Cost of Living Comparison Between Irkutsk and Kazan Cost of Living Comparison Between Irkutsk and Kazan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,023 in Irkutsk versus $1,093 in Kazan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,714 in Irkutsk versus $1,692 in Kazan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,405 in Irkutsk versus $2,291 in Kazan.

Living in Irkutsk costs roughly 6% less than in Kazan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Irkutsk 24% lower, Kazan 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.30 ₽606

$7.47 ₽545

11.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.10 ₽2,562

$38.40 ₽2,802

-8.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ₽409

$6.40 ₽467

-12.50%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ₽223

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

$1.49 ₽109

$1.12 ₽81.7

33.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₽30.99

$0.78 ₽56.7

-46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 ₽113

$3.85 ₽281

-59.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 ₽189

$4.73 ₽345

-45.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ₽101

$1.08 ₽78.5

28.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 ₽42.11

$0.72 ₽52.8

-19.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 ₽126

$1.46 ₽106

18.49%

Eggs

$2.21 ₽161

$1.95 ₽142

13.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.94 ₽1,091

$10.98 ₽801

36.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 ₽465

$4.82 ₽352

31.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 ₽920

$9.36 ₽683

34.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ₽163

$1.94 ₽141

14.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 ₽183

$1.94 ₽141

28.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ₽221

$2.42 ₽177

25.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 ₽343

$2.38 ₽173

97.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 ₽78.6

$0.66 ₽48.46

63.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ₽67.0

$0.59 ₽43.15

55.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 ₽158

$1.52 ₽111

42.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₽52.3

$0.60 ₽44.09

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 ₽274

$3.26 ₽238

15.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.65 ₽704

$8.95 ₽653

7.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 ₽87.1

$0.99 ₽72.6

20.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₽173

$1.89 ₽138

25.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ₽36.02

$0.57 ₽41.38

-14.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.99 ₽729

$25.24 ₽1,842

-60.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₽135

$1.24 ₽90.8

49.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₽24.07

$0.25 ₽18.25

32.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.68 ₽342

$5.59 ₽408

-16.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₽60.1

$0.71 ₽51.8

15.49%

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

$29.6K ₽2.2M

$37.9K ₽2.8M

-21.94%

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

$25.6K ₽1.9M

$44.5K ₽3.2M

-42.41%

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

$95.9 ₽7,002

$104 ₽7,609

-7.97%

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

$6.83 ₽499

$5.71 ₽417

19.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.34 ₽682

$6.47 ₽472

44.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.98 ₽2,845

$23.77 ₽1,735

63.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.31 ₽1,045

$18.74 ₽1,368

-23.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 ₽363

$5.72 ₽418

-13.11%

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

$282 ₽20.6K

$254 ₽18.6K

10.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,973 ₽509.0K

$7,002 ₽511.1K

-0.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.85 ₽2,689

$66.2 ₽4,834

-44.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.60 ₽2,817

$43.92 ₽3,206

-12.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 ₽7,421

$104 ₽7,623

-2.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ₽7,685

$100 ₽7,321

4.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$551 ₽40.2K

$626 ₽45.7K

-12.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 ₽24.2K

$424 ₽31.0K

-21.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,165 ₽85.0K

$1,040 ₽75.9K

12.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 ₽54.8K

$684 ₽49.9K

9.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,153 ₽230.1K

$4,848 ₽353.8K

-34.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 ₽141.4K

$2,879 ₽210.1K

-32.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$816 ₽59.5K

$976 ₽71.2K

-16.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.29

18.15

6.28%

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

Last update for Irkutsk: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kazan: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $551 in Irkutsk and $626 in Kazan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kazan pays 20% 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: $35.00 in Irkutsk vs $38.00 in Kazan. Groceries flip the comparison at $264 vs $203, with Kazan 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

Irkutsk vs Kazan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Irkutsk wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Kazan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Irkutsk the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Kazan earns 20% 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: $551 in Irkutsk versus $626 in Kazan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $282 in Irkutsk versus $254 in Kazan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Kazan pay roughly 30% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,023 in Irkutsk versus $1,093 in Kazan, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Irkutsk but tight or insufficient in Kazan. The gap between the two cities makes Irkutsk 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.

Safety-wise, Irkutsk and Kazan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

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