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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,292 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,103 in Magadan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,766 in Magadan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,794 in Saint Petersburg versus $2,428 in Magadan.

Living in Saint Petersburg is roughly 17% more expensive than in Magadan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint Petersburg 3% lower, Magadan 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.41 ₽749

$9.60 ₽764

-1.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.0 ₽3,982

$63.5 ₽5,050

-21.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ₽453

$5.55 ₽442

2.52%

Cappuccino

$2.62 ₽209

$3.11 ₽248

-15.76%

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

$1.09 ₽86.5

$1.54 ₽123

-29.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₽45.65

$1.05 ₽83.8

-45.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.22 ₽257

$1.42 ₽113

126.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ₽305

$2.57 ₽205

49.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 ₽92.6

$1.62 ₽129

-28.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 ₽72.1

$1.06 ₽84.3

-14.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ₽126

$1.42 ₽113

11.27%

Eggs

$1.86 ₽148

$2.99 ₽238

-37.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.09 ₽963

$15.10 ₽1,202

-19.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.29 ₽421

$8.88 ₽707

-40.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ₽864

$15.74 ₽1,253

-31.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 ₽139

$1.80 ₽143

-3.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ₽143

$3.50 ₽278

-48.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ₽159

$3.09 ₽246

-35.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 ₽282

$2.80 ₽223

26.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ₽66.0

$1.34 ₽107

-38.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₽50.3

$1.17 ₽92.9

-46.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₽108

$0.85 ₽67.8

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₽62.2

$1.22 ₽97.5

-36.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₽237

$3.19 ₽254

-6.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.03 ₽719

$12.19 ₽971

-25.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ₽80.4

$1.03 ₽81.9

-1.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₽163

$2.51 ₽200

-18.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ₽74.3

$0.99 ₽78.8

-6.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ₽4,208

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 ₽218

$1.51 ₽120

81.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 ₽46.56

$0.33 ₽25.91

78.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 ₽605

$6.26 ₽498

21.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 ₽58.3

$0.77 ₽61.1

-5.19%

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

$37.4K ₽3.0M

$33.7K ₽2.7M

10.90%

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

$37.2K ₽3.0M

$35.5K ₽2.8M

4.60%

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

$132 ₽10.5K

$111 ₽8,863

18.37%

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

$6.67 ₽531

$5.92 ₽471

12.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.07 ₽563

$7.74 ₽616

-8.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.62 ₽2,914

$35.71 ₽2,842

2.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₽1,803

Cinema Ticket

$5.86 ₽466

$5.22 ₽415

12.26%

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

$398 ₽31.7K

$325 ₽25.9K

22.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,616 ₽765.3K

$7,043 ₽560.6K

36.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.9 ₽7,948

$68.7 ₽5,471

45.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 ₽4,342

$43.94 ₽3,497

24.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ₽9,035

$116 ₽9,200

-1.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 ₽10.8K

$107 ₽8,532

27.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$785 ₽62.4K

$439 ₽35.0K

78.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 ₽37.8K

$300 ₽23.9K

58.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,434 ₽114.2K

$776 ₽61.8K

84.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$893 ₽71.1K

$517 ₽41.2K

72.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,583 ₽364.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,954 ₽235.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,206 ₽96.0K

$1,019 ₽81.1K

18.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.95

107.92%

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

Last update for Saint Petersburg: July 27, 2026

Last update for Magadan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $785 in Saint Petersburg and $439 in Magadan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Petersburg pays 18% 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 $63.0 in Magadan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $297 per month, with Saint Petersburg 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 Magadan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Magadan wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Saint Petersburg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Magadan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 18% 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 $439 in Magadan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $398 in Saint Petersburg versus $325 in Magadan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Magadan – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $50.0 in Saint Petersburg. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,103 in Magadan versus $1,292 in Saint Petersburg, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Magadan but tight or insufficient in Saint Petersburg. The gap between the two cities makes Magadan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Magadan delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,103 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Magadan hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Magadan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.