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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $962 in Novokuznetsk versus $1,302 in Saint Petersburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,491 in Novokuznetsk versus $2,049 in Saint Petersburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,019 in Novokuznetsk versus $2,796 in Saint Petersburg.

Living in Novokuznetsk costs roughly 26% less than in Saint Petersburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Novokuznetsk 28% lower, Saint Petersburg 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.40 ₽686

$9.60 ₽701

-2.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.41 ₽2,803

$49.48 ₽3,612

-22.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.57 ₽406

$5.65 ₽413

-1.42%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ₽171

$2.60 ₽189

-9.62%

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

$1.12 ₽82.1

$1.07 ₽78.4

4.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₽35.23

$0.61 ₽44.72

-21.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 ₽99.8

$3.22 ₽235

-57.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 ₽180

$3.85 ₽281

-35.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 ₽83.7

$1.16 ₽85.0

-0.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₽51.8

$0.96 ₽70.2

-26.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 ₽105

$1.62 ₽118

-11.73%

Eggs

$1.77 ₽129

$1.86 ₽136

-4.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.73 ₽783

$12.44 ₽908

-13.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 ₽345

$5.24 ₽383

-9.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.82 ₽644

$10.85 ₽792

-18.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.75 ₽127

$1.68 ₽122

4.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 ₽136

$1.85 ₽135

0.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ₽139

$1.93 ₽141

-1.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 ₽201

$3.47 ₽253

-20.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 ₽57.9

$0.89 ₽64.7

-11.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 ₽51.4

$0.65 ₽47.25

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 ₽103

$1.30 ₽94.6

8.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₽47.86

$0.73 ₽53.3

-9.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₽219

$3.03 ₽221

-0.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.79 ₽714

$9.85 ₽719

-0.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ₽74.0

$1.05 ₽76.7

-3.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₽141

$2.06 ₽150

-6.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ₽35.61

$0.86 ₽62.4

-43.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.4 ₽3,824

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ₽135

$2.83 ₽207

-34.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ₽25.60

$0.56 ₽40.60

-37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.31 ₽461

$7.56 ₽552

-16.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 ₽53.7

$0.74 ₽53.8

-1.35%

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

$34.3K ₽2.5M

$37.9K ₽2.8M

-9.41%

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

$35.7K ₽2.6M

$37.7K ₽2.8M

-5.36%

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

$110 ₽8,052

$134 ₽9,761

-17.51%

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

$6.05 ₽442

$6.66 ₽486

-9.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.62 ₽556

$7.06 ₽515

7.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.96 ₽2,552

$37.57 ₽2,742

-6.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.95 ₽1,675

Cinema Ticket

$5.15 ₽376

$5.88 ₽429

-12.41%

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

$319 ₽23.3K

$403 ₽29.4K

-20.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,058 ₽515.1K

$9,670 ₽705.8K

-27.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.2 ₽5,050

$98.5 ₽7,188

-29.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.28 ₽3,232

$53.4 ₽3,895

-17.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₽8,421

$114 ₽8,356

0.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₽7,809

$135 ₽9,846

-20.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 ₽32.3K

$794 ₽58.0K

-44.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 ₽22.2K

$471 ₽34.3K

-35.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$773 ₽56.4K

$1,417 ₽103.4K

-45.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₽36.5K

$899 ₽65.6K

-44.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,914 ₽358.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,083 ₽225.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$424 ₽31.0K

$1,319 ₽96.3K

-67.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.62

24.95

-45.41%

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

Last update for Novokuznetsk: May 31, 2026

Last update for Saint Petersburg: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $443 in Novokuznetsk and $794 in Saint Petersburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Petersburg pays 211% 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: $38.00 in Novokuznetsk vs $49.00 in Saint Petersburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $201 vs $223 per month, with Novokuznetsk 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

Novokuznetsk vs Saint Petersburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Novokuznetsk and Saint Petersburg differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($962 vs $1,302 including rent). Novokuznetsk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Saint Petersburg earns 211% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $443 in Novokuznetsk versus $794 in Saint Petersburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $319 in Novokuznetsk versus $403 in Saint Petersburg. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Novokuznetsk – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $49.00 in Saint Petersburg. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $962 in Novokuznetsk versus $1,302 in Saint Petersburg, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Novokuznetsk but tight or insufficient in Saint Petersburg. The gap between the two cities makes Novokuznetsk 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.

Expats usually find Novokuznetsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.