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: $971 in Novokuznetsk versus $1,273 in Saint Petersburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,635 in Novokuznetsk versus $2,032 in Saint Petersburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,298 in Novokuznetsk versus $2,791 in Saint Petersburg.

Living in Novokuznetsk costs roughly 24% less than in Saint Petersburg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Novokuznetsk 29% lower, Saint Petersburg 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.95 ₽688

$10.85 ₽939

-26.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.41 ₽4,016

$41.15 ₽3,561

12.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 ₽543

$6.12 ₽530

2.61%

Cappuccino

$2.44 ₽211

$3.01 ₽260

-18.94%

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

$1.13 ₽98.0

$1.34 ₽116

-15.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₽40.90

$0.64 ₽55.1

-26.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 ₽99.4

$2.35 ₽203

-51.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₽244

$2.88 ₽249

-2.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 ₽92.2

$1.09 ₽94.7

-1.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 ₽47.73

$0.87 ₽74.9

-36.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ₽114

$1.62 ₽140

-19.14%

Eggs

$1.42 ₽123

$1.57 ₽136

-9.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.37 ₽898

$11.58 ₽1,002

-10.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 ₽409

$6.01 ₽520

-21.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.74 ₽756

$11.42 ₽989

-23.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 ₽168

$1.70 ₽147

14.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₽143

$1.55 ₽135

6.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 ₽180

$1.79 ₽155

16.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.69 ₽319

$3.02 ₽261

22.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 ₽76.4

$0.75 ₽64.8

17.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 ₽48.79

$0.58 ₽50.2

-3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 ₽73.0

$1.26 ₽109

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₽66.6

$0.78 ₽67.9

-1.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.43 ₽210

$2.95 ₽255

-17.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.82 ₽504

$8.93 ₽773

-34.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 ₽107

$1.07 ₽92.5

15.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ₽234

$1.88 ₽163

44.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 ₽43.63

$0.99 ₽85.3

-49.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.07 ₽2,516

$51.7 ₽4,474

-43.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 ₽138

$2.60 ₽225

-38.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ₽34.26

$0.71 ₽61.9

-43.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.99 ₽692

$8.39 ₽726

-4.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 ₽69.8

$0.82 ₽70.6

-1.22%

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

$24.7K ₽2.1M

$34.2K ₽3.0M

-27.86%

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

$26.8K ₽2.3M

$32.7K ₽2.8M

-18.05%

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

$102 ₽8,846

$140 ₽12.1K

-26.72%

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

$5.81 ₽503

$7.37 ₽638

-21.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.79 ₽587

$7.80 ₽675

-12.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.02 ₽4,242

$41.54 ₽3,595

18.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.87 ₽2,498

$34.98 ₽3,027

-17.47%

Cinema Ticket

$5.83 ₽505

$6.79 ₽588

-14.14%

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

$668 ₽57.8K

$441 ₽38.2K

51.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K ₽1.4M

$14.5K ₽1.3M

12.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 ₽4,351

$86.7 ₽7,499

-41.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.2 ₽6,074

$49.99 ₽4,326

40.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₽10.2K

$134 ₽11.6K

-11.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 ₽10.7K

$120 ₽10.4K

2.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 ₽38.1K

$729 ₽63.1K

-39.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ₽25.0K

$434 ₽37.5K

-33.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 ₽81.3K

$1,580 ₽136.8K

-40.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₽56.2K

$881 ₽76.2K

-26.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,092 ₽181.1K

$4,190 ₽362.6K

-50.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,434 ₽124.1K

$2,662 ₽230.3K

-46.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$547 ₽47.4K

$1,109 ₽96.0K

-50.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

23.67

20.04

18.11%

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

Last update for Novokuznetsk: August 30, 2026

Last update for Saint Petersburg: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $441 in Novokuznetsk and $729 in Saint Petersburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Petersburg pays 103% 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: $46.00 in Novokuznetsk vs $41.00 in Saint Petersburg. Groceries flip the comparison at $194 vs $216, with Novokuznetsk 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

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

Novokuznetsk and Saint Petersburg differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($971 vs $1,273 including rent). Novokuznetsk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 103% lower in Saint Petersburg. 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: $441 in Novokuznetsk versus $729 in Saint Petersburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Novokuznetsk – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $41.00 in Saint Petersburg. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $971 per month in Novokuznetsk versus $1,273 in Saint Petersburg – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $971 in Novokuznetsk versus $1,273 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 31% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.