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: $1,308 in Saint Petersburg versus $982 in Arzamas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,048 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,501 in Arzamas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,788 in Saint Petersburg versus $2,021 in Arzamas.

Living in Saint Petersburg is roughly 33% more expensive than Arzamas, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint Petersburg 2% lower, Arzamas 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.46 ₽711

$9.38 ₽705

0.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.63 ₽3,728

$37.81 ₽2,840

31.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ₽426

$5.79 ₽435

-2.07%

Cappuccino

$2.57 ₽193

$2.30 ₽173

11.74%

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

$1.08 ₽81.5

$1.08 ₽80.9

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₽43.63

$0.48 ₽36.03

20.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 ₽232

$1.43 ₽107

116.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ₽293

$2.49 ₽187

56.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 ₽88.1

$1.10 ₽82.4

6.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 ₽71.8

$0.70 ₽52.3

37.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 ₽121

$1.37 ₽103

17.52%

Eggs

$1.85 ₽139

$1.71 ₽129

8.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.38 ₽930

$11.03 ₽828

12.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 ₽408

$4.72 ₽355

15.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.62 ₽797

$9.02 ₽677

17.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.75 ₽131

$1.82 ₽136

-3.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₽139

$1.86 ₽140

-0.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ₽149

$1.91 ₽144

3.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.50 ₽263

$2.80 ₽210

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₽63.0

$0.86 ₽64.5

-2.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₽48.13

$0.66 ₽49.66

-3.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₽102

$1.42 ₽106

-4.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₽56.1

$0.66 ₽49.35

13.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 ₽219

$2.89 ₽217

0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.57 ₽719

$6.59 ₽495

45.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₽76.2

$0.95 ₽71.5

7.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₽154

$1.95 ₽146

5.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ₽67.9

$0.49 ₽36.83

83.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.5 ₽4,016

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 ₽216

$1.85 ₽139

55.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 ₽44.66

$0.35 ₽26.56

68.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 ₽578

$6.52 ₽490

18.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 ₽56.7

$0.76 ₽57.2

-1.32%

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

$38.8K ₽2.9M

$34.5K ₽2.6M

12.19%

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

$37.0K ₽2.8M

$35.2K ₽2.6M

5.32%

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

$132 ₽9,879

$108 ₽8,077

22.31%

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

$6.70 ₽503

$5.83 ₽438

14.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.34 ₽551

$7.60 ₽571

-3.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.88 ₽2,770

$35.09 ₽2,636

5.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.04 ₽1,730

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₽439

$5.19 ₽390

12.52%

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

$397 ₽29.8K

$322 ₽24.2K

23.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,653 ₽725.0K

$7,020 ₽527.3K

37.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.2 ₽7,449

$69.3 ₽5,208

43.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.8 ₽4,115

$43.57 ₽3,273

25.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₽8,789

$113 ₽8,485

3.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₽9,955

$106 ₽7,971

24.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$784 ₽58.9K

$451 ₽33.9K

73.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 ₽34.5K

$303 ₽22.7K

51.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,442 ₽108.3K

$774 ₽58.1K

86.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$907 ₽68.2K

$506 ₽38.0K

79.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,548 ₽341.6K

$2,156 ₽162.0K

110.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,919 ₽219.2K

$1,336 ₽100.4K

118.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,261 ₽94.7K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Arzamas: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $784 in Saint Petersburg and $451 in Arzamas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $50.0 in Saint Petersburg vs $38.00 in Arzamas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $195 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 33% in total monthly costs ($1,308 vs $982 including rent). Arzamas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,961 in Saint Petersburg and $1,472 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: $784 in Saint Petersburg versus $451 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 $1,308 per month in Saint Petersburg versus $982 in Arzamas – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $982 in Arzamas versus $1,308 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 33% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.