Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Petersburg and Izmir

For one person, living is cheaper in Izmir: $1,207 a month against $1,326 in Saint Petersburg, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

64

Cost of Living Index in Saint Petersburg
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Saint Petersburg Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Izmir
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Izmir Living Index

Jump to prices

Saint Petersburg

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,326

/mo nomad

Izmir

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,207

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saint Petersburg and in Izmir

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Saint Petersburg and in Izmir actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,326 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,207 in Izmir.

Saint Petersburg $1,326
Izmir $1,207

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,102 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,906 in Izmir.

Saint Petersburg $2,102
Izmir $1,906

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,878 in Saint Petersburg versus $2,606 in Izmir.

Saint Petersburg $2,878
Izmir $2,606

Living in Saint Petersburg is roughly 10% more expensive than in Izmir, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint Petersburg 2% lower, Izmir 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.75 ₽981

$10.20 ₺505

15.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.76 ₽3,485

$36.97 ₺1,831

12.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.59 ₽550

$8.43 ₺417

-21.83%

Cappuccino

$3.11 ₽260

$3.54 ₺175

-12.15%

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

$1.55 ₽129

$1.50 ₺74.3

3.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₽60.0

$0.63 ₺31.18

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 ₽241

$3.39 ₺168

-14.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ₽307

$5.19 ₺257

-29.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 ₽91.4

$1.10 ₺54.4

-0.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 ₽76.6

$1.06 ₺52.5

-13.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ₽141

$2.32 ₺115

-27.16%

Eggs

$1.68 ₽140

$2.55 ₺126

-34.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.48 ₽1,042

$9.29 ₺460

34.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 ₽535

$5.14 ₺255

24.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.22 ₽1,020

$21.02 ₺1,041

-41.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 ₽141

$1.98 ₺97.9

-14.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₽138

$2.08 ₺103

-20.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ₽145

$1.02 ₺50.6

69.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 ₽255

$1.43 ₺71.0

113.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ₽70.7

$0.56 ₺27.60

51.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ₽50.0

$0.41 ₺20.50

46.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 ₽107

$1.10 ₺54.7

16.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₽65.3

$0.76 ₺37.49

2.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₽244

$2.20 ₺109

32.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.40 ₽701

$11.53 ₺571

-27.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₽95.6

$2.03 ₺100

-43.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₽165

$3.09 ₺153

-35.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ₽85.1

$0.68 ₺33.71

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ₽4,502

$43.37 ₺2,147

24.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 ₽243

$3.61 ₺179

-19.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₽51.9

$1.04 ₺51.3

-40.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.61 ₽719

$5.36 ₺266

60.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 ₽77.0

$1.36 ₺67.1

-32.35%

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

$35.2K ₽2.9M

$40.6K ₺2.0M

-13.26%

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

$32.9K ₽2.7M

$46.7K ₺2.3M

-29.60%

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

$152 ₽12.7K

$82.5 ₺4,086

83.93%

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

$7.33 ₽612

$10.63 ₺526

-31.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.55 ₽713

$16.18 ₺801

-47.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.05 ₽3,260

$64.0 ₺3,171

-39.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.28 ₽3,529

$35.09 ₺1,737

20.49%

Cinema Ticket

$7.20 ₽601

$7.99 ₺396

-9.89%

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

$625 ₽52.2K

$685 ₺33.9K

-8.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₽1.4M

$14.1K ₺700.2K

20.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.2 ₽8,110

$46.16 ₺2,286

110.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 ₽4,325

$36.59 ₺1,812

41.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 ₽11.2K

$91.4 ₺4,527

46.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₽10.1K

$80.2 ₺3,971

51.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 ₽62.0K

$606 ₺30.0K

22.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$452 ₽37.7K

$416 ₺20.6K

8.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,599 ₽133.5K

$1,126 ₺55.7K

42.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$919 ₽76.7K

$800 ₺39.6K

14.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,496 ₽375.3K

$1,455 ₺72.0K

209.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,811 ₽234.6K

$1,006 ₺49.8K

179.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,150 ₽96.0K

$1,158 ₺57.3K

-0.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.81

42.33

-53.20%

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

Last update for Saint Petersburg: October 11, 2026

Last update for Izmir: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Saint Petersburg

$452 34.1%

Izmir

$416 34.5% 7.9% $36

Groceries & Markets

Saint Petersburg

$225 17%

Izmir

$247 20.5% 9.6% $22

Eating Out

Saint Petersburg

$182 13.7%

Izmir

$185 15.4% 1.8% $3.2

Clothing & Footwear

Saint Petersburg

$182 13.7%

Izmir

$114 9.5% 37% $67

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saint Petersburg

$168 12.7%

Izmir

$109 9.1% 34.8% $58

Getting Around

Saint Petersburg

$64 4.8%

Izmir

$55 4.6% 14.3% $9.2

Sport & Entertainment

Saint Petersburg

$53 4%

Izmir

$80 6.6% 49.7% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $742 in Saint Petersburg and $606 in Izmir. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Izmir pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Saint Petersburg vs $37.00 in Izmir. Groceries flip the comparison at $225 vs $247, with Saint Petersburg cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Saint Petersburg

🇹🇷 Izmir

🕒 Local time

04:45 4:45 AM

Same time as Saint Petersburg

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,597,763

4,493,242

💱 Currency

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to RUB – Russian Ruble Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇺 Russian Ruble (₽)

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

USD to RUB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Saint Petersburg Izmir 2,400 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Saint Petersburg
Izmir

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Izmir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Izmir wins on cost – living expenses run 10% lower than in Saint Petersburg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Izmir the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Izmir. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $742 in Saint Petersburg versus $606 in Izmir. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,326 per month in Saint Petersburg versus $1,207 in Izmir – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Izmir runs roughly 24% less than in Saint Petersburg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,207 in Izmir versus $1,326 in Saint Petersburg, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Izmir but tight or insufficient in Saint Petersburg. The gap between the two cities makes Izmir the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Izmir delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,207 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Izmir hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Saint Petersburg and Izmir are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Izmir gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.