Cost of Living Comparison Between Rostov-on-Don and Arkhangelsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Rostov-on-Don and Arkhangelsk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,012 in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,076 in Arkhangelsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,524 in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,673 in Arkhangelsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,036 in Rostov-on-Don versus $2,271 in Arkhangelsk.

Living in Rostov-on-Don costs roughly 6% less than in Arkhangelsk, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rostov-on-Don 26% lower, Arkhangelsk 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.24 ₽879

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.33 ₽2,947

$46.28 ₽3,971

-25.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.86 ₽503

$9.18 ₽788

-36.17%

Cappuccino

$2.63 ₽226

$3.54 ₽303

-25.71%

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

$1.12 ₽96.2

$2.31 ₽198

-51.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₽46.49

$2.33 ₽200

-76.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 ₽173

$3.57 ₽307

-43.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ₽264

$5.95 ₽510

-48.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 ₽98.1

$1.06 ₽90.6

7.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 ₽57.1

$0.92 ₽78.6

-27.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 ₽117

$1.79 ₽153

-24.02%

Eggs

$1.28 ₽110

$1.62 ₽139

-20.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.78 ₽1,011

$8.08 ₽693

45.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 ₽423

$5.63 ₽483

-12.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 ₽771

$12.50 ₽1,073

-28.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 ₽115

$2.39 ₽205

-43.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ₽150

$1.70 ₽146

2.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 ₽126

$1.14 ₽98.2

28.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.61 ₽224

$2.36 ₽203

10.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ₽69.8

$0.83 ₽71.0

-2.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₽47.44

$0.45 ₽38.52

22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ₽104

$0.47 ₽40.48

159.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₽52.1

$0.55 ₽47.58

10.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ₽245

$2.83 ₽243

0.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.63 ₽569

$8.14 ₽698

-18.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₽74.8

$0.78 ₽67.3

11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₽170

$2.88 ₽248

-31.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ₽44.84

$0.58 ₽49.98

-10.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.81 ₽1,185

$50.3 ₽4,320

-72.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ₽272

$4.58 ₽393

-30.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.16 ₽13.48

$0.16 ₽13.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ₽337

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 ₽69.5

$0.82 ₽70.3

-1.22%

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

$28.9K ₽2.5M

$47.1K ₽4.0M

-38.59%

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

$30.7K ₽2.6M

$34.2K ₽2.9M

-10.30%

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

$127 ₽10.9K

$108 ₽9,256

17.89%

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

$8.89 ₽763

$9.36 ₽804

-5.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.72 ₽662

$17.72 ₽1,521

-56.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.45 ₽2,528

$52.5 ₽4,506

-43.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ₽1,726

$45.63 ₽3,916

-55.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 ₽434

$9.37 ₽804

-46.10%

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

$323 ₽27.7K

$176 ₽15.1K

83.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 ₽4,421

$80.8 ₽6,936

-36.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.02 ₽3,692

$34.23 ₽2,938

25.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 ₽7,510

$91.3 ₽7,835

-4.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₽9,288

$91.5 ₽7,852

18.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ₽41.3K

$500 ₽42.9K

-3.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 ₽27.9K

$379 ₽32.5K

-14.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 ₽83.5K

$708 ₽60.7K

37.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 ₽43.7K

$615 ₽52.8K

-17.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,397 ₽205.7K

$1,471 ₽126.2K

62.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ₽123.4K

$1,109 ₽95.1K

29.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$790 ₽67.8K

$488 ₽41.9K

62.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.14

-12.43%

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

Last update for Rostov-on-Don: August 31, 2026

Last update for Arkhangelsk: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Rostov-on-Don and $500 in Arkhangelsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rostov-on-Don pays 62% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Rostov-on-Don vs $46.00 in Arkhangelsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $189 vs $200 per month, with Rostov-on-Don 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

Rostov-on-Don vs Arkhangelsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rostov-on-Don and Arkhangelsk differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,012 vs $1,076 including rent). Rostov-on-Don is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 62% higher in Rostov-on-Don, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Rostov-on-Don versus $500 in Arkhangelsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,012 per month in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,076 in Arkhangelsk – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Rostov-on-Don runs roughly 264% less than in Arkhangelsk. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,012 in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,076 in Arkhangelsk, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rostov-on-Don but tight or insufficient in Arkhangelsk. The gap between the two cities makes Rostov-on-Don 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 Rostov-on-Don gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Arkhangelsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.