Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Perm and Saint Petersburg

For one person, living is cheaper in Perm: $925 a month against $1,334 in Saint Petersburg, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Perm
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Perm Living Index
65

Cost of Living Index in Saint Petersburg
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Saint Petersburg Living Index

Jump to prices

Perm

🇷🇺 Russia

$925

/mo nomad

Saint Petersburg

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,334

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Perm and in Saint Petersburg

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

A single person spends $925 per month in Perm vs $1,334 in Saint Petersburg, rent included.

Perm $925
Saint Petersburg $1,334

A couple spends around $1,421 per month in Perm vs $2,131 in Saint Petersburg, rent included.

Perm $1,421
Saint Petersburg $2,131

A family of three spends $1,917 per month in Perm vs $2,927 in Saint Petersburg, rent included.

Perm $1,917
Saint Petersburg $2,927

Perm is about 31% cheaper than Saint Petersburg, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Perm and Saint Petersburg are more affordable than the global median – Perm 32% lower, Saint Petersburg 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.64 ₽721

$11.86 ₽990

-27.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.16 ₽2,184

$41.90 ₽3,497

-37.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.16 ₽514

$6.51 ₽544

-5.38%

Cappuccino

$2.16 ₽180

$3.21 ₽268

-32.71%

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

$0.76 ₽63.2

$1.63 ₽136

-53.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ₽36.49

$0.78 ₽64.8

-43.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ₽102

$3.04 ₽254

-59.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ₽135

$3.72 ₽310

-56.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 ₽89.6

$1.17 ₽97.9

-8.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 ₽76.6

$1.00 ₽83.4

-8.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ₽105

$1.69 ₽141

-25.44%

Eggs

$1.31 ₽110

$1.64 ₽137

-20.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 ₽664

$12.32 ₽1,028

-35.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.10 ₽425

$6.62 ₽553

-22.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.27 ₽1,024

$12.56 ₽1,048

-2.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 ₽184

$1.77 ₽147

24.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 ₽189

$1.62 ₽135

40.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 ₽187

$1.75 ₽146

28.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 ₽197

$3.27 ₽273

-27.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₽48.04

$0.84 ₽70.3

-30.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 ₽37.79

$0.66 ₽54.7

-31.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 ₽74.3

$1.29 ₽108

-31.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₽77.0

$0.76 ₽63.6

21.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 ₽227

$3.07 ₽256

-11.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ₽793

$8.59 ₽717

10.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₽72.6

$1.20 ₽101

-27.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₽139

$2.01 ₽168

-16.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ₽44.94

$1.05 ₽87.2

-48.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.06 ₽2,091

$53.2 ₽4,440

-52.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ₽155

$2.74 ₽229

-32.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ₽36.33

$0.62 ₽51.6

-29.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.15 ₽347

$8.74 ₽730

-52.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 ₽73.1

$0.93 ₽77.4

-5.38%

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

$52.7K ₽4.4M

$40.9K ₽3.4M

28.66%

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

$40.6K ₽3.4M

$36.2K ₽3.0M

11.92%

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

$129 ₽10.8K

$151 ₽12.6K

-14.58%

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

$5.81 ₽485

$7.75 ₽647

-25.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.30 ₽693

$8.66 ₽723

-4.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.46 ₽2,375

$41.26 ₽3,444

-31.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.91 ₽1,161

$42.73 ₽3,567

-67.45%

Cinema Ticket

$8.67 ₽723

$7.46 ₽622

16.22%

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

$246 ₽20.5K

$633 ₽52.9K

-61.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,550 ₽379.8K

$17.4K ₽1.5M

-73.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ₽4,533

$98.5 ₽8,224

-44.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.05 ₽2,841

$52.9 ₽4,412

-35.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.9 ₽5,413

$138 ₽11.5K

-53.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ₽6,124

$121 ₽10.1K

-39.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 ₽40.0K

$741 ₽61.8K

-35.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 ₽22.5K

$447 ₽37.3K

-39.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 ₽50.9K

$1,620 ₽135.2K

-62.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 ₽42.0K

$939 ₽78.4K

-46.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,506 ₽209.1K

$4,469 ₽373.0K

-43.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,642 ₽137.1K

$2,803 ₽233.9K

-41.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$983 ₽82.0K

$1,187 ₽99.1K

-17.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

23.33

19.81

17.77%

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

Last update for Perm: October 17, 2026

Last update for Saint Petersburg: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Perm

$270 29.2%

Saint Petersburg

$447 33.5% 65.8% $178

Groceries & Markets

Perm

$206 22.2%

Saint Petersburg

$230 17.2% 11.8% $24

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Perm

$143 15.5%

Saint Petersburg

$167 12.6% 17% $24

Eating Out

Perm

$128 13.8%

Saint Petersburg

$185 13.9% 45.1% $58

Clothing & Footwear

Perm

$102 11%

Saint Petersburg

$185 13.9% 81.2% $83

Sport & Entertainment

Perm

$46 5%

Saint Petersburg

$56 4.2% 22.7% $10

Getting Around

Perm

$31 3.4%

Saint Petersburg

$63 4.7% 102% $32

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $480 in Perm versus $741 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 21% 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 $26.00 in Perm versus $42.00 in Saint Petersburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $230 – making Perm the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Perm

🇷🇺 Saint Petersburg

🕒 Local time

15:50 3:50 PM

13:50 1:50 PM

2 h behind Perm

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,026,908

5,597,763

💱 Currency

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Perm Saint Petersburg 1,490 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Perm
Saint Petersburg

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

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

Yes – Saint Petersburg is pricier by about 44%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Perm and $2,001 in Saint Petersburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 12% 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 $26.00 in Perm and $42.00 in Saint Petersburg. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Perm, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Saint Petersburg at $1,334. In Perm it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint Petersburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Perm – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Perm. 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.