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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,303 in Saint Petersburg versus $997 in Korolyov.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,014 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,403 in Korolyov.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,726 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,808 in Korolyov.

Living in Saint Petersburg is roughly 31% more expensive than in Korolyov, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint Petersburg 2% lower, Korolyov 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.56 ₽751

$8.84 ₽694

8.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.36 ₽3,877

$20.46 ₽1,607

141.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.68 ₽447

$5.27 ₽414

7.78%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ₽214

$2.04 ₽160

33.33%

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

$1.07 ₽84.1

$0.86 ₽67.2

24.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₽45.00

$0.39 ₽30.70

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 ₽247

$4.15 ₽326

-24.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ₽292

$1.85 ₽145

100.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 ₽92.5

$1.19 ₽93.7

-0.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 ₽75.6

$0.42 ₽32.80

128.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₽128

$1.31 ₽103

23.66%

Eggs

$1.84 ₽145

$1.62 ₽127

13.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.14 ₽953

$11.81 ₽928

2.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₽422

$5.49 ₽431

-2.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ₽859

$7.98 ₽627

37.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 ₽138

$1.94 ₽152

-9.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₽143

$1.69 ₽132

7.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ₽152

$2.37 ₽186

-18.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 ₽273

$3.99 ₽313

-12.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₽68.7

$0.41 ₽32.19

112.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₽49.44

$0.84 ₽66.0

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₽107

$1.65 ₽129

-17.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₽56.9

$0.52 ₽41.12

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 ₽226

$2.46 ₽193

17.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.41 ₽739

$10.46 ₽822

-10.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₽78.8

$1.08 ₽84.8

-7.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₽159

$1.47 ₽115

37.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ₽68.4

$0.75 ₽58.7

16.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.4 ₽4,198

$22.46 ₽1,764

137.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 ₽215

$2.58 ₽202

6.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₽45.69

$0.47 ₽36.97

23.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.80 ₽613

$7.91 ₽622

-1.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 ₽61.7

$0.77 ₽60.7

2.60%

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

$37.5K ₽2.9M

$37.6K ₽3.0M

-0.40%

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

$37.1K ₽2.9M

$20.6K ₽1.6M

80.52%

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

$135 ₽10.6K

$123 ₽9,683

9.19%

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

$6.73 ₽528

$5.53 ₽434

21.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.34 ₽577

$7.91 ₽621

-7.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.42 ₽2,940

$31.58 ₽2,481

18.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.89 ₽1,798

$15.51 ₽1,219

47.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.73 ₽450

$5.34 ₽420

7.30%

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

$403 ₽31.7K

$691 ₽54.3K

-41.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,480 ₽744.8K

$14.4K ₽1.1M

-34.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.7 ₽7,832

$57.9 ₽4,547

72.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 ₽4,314

$25.60 ₽2,011

114.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ₽9,134

$38.34 ₽3,012

203.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 ₽10.8K

$57.6 ₽4,523

137.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 ₽63.0K

$450 ₽35.3K

78.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₽36.9K

$367 ₽28.8K

27.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,441 ₽113.2K

$698 ₽54.8K

106.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$884 ₽69.5K

$488 ₽38.3K

81.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,616 ₽362.6K

$2,644 ₽207.7K

74.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,978 ₽233.9K

$2,315 ₽181.9K

28.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,220 ₽95.9K

$1,055 ₽82.8K

15.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.95

66.33%

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

Last update for Saint Petersburg: July 12, 2026

Last update for Korolyov: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $803 in Saint Petersburg and $450 in Korolyov. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Petersburg pays 16% 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: $49.00 in Saint Petersburg vs $20.00 in Korolyov for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $209 per month, with Korolyov 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 Korolyov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Korolyov wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Saint Petersburg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Korolyov the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 16% 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: $803 in Saint Petersburg versus $450 in Korolyov. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Korolyov runs roughly 138% less than in Saint Petersburg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $403 in Saint Petersburg versus $691 in Korolyov. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $997 in Korolyov versus $1,303 in Saint Petersburg, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Korolyov but tight or insufficient in Saint Petersburg. The gap between the two cities makes Korolyov the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Korolyov delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $997 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Korolyov hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Saint Petersburg and Korolyov 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 Korolyov gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.