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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,199 in Kazan versus $1,017 in Irkutsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,850 in Kazan versus $1,471 in Irkutsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,500 in Kazan versus $1,925 in Irkutsk.

Living in Kazan is roughly 18% more expensive than in Irkutsk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kazan 12% lower, Irkutsk 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.99 ₽1,094

$6.01 ₽506

116.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.62 ₽3,252

$29.54 ₽2,487

30.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.21 ₽523

$5.97 ₽503

4.02%

Cappuccino

$3.29 ₽277

$2.95 ₽249

11.53%

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

$1.41 ₽118

$1.57 ₽132

-10.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₽46.54

$0.67 ₽56.3

-17.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 ₽151

$2.35 ₽198

-23.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 ₽198

$3.52 ₽296

-33.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 ₽93.5

$1.25 ₽106

-11.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 ₽57.8

$0.63 ₽53.4

9.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 ₽124

$2.23 ₽188

-34.08%

Eggs

$1.44 ₽121

$1.61 ₽136

-10.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.18 ₽942

$11.62 ₽978

-3.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.50 ₽379

$6.13 ₽516

-26.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.57 ₽890

$11.08 ₽933

-4.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 ₽161

$1.87 ₽157

2.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 ₽145

$1.97 ₽166

-12.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 ₽156

$1.77 ₽149

4.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 ₽259

$3.56 ₽300

-13.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ₽71.5

$0.72 ₽60.3

18.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 ₽44.55

$0.64 ₽54.2

-17.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 ₽120

$1.75 ₽147

-18.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ₽58.0

$0.64 ₽54.2

7.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 ₽254

$2.75 ₽232

9.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₽646

$7.57 ₽637

1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ₽87.9

$1.02 ₽85.9

1.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₽161

$1.95 ₽164

-2.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 ₽46.75

$0.61 ₽51.6

-8.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.71 ₽1,576

$15.96 ₽1,344

17.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 ₽195

$1.19 ₽101

94.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 ₽43.75

$0.18 ₽15.01

188.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.07 ₽595

$8.60 ₽724

-17.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 ₽68.2

$0.78 ₽66.0

3.85%

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

$36.2K ₽3.0M

$29.1K ₽2.5M

24.43%

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

$42.1K ₽3.5M

$37.0K ₽3.1M

13.83%

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

$127 ₽10.7K

$118 ₽9,963

7.25%

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

$6.07 ₽511

$5.63 ₽474

7.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.84 ₽576

$11.61 ₽978

-41.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.22 ₽2,714

$34.11 ₽2,873

-5.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.05 ₽2,531

$21.25 ₽1,789

41.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.56 ₽552

$6.43 ₽542

2.02%

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

$286 ₽24.1K

$296 ₽24.9K

-3.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,476 ₽545.4K

$3,158 ₽265.9K

105.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.9 ₽7,569

$58.2 ₽4,900

54.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$92.0 ₽7,748

$23.50 ₽1,979

291.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 ₽8,855

$98.1 ₽8,261

7.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.4 ₽6,514

$116 ₽9,751

-33.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 ₽56.7K

$432 ₽36.4K

55.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 ₽35.1K

$320 ₽27.0K

30.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 ₽94.9K

$745 ₽62.7K

51.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$784 ₽66.0K

$424 ₽35.7K

85.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,345 ₽365.9K

$2,659 ₽223.9K

63.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,309 ₽194.5K

$1,779 ₽149.8K

29.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$955 ₽80.5K

$757 ₽63.7K

26.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.8

24.57

-15.34%

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

Last update for Kazan: September 13, 2026

Last update for Irkutsk: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $673 in Kazan and $432 in Irkutsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kazan pays 26% 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: $39.00 in Kazan vs $30.00 in Irkutsk. Groceries flip the comparison at $202 vs $221, 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

Kazan vs Irkutsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Irkutsk wins on cost – living expenses run 18% 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.

Average pay runs 26% higher in Kazan, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $673 in Kazan versus $432 in Irkutsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $286 in Kazan versus $296 in Irkutsk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Kazan pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,017 in Irkutsk versus $1,199 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, Kazan and Irkutsk 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 18% less than in Kazan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.