Cost of Living Comparison Between Kazan and Ulyanovsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Kazan and Ulyanovsk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Kazan versus $811 in Ulyanovsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,656 in Kazan versus $1,259 in Ulyanovsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,295 in Kazan versus $1,707 in Ulyanovsk.

Living in Kazan is roughly 25% more expensive than in Ulyanovsk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kazan 26% lower, Ulyanovsk 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.46 ₽812

$11.56 ₽992

-18.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.38 ₽3,036

$28.53 ₽2,448

24.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 ₽482

$5.87 ₽504

-4.26%

Cappuccino

$3.12 ₽268

$2.40 ₽206

30.00%

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

$1.22 ₽105

$1.00 ₽85.8

22.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₽42.47

$0.49 ₽42.22

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 ₽148

$2.22 ₽191

-22.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₽204

$1.71 ₽147

39.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 ₽91.4

$1.06 ₽91.0

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 ₽59.2

$0.72 ₽62.2

-4.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ₽120

$1.21 ₽104

15.70%

Eggs

$1.64 ₽141

$0.98 ₽84.1

67.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 ₽873

$11.43 ₽981

-11.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.40 ₽378

$5.48 ₽471

-19.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.51 ₽816

$9.44 ₽810

0.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ₽155

$1.20 ₽103

50.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₽140

$1.61 ₽138

1.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 ₽174

$2.35 ₽201

-13.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.83 ₽243

$2.79 ₽240

1.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 ₽68.2

$0.96 ₽82.3

-17.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 ₽44.82

$0.65 ₽55.7

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 ₽132

$1.43 ₽123

7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₽53.3

$0.42 ₽36.18

47.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 ₽252

$2.63 ₽226

11.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.99 ₽600

$6.89 ₽592

1.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 ₽88.1

$0.70 ₽59.8

47.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ₽139

$0.60 ₽51.3

170.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ₽47.45

$0.41 ₽35.08

34.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.51 ₽2,018

$17.03 ₽1,461

38.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 ₽176

$1.25 ₽108

64.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 ₽41.00

$0.17 ₽14.43

182.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 ₽588

$4.83 ₽414

41.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 ₽69.6

$0.78 ₽66.6

3.85%

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

$35.9K ₽3.1M

$48.9K ₽4.2M

-26.59%

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

$42.5K ₽3.6M

$42.2K ₽3.6M

0.71%

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

$101 ₽8,697

$58.0 ₽4,978

74.72%

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

$5.61 ₽481

$5.19 ₽446

8.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.61 ₽567

$4.54 ₽390

45.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.70 ₽2,463

$27.89 ₽2,393

2.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.58 ₽3,140

$24.53 ₽2,105

49.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.86 ₽503

$5.53 ₽474

5.97%

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

$282 ₽24.2K

$175 ₽15.0K

61.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K ₽1.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.1 ₽6,705

$29.00 ₽2,489

169.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$90.2 ₽7,743

$34.14 ₽2,930

164.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.2 ₽6,539

$91.2 ₽7,830

-16.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ₽7,147

$57.9 ₽4,969

43.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$601 ₽51.6K

$335 ₽28.7K

79.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₽30.7K

$223 ₽19.2K

59.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 ₽88.6K

$504 ₽43.2K

105.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$703 ₽60.3K

$392 ₽33.6K

79.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,799 ₽326.0K

$2,021 ₽173.5K

87.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,484 ₽213.2K

$1,231 ₽105.7K

101.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$873 ₽75.0K

$613 ₽52.6K

42.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.8

-9.57%

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

Last update for Kazan: August 29, 2026

Last update for Ulyanovsk: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $601 in Kazan and $335 in Ulyanovsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kazan pays 43% 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 Kazan vs $29.00 in Ulyanovsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $189 per month, with Ulyanovsk cheaper across the board.

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 Ulyanovsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kazan and Ulyanovsk differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $811 including rent). Ulyanovsk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 43% 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: $601 in Kazan versus $335 in Ulyanovsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ulyanovsk – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $35.00 in Kazan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Kazan versus $811 in Ulyanovsk – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $811 in Ulyanovsk versus $1,017 in Kazan, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ulyanovsk but tight or insufficient in Kazan. The gap between the two cities makes Ulyanovsk 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 Ulyanovsk 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 Ulyanovsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Kazan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.