Cost of Living Comparison Between Kostroma and Saint Petersburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Kostroma and Saint Petersburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,128 per month in Kostroma vs $1,302 in Saint Petersburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,719 per month in Kostroma vs $2,049 in Saint Petersburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,310 per month in Kostroma vs $2,796 in Saint Petersburg, rent included.

Kostroma is about 13% cheaper than Saint Petersburg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kostroma and Saint Petersburg are more affordable than the global median – Kostroma 16% lower, Saint Petersburg 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.88 ₽940

$9.60 ₽701

34.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.5 ₽4,199

$49.48 ₽3,612

16.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.26 ₽457

$5.65 ₽413

10.80%

Cappuccino

$3.20 ₽234

$2.60 ₽189

23.08%

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

$1.40 ₽102

$1.07 ₽78.4

30.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₽48.80

$0.61 ₽44.72

9.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.40 ₽321

$3.22 ₽235

36.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 ₽323

$3.85 ₽281

15.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ₽90.5

$1.16 ₽85.0

6.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 ₽39.84

$0.96 ₽70.2

-42.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ₽115

$1.62 ₽118

-2.47%

Eggs

$1.47 ₽108

$1.86 ₽136

-20.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 ₽673

$12.44 ₽908

-25.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.54 ₽331

$5.24 ₽383

-13.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ₽720

$10.85 ₽792

-9.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 ₽108

$1.68 ₽122

-11.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 ₽112

$1.85 ₽135

-17.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₽93.3

$1.93 ₽141

-33.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 ₽168

$3.47 ₽253

-34.01%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 ₽72.3

$0.89 ₽64.7

11.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 ₽52.4

$0.65 ₽47.25

10.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 ₽85.1

$1.30 ₽94.6

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₽46.78

$0.73 ₽53.3

-12.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 ₽231

$3.03 ₽221

4.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.28 ₽459

$9.85 ₽719

-36.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 ₽78.0

$1.05 ₽76.7

1.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₽172

$2.06 ₽150

14.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₽33.58

$0.86 ₽62.4

-46.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.87 ₽1,596

$52.4 ₽3,824

-58.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ₽112

$2.83 ₽207

-45.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₽8.86

$0.56 ₽40.60

-78.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.52 ₽549

$7.56 ₽552

-0.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 ₽57.8

$0.74 ₽53.8

6.76%

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

$26.0K ₽1.9M

$37.9K ₽2.8M

-31.48%

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

$29.5K ₽2.2M

$37.7K ₽2.8M

-21.78%

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

$149 ₽10.9K

$134 ₽9,761

11.25%

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

$7.91 ₽577

$6.66 ₽486

18.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.04 ₽368

$7.06 ₽515

-28.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.50 ₽1,862

$37.57 ₽2,742

-32.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.95 ₽1,675

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ₽474

$5.88 ₽429

10.37%

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

$703 ₽51.3K

$403 ₽29.4K

74.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ₽1.1M

$9,670 ₽705.8K

53.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.5 ₽6,389

$98.5 ₽7,188

-11.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 ₽3,834

$53.4 ₽3,895

-1.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 ₽9,760

$114 ₽8,356

16.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 ₽12.0K

$135 ₽9,846

21.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 ₽32.4K

$794 ₽58.0K

-44.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ₽22.0K

$471 ₽34.3K

-36.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 ₽56.0K

$1,417 ₽103.4K

-45.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 ₽36.4K

$899 ₽65.6K

-44.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,088 ₽152.4K

$4,914 ₽358.7K

-57.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,051 ₽76.7K

$3,083 ₽225.0K

-65.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,075 ₽78.5K

$1,319 ₽96.3K

-18.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.67

24.95

-41.20%

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

Last update for Kostroma: May 31, 2026

Last update for Saint Petersburg: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $444 in Kostroma versus $794 in Saint Petersburg. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 23% higher in Saint Petersburg, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Kostroma versus $49.00 in Saint Petersburg. Groceries tell a different story – $183 in Kostroma vs $223 in Saint Petersburg – so Kostroma wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Saint Petersburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint Petersburg costs about 15% more than Kostroma, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,692 per month in Kostroma and $1,953 in Saint Petersburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kostroma, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Saint Petersburg, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Kostroma and $49.00 in Saint Petersburg. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kostroma, where all-in costs run around $1,128, than in Saint Petersburg at $1,302. In Kostroma it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint Petersburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kostroma costs $1,128 versus $1,302 in Saint Petersburg. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Kostroma. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Saint Petersburg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.