Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kostroma and Kazan

For one person, living is cheaper in Kazan: $1,201 a month against $1,312 in Kostroma, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. The total is higher in Kostroma despite lower rent and utilities.

Kostroma
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,312
/mo nomad
Kazan
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,201
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kostroma and in Kazan

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,312 in Kostroma versus $1,201 in Kazan.

  • Kostroma $1,312
  • Kazan $1,201

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,085 in Kostroma versus $1,877 in Kazan.

  • Kostroma $2,085
  • Kazan $1,877

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,859 in Kostroma versus $2,552 in Kazan.

  • Kostroma $2,859
  • Kazan $2,552

Living in Kostroma is roughly 9% more expensive than in Kazan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kostroma 3% lower, Kazan 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kostroma
Kazan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.01 ₽1,002
$13.11 ₽1,094
-8.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.1 ₽5,102
$40.04 ₽3,342
52.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.20 ₽601
$6.16 ₽514
16.88%
Cappuccino
$3.91 ₽326
$3.33 ₽278
17.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62 ₽136
$1.45 ₽121
11.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 ₽71.1
$0.56 ₽46.56
51.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.80 ₽150
$1.84 ₽154
-2.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.29 ₽441
$2.36 ₽197
124.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kostroma
Kazan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.24 ₽103
$1.11 ₽92.5
11.71%
White Bread (500g)
$1.01 ₽84.3
$0.71 ₽59.1
42.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 ₽140
$1.58 ₽132
6.33%
Eggs
$1.88 ₽157
$1.51 ₽126
24.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.95 ₽1,248
$11.43 ₽954
30.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.93 ₽578
$4.60 ₽384
50.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.95 ₽1,248
$10.68 ₽891
39.98%
Apples (1kg)
$2.17 ₽181
$1.97 ₽164
10.15%
Banana (1kg)
$1.82 ₽152
$1.70 ₽142
7.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 ₽165
$1.88 ₽157
5.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.96 ₽330
$3.14 ₽262
26.11%
Potato (1kg)
$0.89 ₽74.0
$0.85 ₽71.0
4.71%
Onion (1kg)
$0.70 ₽58.7
$0.58 ₽48.17
20.69%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.65 ₽137
$1.46 ₽122
13.01%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.93 ₽78.0
$0.72 ₽60.1
29.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.49 ₽291
$3.03 ₽253
15.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.31 ₽1,027
$7.89 ₽659
56.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 ₽102
$1.01 ₽84.5
20.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 ₽212
$1.87 ₽156
35.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Kostroma
Kazan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 ₽45.15
$0.57 ₽47.94
-5.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$19.17 ₽1,600
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.62 ₽302
$2.39 ₽200
51.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.34 ₽28.73
$0.56 ₽46.76
-39.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.94 ₽996
$7.11 ₽593
67.93%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 ₽73.3
$0.87 ₽72.3
1.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.4K ₽3.5M
$52.8K ₽4.4M
-19.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.1K ₽3.3M
$41.9K ₽3.5M
-4.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kostroma
Kazan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$191 ₽16.0K
$127 ₽10.6K
50.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.70 ₽726
$5.28 ₽441
64.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.88 ₽825
$7.10 ₽592
39.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kostroma
Kazan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.32 ₽3,365
$36.85 ₽3,075
9.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.01 ₽2,087
$29.66 ₽2,476
-15.68%
Cinema Ticket
$9.47 ₽791
$6.62 ₽553
43.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kostroma
Kazan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$344 ₽28.7K
$294 ₽24.5K
16.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,317 ₽527.2K
$6,411 ₽535.1K
-1.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kostroma
Kazan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$114 ₽9,511
$94.4 ₽7,878
20.73%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$67.6 ₽5,645
$92.6 ₽7,730
-26.97%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$148 ₽12.3K
$108 ₽8,986
37.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$189 ₽15.8K
$78.5 ₽6,551
141.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kostroma
Kazan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$500 ₽41.8K
$674 ₽56.2K
-25.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$340 ₽28.3K
$426 ₽35.5K
-20.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$837 ₽69.9K
$1,132 ₽94.5K
-26.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$643 ₽53.6K
$791 ₽66.0K
-18.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,226 ₽185.8K
$4,456 ₽371.9K
-50.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,489 ₽124.3K
$2,402 ₽200.5K
-38.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kostroma
Kazan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$762 ₽63.6K
$985 ₽82.2K
-22.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
19.56
20.8
-5.96%

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

Last update for Kostroma: October 18, 2026

Last update for Kazan: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kostroma
$340
Kazan
$426 25.4% $86
Groceries & Markets
Kostroma
$268
Kazan
$206 23.2% $62
Clothing & Footwear
Kostroma
$233
Kazan
$168 28.1% $66
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kostroma
$210
Kazan
$140 33.5% $70
Eating Out
Kostroma
$194
Kazan
$185 4.5% $8.8
Sport & Entertainment
Kostroma
$59
Kazan
$50 15.5% $9.2
Getting Around
Kostroma
$7.5 *
Kazan
$27 256% $19

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Kostroma and $674 in Kazan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kazan pays 29% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $61.0 in Kostroma vs $40.00 in Kazan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $206 per month, with Kazan cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇷🇺 Kostroma
🇷🇺 Kazan
🕒 Local time
13:49 1:49 PM
13:49 1:49 PM
Same time as Kostroma
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
277,393
1,257,341
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to RUB – Russian Ruble Converter

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kostroma Kazan 550 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Kostroma
  • Kazan

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

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
Kostroma vs Kazan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Kostroma and in Kazan?
Kostroma and Kazan differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,312 vs $1,201 including rent). Kazan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 29% lower in Kazan. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Kostroma and in Kazan?
Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Kostroma versus $674 in Kazan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Kostroma. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Kostroma or Kazan?
All in, you'll spend $1,312 per month in Kostroma versus $1,201 in Kazan – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,201 in Kazan versus $1,312 in Kostroma, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kazan but tight or insufficient in Kostroma. The gap between the two cities makes Kazan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Kostroma and Kazan?
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.
Is Kostroma or Kazan safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Kostroma 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.
Where should expats move: Kostroma or Kazan?
Expats usually find Kazan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Kostroma. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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