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: $1,292 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,029 in Astrakhan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,529 in Astrakhan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,794 in Saint Petersburg versus $2,029 in Astrakhan.

Living in Saint Petersburg is roughly 26% more expensive than in Astrakhan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint Petersburg 3% lower, Astrakhan 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.41 ₽749

$10.85 ₽863

-13.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.0 ₽3,982

$34.14 ₽2,717

46.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ₽453

$7.77 ₽618

-26.77%

Cappuccino

$2.62 ₽209

$1.86 ₽148

40.86%

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

$1.09 ₽86.5

$0.92 ₽73.1

18.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₽45.65

$0.49 ₽38.71

16.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.22 ₽257

$1.29 ₽102

149.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ₽305

$2.56 ₽204

49.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 ₽92.6

$1.33 ₽105

-12.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 ₽72.1

$1.05 ₽83.7

-13.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ₽126

$1.06 ₽84.5

49.06%

Eggs

$1.86 ₽148

$1.80 ₽143

3.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.09 ₽963

$24.51 ₽1,951

-50.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.29 ₽421

$4.73 ₽376

11.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ₽864

$6.80 ₽541

59.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 ₽139

$1.55 ₽123

12.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ₽143

$1.73 ₽138

3.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ₽159

$1.62 ₽129

23.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 ₽282

$2.39 ₽190

48.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ₽66.0

$0.91 ₽72.3

-8.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₽50.3

$0.57 ₽45.29

10.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₽108

$1.39 ₽111

-2.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₽62.2

$0.65 ₽52.1

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₽237

$1.86 ₽148

59.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.03 ₽719

$3.78 ₽301

138.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ₽80.4

$1.10 ₽87.5

-8.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₽163

$1.88 ₽149

9.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ₽74.3

$0.50 ₽39.66

86.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ₽4,208

$22.08 ₽1,757

139.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 ₽218

$2.59 ₽206

5.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 ₽46.56

$0.35 ₽27.93

68.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 ₽605

$3.87 ₽308

96.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 ₽58.3

$0.86 ₽68.3

-15.12%

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

$37.4K ₽3.0M

$34.3K ₽2.7M

8.85%

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

$37.2K ₽3.0M

$32.2K ₽2.6M

15.38%

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

$132 ₽10.5K

$105 ₽8,352

25.61%

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

$6.67 ₽531

$6.54 ₽521

1.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.07 ₽563

$5.49 ₽437

28.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.62 ₽2,914

$48.36 ₽3,849

-24.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₽1,803

$24.45 ₽1,946

-7.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.86 ₽466

$5.33 ₽424

9.94%

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

$398 ₽31.7K

$114 ₽9,090

248.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,616 ₽765.3K

$6,933 ₽551.8K

38.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.9 ₽7,948

$57.7 ₽4,589

73.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 ₽4,342

$32.19 ₽2,562

69.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ₽9,035

$90.2 ₽7,176

25.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 ₽10.8K

$127 ₽10.1K

6.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$785 ₽62.4K

$407 ₽32.4K

92.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 ₽37.8K

$316 ₽25.1K

50.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,434 ₽114.2K

$449 ₽35.7K

219.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$893 ₽71.1K

$381 ₽30.3K

134.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,583 ₽364.8K

$1,268 ₽101.0K

261.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,954 ₽235.1K

$633 ₽50.4K

366.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,206 ₽96.0K

$414 ₽32.9K

191.54%

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 Astrakhan: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $785 in Saint Petersburg and $407 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 $34.00 in Astrakhan. Groceries flip the comparison at $221 vs $223, 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 26% in total monthly costs ($1,292 vs $1,029 including rent). Astrakhan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 192% higher in Saint Petersburg, 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: $785 in Saint Petersburg versus $407 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 139% less than in Saint Petersburg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $398 in Saint Petersburg versus $114 in Astrakhan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,029 in Astrakhan versus $1,292 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 26% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.