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: $1,292 in Saint Petersburg versus $954 in Arzamas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,466 in Arzamas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,794 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,978 in Arzamas.

Living in Saint Petersburg is roughly 35% more expensive than in Arzamas, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint Petersburg 3% lower, Arzamas 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.41 ₽749

$9.35 ₽745

0.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.0 ₽3,982

$37.43 ₽2,979

33.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ₽453

$5.73 ₽456

-0.70%

Cappuccino

$2.62 ₽209

$2.25 ₽179

16.44%

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

$1.09 ₽86.5

$1.12 ₽88.8

-2.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₽45.65

$0.51 ₽40.67

11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.22 ₽257

$1.40 ₽112

130.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ₽305

$2.49 ₽198

53.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 ₽92.6

$1.12 ₽88.8

3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 ₽72.1

$0.65 ₽52.1

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ₽126

$1.37 ₽109

15.33%

Eggs

$1.86 ₽148

$1.70 ₽135

9.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.09 ₽963

$10.80 ₽859

11.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.29 ₽421

$4.92 ₽391

7.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ₽864

$8.71 ₽693

24.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 ₽139

$1.72 ₽137

1.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ₽143

$1.88 ₽150

-4.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ₽159

$1.98 ₽157

1.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 ₽282

$2.71 ₽215

30.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ₽66.0

$0.83 ₽66.2

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₽50.3

$0.66 ₽52.9

-4.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₽108

$1.40 ₽112

-2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₽62.2

$0.72 ₽57.3

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₽237

$2.85 ₽227

4.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.03 ₽719

$6.46 ₽514

39.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ₽80.4

$1.01 ₽80.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₽163

$1.88 ₽150

9.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ₽74.3

$0.53 ₽42.05

75.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ₽4,208

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 ₽218

$1.91 ₽152

43.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 ₽46.56

$0.33 ₽26.23

78.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 ₽605

$6.51 ₽518

16.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 ₽58.3

$0.77 ₽61.3

-5.19%

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

$37.4K ₽3.0M

$33.9K ₽2.7M

10.30%

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

$37.2K ₽3.0M

$35.4K ₽2.8M

5.12%

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

$132 ₽10.5K

$107 ₽8,553

22.65%

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

$6.67 ₽531

$5.82 ₽463

14.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.07 ₽563

$7.94 ₽632

-10.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.62 ₽2,914

$35.86 ₽2,854

2.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₽1,803

Cinema Ticket

$5.86 ₽466

$5.11 ₽407

14.68%

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

$398 ₽31.7K

$325 ₽25.9K

22.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,616 ₽765.3K

$7,044 ₽560.7K

36.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.9 ₽7,948

$70.2 ₽5,587

42.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 ₽4,342

$45.06 ₽3,586

21.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ₽9,035

$114 ₽9,058

-0.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 ₽10.8K

$106 ₽8,408

28.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$785 ₽62.4K

$448 ₽35.6K

75.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 ₽37.8K

$300 ₽23.9K

58.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,434 ₽114.2K

$758 ₽60.3K

89.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$893 ₽71.1K

$501 ₽39.9K

78.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,583 ₽364.8K

$2,008 ₽159.8K

128.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,954 ₽235.1K

$1,434 ₽114.1K

106.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,206 ₽96.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.95

15.33

62.75%

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

Last update for Saint Petersburg: July 27, 2026

Last update for Arzamas: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $785 in Saint Petersburg and $448 in Arzamas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $50.0 in Saint Petersburg vs $37.00 in Arzamas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $194 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 35% in total monthly costs ($1,292 vs $954 including rent). Arzamas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,938 in Saint Petersburg and $1,431 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: $785 in Saint Petersburg versus $448 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 $1,292 per month in Saint Petersburg versus $954 in Arzamas – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $954 in Arzamas versus $1,292 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 35% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.