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: $996 in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,068 in Arkhangelsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,555 in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,606 in Arkhangelsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,113 in Rostov-on-Don versus $2,144 in Arkhangelsk.

Living in Rostov-on-Don costs roughly 7% less than in Arkhangelsk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rostov-on-Don 26% lower, Arkhangelsk 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.24 ₽829

$9.37 ₽691

19.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.44 ₽2,836

$37.20 ₽2,745

3.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 ₽369

$6.42 ₽474

-22.27%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₽186

$2.07 ₽153

21.26%

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

$1.20 ₽88.8

$1.16 ₽85.9

3.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₽51.5

$0.47 ₽34.91

48.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.24 ₽91.3

$2.10 ₽155

-40.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₽168

$1.30 ₽95.6

75.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 ₽75.4

$1.11 ₽81.9

-8.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 ₽40.41

$0.77 ₽56.6

-28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ₽84.9

$2.02 ₽149

-43.07%

Eggs

$1.57 ₽116

$1.63 ₽120

-3.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 ₽599

$11.28 ₽832

-28.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.77 ₽352

$5.63 ₽415

-15.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.38 ₽545

$10.33 ₽762

-28.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 ₽93.2

$1.63 ₽120

-22.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₽121

$1.74 ₽128

-5.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 ₽108

$2.28 ₽169

-35.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 ₽178

$2.07 ₽153

16.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ₽53.0

$0.72 ₽53.1

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 ₽41.22

$0.64 ₽47.59

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₽87.7

$0.92 ₽67.7

29.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₽50.0

$0.55 ₽40.34

23.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 ₽245

$3.20 ₽236

3.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.93 ₽586

$9.66 ₽713

-17.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₽67.5

$1.12 ₽82.8

-18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₽156

$1.66 ₽123

27.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₽37.82

$0.49 ₽36.34

4.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.86 ₽1,392

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 ₽143

$2.27 ₽167

-14.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ₽26.16

$1.41 ₽104

-75.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.36 ₽469

$6.31 ₽465

0.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 ₽57.8

$0.75 ₽55.1

4.00%

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

$25.3K ₽1.9M

$34.9K ₽2.6M

-27.43%

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

$39.9K ₽2.9M

$34.9K ₽2.6M

14.12%

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

$96.2 ₽7,100

$153 ₽11.3K

-36.91%

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

$7.01 ₽517

$7.27 ₽537

-3.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.06 ₽595

$9.75 ₽720

-17.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.50 ₽2,989

$31.82 ₽2,348

27.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.14 ₽1,855

$25.47 ₽1,880

-1.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 ₽365

$4.65 ₽343

6.24%

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

$288 ₽21.2K

$323 ₽23.8K

-10.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,215 ₽606.2K

$6,958 ₽513.4K

18.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.54 ₽3,582

$129 ₽9,527

-62.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.3 ₽4,599

$37.34 ₽2,755

66.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ₽8,322

$64.5 ₽4,758

74.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ₽7,504

$76.9 ₽5,673

32.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ₽36.1K

$450 ₽33.2K

8.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 ₽25.9K

$381 ₽28.1K

-8.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$937 ₽69.1K

$632 ₽46.6K

48.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$576 ₽42.5K

$569 ₽42.0K

1.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,807 ₽207.1K

$1,781 ₽131.4K

57.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,738 ₽128.3K

$1,332 ₽98.3K

30.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$966 ₽71.3K

$585 ₽43.1K

65.26%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Arkhangelsk: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Rostov-on-Don and $450 in Arkhangelsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rostov-on-Don pays 65% 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 $37.00 in Arkhangelsk. Groceries flip the comparison at $172 vs $206, 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 7% in total monthly costs ($996 vs $1,068 including rent). Rostov-on-Don is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Rostov-on-Don pays 65% more on average, 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 $450 in Arkhangelsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $288 in Rostov-on-Don versus $323 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 $37.00 in Arkhangelsk. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $996 in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,068 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 7% less than in Arkhangelsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.