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: $1,005 in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,087 in Arkhangelsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,542 in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,603 in Arkhangelsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,079 in Rostov-on-Don versus $2,118 in Arkhangelsk.

Living in Rostov-on-Don costs roughly 8% less than in Arkhangelsk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rostov-on-Don 25% lower, Arkhangelsk 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.16 ₽876

$9.54 ₽749

16.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.79 ₽2,966

$36.15 ₽2,838

4.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 ₽390

$6.52 ₽511

-23.77%

Cappuccino

$2.53 ₽199

$2.14 ₽168

18.22%

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

$1.19 ₽93.1

$1.17 ₽92.0

1.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₽56.8

$0.51 ₽40.34

41.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 ₽97.8

$2.11 ₽166

-40.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₽170

$1.24 ₽97.2

74.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 ₽80.1

$1.12 ₽87.9

-8.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 ₽43.48

$0.77 ₽60.8

-28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ₽90.5

$1.97 ₽155

-41.62%

Eggs

$1.57 ₽123

$1.65 ₽130

-4.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 ₽646

$11.23 ₽882

-26.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 ₽381

$5.85 ₽459

-16.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.61 ₽598

$10.33 ₽811

-26.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 ₽99.4

$1.63 ₽128

-22.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ₽127

$1.80 ₽141

-10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ₽119

$2.31 ₽181

-34.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 ₽190

$2.01 ₽158

20.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₽55.7

$0.72 ₽56.6

-1.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₽43.30

$0.60 ₽47.46

-8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₽93.8

$0.99 ₽77.6

20.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₽49.37

$0.59 ₽46.13

6.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 ₽251

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₽597

$9.30 ₽730

-18.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ₽69.5

$1.13 ₽88.5

-21.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₽165

$1.68 ₽132

25.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₽40.27

$0.54 ₽42.03

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.36 ₽1,519

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 ₽154

$2.24 ₽176

-12.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₽25.80

$1.35 ₽106

-75.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.65 ₽522

$6.18 ₽485

7.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 ₽60.6

$0.73 ₽56.9

5.48%

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

$25.7K ₽2.0M

$34.7K ₽2.7M

-26.03%

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

$39.7K ₽3.1M

$35.3K ₽2.8M

12.36%

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

$99.1 ₽7,780

$151 ₽11.8K

-34.27%

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

$7.17 ₽562

$7.25 ₽569

-1.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.05 ₽632

$9.58 ₽752

-15.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.54 ₽3,261

$32.05 ₽2,516

29.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.69 ₽2,017

$25.07 ₽1,968

2.47%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 ₽397

$4.50 ₽353

12.44%

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

$286 ₽22.4K

$321 ₽25.2K

-11.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,396 ₽659.0K

$6,874 ₽539.6K

22.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.48 ₽3,805

$126 ₽9,875

-61.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.4 ₽4,739

$38.17 ₽2,996

58.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ₽8,984

$62.3 ₽4,891

83.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ₽7,993

$76.2 ₽5,978

33.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ₽38.5K

$444 ₽34.8K

10.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 ₽27.7K

$381 ₽29.9K

-7.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$928 ₽72.8K

$646 ₽50.7K

43.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 ₽45.5K

$564 ₽44.3K

2.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,635 ₽206.8K

$1,697 ₽133.2K

55.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,630 ₽127.9K

$1,262 ₽99.1K

29.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$904 ₽71.0K

$552 ₽43.4K

63.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.33

15.75

3.68%

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

Last update for Rostov-on-Don: July 12, 2026

Last update for Arkhangelsk: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Rostov-on-Don and $444 in Arkhangelsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rostov-on-Don pays 64% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Rostov-on-Don vs $36.00 in Arkhangelsk. Groceries flip the comparison at $172 vs $208, with Rostov-on-Don 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

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

Rostov-on-Don and Arkhangelsk differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,005 vs $1,087 including rent). Rostov-on-Don is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 64% 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: $490 in Rostov-on-Don versus $444 in Arkhangelsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $286 in Rostov-on-Don versus $321 in Arkhangelsk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Rostov-on-Don – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $36.00 in Arkhangelsk. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,005 in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,087 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 8% less than in Arkhangelsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.