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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,290 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,050 in Astrakhan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,017 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,510 in Astrakhan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,745 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,970 in Astrakhan.

Living in Saint Petersburg is roughly 23% more expensive than Astrakhan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint Petersburg 4% lower, Astrakhan 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.39 ₽680

$10.99 ₽796

-14.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.1 ₽3,630

$33.08 ₽2,397

51.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ₽424

$7.56 ₽548

-22.62%

Cappuccino

$2.71 ₽196

$1.84 ₽134

47.28%

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

$1.12 ₽81.0

$0.92 ₽66.9

21.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₽44.61

$0.52 ₽37.68

19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 ₽232

$1.26 ₽91.0

153.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ₽274

$2.59 ₽188

45.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 ₽84.4

$1.32 ₽95.8

-12.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 ₽65.0

$1.06 ₽76.5

-15.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 ₽114

$1.01 ₽73.4

55.45%

Eggs

$1.94 ₽141

$1.74 ₽126

11.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.00 ₽870

$24.42 ₽1,769

-50.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 ₽381

$4.82 ₽349

9.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.78 ₽781

$6.72 ₽487

60.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 ₽123

$1.55 ₽112

9.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 ₽133

$1.80 ₽130

2.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 ₽140

$1.57 ₽114

22.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.37 ₽244

$2.39 ₽174

41.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₽60.8

$0.95 ₽68.9

-11.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₽47.00

$0.57 ₽41.09

14.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ₽96.6

$1.45 ₽105

-8.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₽57.1

$0.65 ₽46.83

21.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 ₽218

$1.94 ₽141

55.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.82 ₽712

$4.19 ₽304

134.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₽72.6

$1.05 ₽76.0

-4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₽147

$1.95 ₽141

4.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ₽62.8

$0.48 ₽35.14

81.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ₽3,861

$21.77 ₽1,577

144.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 ₽208

$2.46 ₽179

16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 ₽39.92

$0.33 ₽23.73

66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 ₽559

$3.83 ₽277

101.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 ₽57.1

$0.88 ₽63.4

-10.23%

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

$37.6K ₽2.7M

$33.9K ₽2.5M

10.94%

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

$37.8K ₽2.7M

$31.4K ₽2.3M

20.35%

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

$134 ₽9,706

$103 ₽7,458

30.14%

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

$6.81 ₽493

$6.36 ₽461

7.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.22 ₽523

$5.56 ₽403

29.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.57 ₽2,722

$47.88 ₽3,469

-21.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.96 ₽1,664

$24.68 ₽1,788

-6.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.68 ₽412

$5.30 ₽384

7.17%

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

$404 ₽29.2K

$115 ₽8,298

252.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,691 ₽702.2K

$7,028 ₽509.2K

37.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₽7,315

$57.8 ₽4,187

74.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.0 ₽3,983

$31.62 ₽2,291

73.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₽8,508

$88.0 ₽6,378

33.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₽9,622

$129 ₽9,373

2.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$804 ₽58.3K

$421 ₽30.5K

91.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 ₽33.6K

$321 ₽23.3K

44.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,404 ₽101.7K

$445 ₽32.2K

215.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$887 ₽64.3K

$381 ₽27.6K

132.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,923 ₽356.7K

$1,345 ₽97.5K

266.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,147 ₽228.0K

$678 ₽49.1K

364.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,324 ₽95.9K

$453 ₽32.8K

192.48%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Astrakhan: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $804 in Saint Petersburg and $421 in Astrakhan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Petersburg pays 192% 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: $50.0 in Saint Petersburg vs $33.00 in Astrakhan. Groceries flip the comparison at $221 vs $224, with Saint Petersburg 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

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

Saint Petersburg and Astrakhan differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($1,290 vs $1,050 including rent). Astrakhan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Saint Petersburg pays 192% 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: $804 in Saint Petersburg versus $421 in Astrakhan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Astrakhan runs roughly 145% less than in Saint Petersburg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $404 in Saint Petersburg versus $115 in Astrakhan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,050 in Astrakhan versus $1,290 in Saint Petersburg, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Astrakhan but tight or insufficient in Saint Petersburg. The gap between the two cities makes Astrakhan 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 Astrakhan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.