkutsk and $1,484 in Calarasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Calarasi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $282 per month in Irkutsk and $424 in Calarasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Irkutsk, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $989, than in Irkutsk at $1,023. In Calarasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Irkutsk it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Calarasi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Calarasi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Irkutsk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.