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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,303 per month in Saint Petersburg vs $1,111 in Kostroma, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,014 per month in Saint Petersburg vs $1,756 in Kostroma, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,726 per month in Saint Petersburg vs $2,400 in Kostroma, rent included.

Saint Petersburg costs about 17% more than Kostroma, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Saint Petersburg and Kostroma are more affordable than the global median – Saint Petersburg 2% lower, Kostroma 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.56 ₽751

$12.81 ₽1,006

-25.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.36 ₽3,877

$58.4 ₽4,586

-15.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.68 ₽447

$6.19 ₽486

-8.24%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ₽214

$3.16 ₽248

-13.92%

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

$1.07 ₽84.1

$1.44 ₽113

-25.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₽45.00

$0.64 ₽50.3

-10.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 ₽247

$4.46 ₽351

-29.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ₽292

$4.35 ₽342

-14.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 ₽92.5

$1.23 ₽96.6

-4.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 ₽75.6

$0.58 ₽45.57

65.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₽128

$1.54 ₽121

5.19%

Eggs

$1.84 ₽145

$1.48 ₽117

24.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.14 ₽953

$9.46 ₽744

28.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₽422

$4.38 ₽344

22.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ₽859

$9.88 ₽776

10.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 ₽138

$1.44 ₽113

22.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₽143

$1.61 ₽127

12.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ₽152

$1.24 ₽97.1

56.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 ₽273

$2.29 ₽180

51.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₽68.7

$0.99 ₽77.9

-12.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₽49.44

$0.76 ₽59.7

-17.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₽107

$1.12 ₽88.2

21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₽56.9

$0.66 ₽51.6

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 ₽226

$3.19 ₽250

-9.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.41 ₽739

$5.88 ₽462

60.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₽78.8

$1.09 ₽85.5

-8.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₽159

$2.42 ₽190

-16.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ₽68.4

$0.42 ₽33.02

107.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.4 ₽4,198

$22.66 ₽1,780

135.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 ₽215

$1.49 ₽117

83.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₽45.69

$0.14 ₽11.38

314.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.80 ₽613

$7.67 ₽602

1.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 ₽61.7

$0.75 ₽58.8

5.33%

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

$37.5K ₽2.9M

$25.6K ₽2.0M

46.34%

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

$37.1K ₽2.9M

$29.2K ₽2.3M

27.17%

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

$135 ₽10.6K

$150 ₽11.8K

-10.52%

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

$6.73 ₽528

$7.79 ₽612

-13.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.34 ₽577

$4.97 ₽390

47.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.42 ₽2,940

$25.60 ₽2,011

46.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.89 ₽1,798

Cinema Ticket

$5.73 ₽450

$6.24 ₽491

-8.17%

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

$403 ₽31.7K

$699 ₽54.9K

-42.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,480 ₽744.8K

$14.4K ₽1.1M

-34.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.7 ₽7,832

$88.6 ₽6,964

12.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 ₽4,314

$53.4 ₽4,194

2.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ₽9,134

$132 ₽10.4K

-12.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 ₽10.8K

$160 ₽12.6K

-14.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 ₽63.0K

$442 ₽34.7K

81.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₽36.9K

$308 ₽24.2K

52.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,441 ₽113.2K

$748 ₽58.7K

92.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$884 ₽69.5K

$514 ₽40.4K

71.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,616 ₽362.6K

$1,927 ₽151.4K

139.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,978 ₽233.9K

$986 ₽77.4K

202.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,220 ₽95.9K

$1,002 ₽78.7K

21.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.95

14.67

70.07%

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

Last update for Saint Petersburg: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kostroma: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $803 in Saint Petersburg versus $442 in Kostroma. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 22% higher in Saint Petersburg, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Saint Petersburg versus $58.0 in Kostroma. Groceries tell a different story – $222 in Saint Petersburg vs $182 in Kostroma – so Kostroma wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kostroma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint Petersburg costs about 17% more than Kostroma, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,955 per month in Saint Petersburg and $1,667 in Kostroma. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kostroma, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Saint Petersburg, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Saint Petersburg and $58.0 in Kostroma. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kostroma, where all-in costs run around $1,111, than in Saint Petersburg at $1,303. In Kostroma it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint Petersburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kostroma costs $1,111 versus $1,303 in Saint Petersburg. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Kostroma. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Saint Petersburg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.