Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Petersburg and Arzamas Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Petersburg and Arzamas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,011 in Arzamas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,016 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,597 in Arzamas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,762 in Saint Petersburg versus $2,182 in Arzamas.

Living in Saint Petersburg is roughly 26% more expensive than in Arzamas, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint Petersburg 7% lower, Arzamas 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.21 ₽947

$10.66 ₽901

5.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.64 ₽3,519

$31.71 ₽2,679

31.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.01 ₽508

$6.90 ₽583

-12.90%

Cappuccino

$2.96 ₽250

$2.42 ₽205

22.31%

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

$1.46 ₽123

$1.04 ₽87.6

40.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ₽58.4

$0.56 ₽47.00

23.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 ₽228

$1.91 ₽162

41.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 ₽291

$3.14 ₽265

9.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 ₽96.2

$1.17 ₽98.6

-2.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 ₽79.6

$0.75 ₽63.3

25.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 ₽140

$1.25 ₽105

32.80%

Eggs

$1.58 ₽134

$1.37 ₽116

15.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.78 ₽996

$10.29 ₽869

14.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 ₽534

$5.12 ₽433

23.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.33 ₽1,042

$10.12 ₽855

21.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 ₽143

$1.70 ₽144

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₽136

$1.59 ₽134

1.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 ₽145

$1.65 ₽139

4.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.16 ₽267

$2.76 ₽234

14.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ₽69.1

$0.69 ₽58.0

18.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ₽50.7

$0.61 ₽51.8

-1.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ₽107

$1.41 ₽119

-9.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₽68.3

$0.66 ₽55.9

22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₽249

$3.16 ₽267

-6.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.48 ₽716

$7.78 ₽657

9.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ₽94.7

$1.05 ₽89.1

6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 ₽162

$2.05 ₽173

-6.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 ₽88.3

$0.49 ₽41.65

114.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.6 ₽4,525

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 ₽230

$2.40 ₽203

13.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₽48.70

$0.28 ₽23.96

107.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 ₽718

$6.20 ₽524

37.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 ₽71.0

$0.85 ₽72.1

-1.18%

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

$35.9K ₽3.0M

$30.0K ₽2.5M

19.50%

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

$32.7K ₽2.8M

-0.10%

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

$139 ₽11.8K

$114 ₽9,661

21.74%

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

$7.58 ₽640

$6.21 ₽524

22.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.31 ₽702

$8.09 ₽684

2.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.76 ₽3,613

$38.88 ₽3,285

9.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.02 ₽3,550

$22.50 ₽1,901

86.76%

Cinema Ticket

$7.24 ₽612

$5.12 ₽432

41.41%

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

$568 ₽48.0K

$289 ₽24.4K

96.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K ₽1.5M

$7,150 ₽604.1K

146.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.7 ₽7,409

$65.5 ₽5,533

33.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 ₽4,327

$56.6 ₽4,782

-9.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 ₽11.3K

$112 ₽9,447

19.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₽10.3K

$94.1 ₽7,946

29.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$739 ₽62.5K

$298 ₽25.2K

148.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ₽37.4K

$317 ₽26.8K

39.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 ₽133.1K

$481 ₽40.6K

227.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$892 ₽75.4K

$568 ₽48.0K

57.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,292 ₽362.7K

$2,219 ₽187.5K

93.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,766 ₽233.7K

$1,399 ₽118.2K

97.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,146 ₽96.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.88

-5.33%

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

Last update for Saint Petersburg: September 14, 2026

Last update for Arzamas: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $739 in Saint Petersburg and $298 in Arzamas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Saint Petersburg vs $32.00 in Arzamas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $197 per month, with Arzamas 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

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

Saint Petersburg and Arzamas differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,270 vs $1,011 including rent). Arzamas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,905 in Saint Petersburg and $1,516 in Arzamas to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $739 in Saint Petersburg versus $298 in Arzamas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Saint Petersburg. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,270 per month in Saint Petersburg versus $1,011 in Arzamas – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,011 in Arzamas versus $1,270 in Saint Petersburg, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Arzamas but tight or insufficient in Saint Petersburg. The gap between the two cities makes Arzamas 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 Arzamas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.