Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Izmir and Saint Petersburg

For one person, living is cheaper in Izmir: $1,212 a month against $1,375 in Saint Petersburg, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Izmir, Turkey
Saint Petersburg, Russia
Izmir
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,212
/mo nomad
Saint Petersburg
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,375
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Izmir and in Saint Petersburg

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,212 in Izmir versus $1,375 in Saint Petersburg.

  • Izmir $1,212
  • Saint Petersburg $1,375

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,898 in Izmir versus $2,195 in Saint Petersburg.

  • Izmir $1,898
  • Saint Petersburg $2,195

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,584 in Izmir versus $3,014 in Saint Petersburg.

  • Izmir $2,584
  • Saint Petersburg $3,014

Living in Izmir costs roughly 12% less than in Saint Petersburg, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Izmir
Saint Petersburg
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.89 ₺493
$12.42 ₽1,001
-20.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.55 ₺1,772
$44.05 ₽3,553
-19.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.41 ₺419
$6.95 ₽561
21.01%
Cappuccino
$3.64 ₺181
$3.26 ₽263
11.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 ₺72.7
$1.61 ₽130
-9.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.58 ₺28.86
$0.78 ₽62.7
-25.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.44 ₺172
$2.81 ₽227
22.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.00 ₺249
$3.63 ₽293
37.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Izmir
Saint Petersburg
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.08 ₺53.9
$1.19 ₽96.0
-9.24%
White Bread (500g)
$1.05 ₺52.6
$0.95 ₽76.9
10.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.38 ₺119
$1.70 ₽137
40.00%
Eggs
$2.46 ₺123
$1.67 ₽135
47.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.31 ₺464
$12.39 ₽999
-24.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.10 ₺254
$6.64 ₽536
-23.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.03 ₺1,048
$12.85 ₽1,037
63.66%
Apples (1kg)
$1.95 ₺97.4
$1.75 ₽142
11.43%
Banana (1kg)
$2.18 ₺108
$1.64 ₽132
32.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.06 ₺52.7
$1.79 ₽145
-40.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.36 ₺67.9
$3.36 ₽271
-59.52%
Potato (1kg)
$0.59 ₺29.55
$0.83 ₽66.9
-28.92%
Onion (1kg)
$0.40 ₺20.08
$0.63 ₽50.6
-36.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.09 ₺54.6
$1.33 ₽107
-18.05%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.73 ₺36.52
$0.78 ₽62.8
-6.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.22 ₺111
$3.16 ₽255
-29.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.15 ₺556
$9.41 ₽759
18.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.06 ₺103
$1.19 ₽95.7
73.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 ₺149
$1.97 ₽159
51.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Izmir
Saint Petersburg
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.68 ₺34.06
$1.10 ₽88.9
-38.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$43.12 ₺2,149
$56.1 ₽4,524
-23.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.52 ₺175
$2.80 ₽226
25.71%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ₺50.9
$0.60 ₽48.62
70.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.52 ₺275
$9.01 ₽727
-38.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 ₺67.2
$0.88 ₽71.3
53.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$46.6K ₺2.3M
$43.0K ₽3.5M
8.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.7K ₺2.2M
$37.4K ₽3.0M
16.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Izmir
Saint Petersburg
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.4 ₺4,104
$156 ₽12.6K
-47.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.53 ₺525
$7.85 ₽633
34.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.87 ₺791
$8.71 ₽702
82.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Izmir
Saint Petersburg
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.2 ₺3,197
$41.31 ₽3,331
55.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.55 ₺1,722
$43.82 ₽3,534
-21.15%
Cinema Ticket
$8.25 ₺411
$7.57 ₽610
8.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Izmir
Saint Petersburg
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$683 ₺34.1K
$663 ₽53.5K
3.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.5K ₺720.2K
$17.9K ₽1.4M
-19.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Izmir
Saint Petersburg
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.34 ₺2,260
$98.5 ₽7,946
-53.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.24 ₺1,856
$54.2 ₽4,370
-31.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.0 ₺4,584
$140 ₽11.3K
-34.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.8 ₺3,978
$128 ₽10.3K
-37.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Izmir
Saint Petersburg
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$587 ₺29.2K
$772 ₽62.2K
-23.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$424 ₺21.1K
$466 ₽37.6K
-9.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,122 ₺55.9K
$1,619 ₽130.6K
-30.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$793 ₺39.5K
$974 ₽78.5K
-18.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,444 ₺72.0K
$4,632 ₽373.5K
-68.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$999 ₺49.8K
$2,886 ₽232.8K
-65.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Izmir
Saint Petersburg
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,134 ₺56.5K
$1,230 ₽99.2K
-7.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
42.33
19.69
114.98%

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

Last update for Izmir: October 25, 2026

Last update for Saint Petersburg: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Izmir
$424
Saint Petersburg
$466 9.9% $42
Groceries & Markets
Izmir
$245
Saint Petersburg
$234 4.9% $12
Eating Out
Izmir
$183
Saint Petersburg
$190 3.7% $6.8
Clothing & Footwear
Izmir
$114
Saint Petersburg
$189 65.4% $75
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Izmir
$109
Saint Petersburg
$173 58.9% $64
Sport & Entertainment
Izmir
$81
Saint Petersburg
$56 30% $24
Getting Around
Izmir
$54
Saint Petersburg
$66 21.7% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $587 in Izmir and $772 in Saint Petersburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Petersburg pays 8% 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: $36 in Izmir vs $44 in Saint Petersburg. Groceries flip the comparison at $245 vs $234, with Saint Petersburg cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Izmir
🇷🇺 Saint Petersburg
🕒 Local time
01:23 1:23 AM
01:23 1:23 AM
Same time as Izmir
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,493,242
5,597,763
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 49.83 TRY (100 TRY = 2.01 USD). 1 EUR = 55.48 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 80.65 RUB (100 RUB = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 89.78 RUB (100 RUB = 1.11 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Izmir Saint Petersburg 2,400 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Izmir
  • Saint Petersburg

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

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Izmir vs Saint Petersburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Izmir or Saint Petersburg?
Izmir wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Saint Petersburg. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Izmir the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Izmir or in Saint Petersburg?
On paper, salaries run 8% lower in Izmir. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Izmir compared to Saint Petersburg?
Rent for a central apartment: $587 in Izmir versus $772 in Saint Petersburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Izmir compared to Saint Petersburg?
All in, you’ll spend $1,212 per month in Izmir versus $1,375 in Saint Petersburg – Izmir is about 12% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How expensive is transport in Izmir compared to Saint Petersburg?
A monthly transit pass in Izmir runs roughly 23% less than in Saint Petersburg. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Izmir or in Saint Petersburg?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Izmir is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Izmir or Saint Petersburg?
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.
Should I move to Izmir or to Saint Petersburg?
It comes down to priorities – Izmir wins on affordability, Saint Petersburg on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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