Cost of Living Comparison Between Rostov-on-Don and Saint Petersburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Rostov-on-Don and Saint Petersburg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $996 in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,302 in Saint Petersburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,555 in Rostov-on-Don versus $2,049 in Saint Petersburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,113 in Rostov-on-Don versus $2,796 in Saint Petersburg.

Living in Rostov-on-Don costs roughly 23% less than in Saint Petersburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rostov-on-Don 26% lower, Saint Petersburg 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.24 ₽829

$9.60 ₽709

17.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.44 ₽2,836

$49.48 ₽3,651

-22.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 ₽369

$5.65 ₽417

-11.68%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₽186

$2.60 ₽192

-3.46%

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

$1.20 ₽88.8

$1.07 ₽79.3

12.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₽51.5

$0.61 ₽45.21

14.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.24 ₽91.3

$3.22 ₽238

-61.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₽168

$3.85 ₽284

-40.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 ₽75.4

$1.16 ₽86.0

-12.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 ₽40.41

$0.96 ₽70.9

-42.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ₽84.9

$1.62 ₽120

-29.01%

Eggs

$1.57 ₽116

$1.86 ₽137

-15.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 ₽599

$12.44 ₽918

-34.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.77 ₽352

$5.24 ₽387

-8.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.38 ₽545

$10.85 ₽801

-31.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 ₽93.2

$1.68 ₽124

-25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₽121

$1.85 ₽137

-10.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 ₽108

$1.93 ₽142

-24.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 ₽178

$3.47 ₽256

-30.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ₽53.0

$0.89 ₽65.4

-19.10%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 ₽41.22

$0.65 ₽47.76

-13.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₽87.7

$1.30 ₽95.7

-8.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₽50.0

$0.73 ₽53.9

-6.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 ₽245

$3.03 ₽223

9.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.93 ₽586

$9.85 ₽727

-19.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₽67.5

$1.05 ₽77.6

-13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₽156

$2.06 ₽152

2.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₽37.82

$0.86 ₽63.1

-40.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.86 ₽1,392

$52.4 ₽3,865

-63.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 ₽143

$2.83 ₽209

-31.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ₽26.16

$0.56 ₽41.05

-37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.36 ₽469

$7.56 ₽558

-15.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 ₽57.8

$0.74 ₽54.4

5.41%

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

$25.3K ₽1.9M

$37.9K ₽2.8M

-33.24%

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

$39.9K ₽2.9M

$37.7K ₽2.8M

5.79%

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

$96.2 ₽7,100

$134 ₽9,868

-28.05%

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

$7.01 ₽517

$6.66 ₽491

5.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.06 ₽595

$7.06 ₽521

14.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.50 ₽2,989

$37.57 ₽2,772

7.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.14 ₽1,855

$22.95 ₽1,694

9.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 ₽365

$5.88 ₽434

-15.99%

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

$288 ₽21.2K

$403 ₽29.7K

-28.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,215 ₽606.2K

$9,670 ₽713.6K

-15.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.54 ₽3,582

$98.5 ₽7,267

-50.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.3 ₽4,599

$53.4 ₽3,938

16.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ₽8,322

$114 ₽8,448

-1.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ₽7,504

$135 ₽9,954

-24.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ₽36.1K

$794 ₽58.6K

-38.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 ₽25.9K

$471 ₽34.7K

-25.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$937 ₽69.1K

$1,417 ₽104.5K

-33.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$576 ₽42.5K

$899 ₽66.4K

-35.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,807 ₽207.1K

$4,914 ₽362.6K

-42.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,738 ₽128.3K

$3,083 ₽227.5K

-43.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$966 ₽71.3K

$1,319 ₽97.3K

-26.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.33

24.95

-34.55%

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 Saint Petersburg: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Rostov-on-Don and $794 in Saint Petersburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Petersburg pays 36% 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: $38.00 in Rostov-on-Don vs $49.00 in Saint Petersburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $223 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 Saint Petersburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rostov-on-Don wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Saint Petersburg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rostov-on-Don the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Saint Petersburg earns 36% less. 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: $490 in Rostov-on-Don versus $794 in Saint Petersburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Rostov-on-Don runs roughly 178% less than in Saint Petersburg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $288 in Rostov-on-Don versus $403 in Saint Petersburg. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $996 in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,302 in Saint Petersburg, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rostov-on-Don but tight or insufficient in Saint Petersburg. The gap between the two cities makes Rostov-on-Don the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Rostov-on-Don delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $996 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Rostov-on-Don hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Rostov-on-Don 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.