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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,273 in Saint Petersburg versus $971 in Novokuznetsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,032 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,635 in Novokuznetsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,791 in Saint Petersburg versus $2,298 in Novokuznetsk.

Living in Saint Petersburg is roughly 31% more expensive than in Novokuznetsk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint Petersburg 7% lower, Novokuznetsk 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₽939

$7.95 ₽688

36.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.15 ₽3,561

$46.41 ₽4,016

-11.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ₽530

$6.28 ₽543

-2.55%

Cappuccino

$3.01 ₽260

$2.44 ₽211

23.36%

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

$1.34 ₽116

$1.13 ₽98.0

18.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₽55.1

$0.47 ₽40.90

36.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ₽203

$1.15 ₽99.4

104.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₽249

$2.82 ₽244

2.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 ₽94.7

$1.07 ₽92.2

1.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 ₽74.9

$0.55 ₽47.73

58.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₽140

$1.31 ₽114

23.66%

Eggs

$1.57 ₽136

$1.42 ₽123

10.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.58 ₽1,002

$10.37 ₽898

11.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 ₽520

$4.73 ₽409

27.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.42 ₽989

$8.74 ₽756

30.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 ₽147

$1.94 ₽168

-12.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ₽135

$1.65 ₽143

-6.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₽155

$2.08 ₽180

-13.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.02 ₽261

$3.69 ₽319

-18.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ₽64.8

$0.88 ₽76.4

-14.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 ₽50.2

$0.56 ₽48.79

3.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ₽109

$0.84 ₽73.0

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₽67.9

$0.77 ₽66.6

1.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₽255

$2.43 ₽210

21.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.93 ₽773

$5.82 ₽504

53.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 ₽92.5

$1.24 ₽107

-13.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ₽163

$2.71 ₽234

-30.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 ₽85.3

$0.50 ₽43.63

98.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.7 ₽4,474

$29.07 ₽2,516

77.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 ₽225

$1.59 ₽138

63.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 ₽61.9

$0.40 ₽34.26

77.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.39 ₽726

$7.99 ₽692

5.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₽70.6

$0.81 ₽69.8

1.23%

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

$34.2K ₽3.0M

$24.7K ₽2.1M

38.62%

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

$32.7K ₽2.8M

$26.8K ₽2.3M

22.03%

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

$140 ₽12.1K

$102 ₽8,846

36.47%

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

$7.37 ₽638

$5.81 ₽503

26.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.80 ₽675

$6.79 ₽587

14.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.54 ₽3,595

$49.02 ₽4,242

-15.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.98 ₽3,027

$28.87 ₽2,498

21.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.79 ₽588

$5.83 ₽505

16.47%

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

$441 ₽38.2K

$668 ₽57.8K

-33.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ₽1.3M

$16.4K ₽1.4M

-11.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.7 ₽7,499

$50.3 ₽4,351

72.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.99 ₽4,326

$70.2 ₽6,074

-28.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 ₽11.6K

$118 ₽10.2K

13.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 ₽10.4K

$123 ₽10.7K

-2.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ₽63.1K

$441 ₽38.1K

65.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 ₽37.5K

$289 ₽25.0K

49.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 ₽136.8K

$939 ₽81.3K

68.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$881 ₽76.2K

$650 ₽56.2K

35.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 ₽362.6K

$2,092 ₽181.1K

100.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ₽230.3K

$1,434 ₽124.1K

85.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,109 ₽96.0K

$547 ₽47.4K

102.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.04

23.67

-15.34%

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

Last update for Saint Petersburg: August 31, 2026

Last update for Novokuznetsk: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Saint Petersburg and $441 in Novokuznetsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Petersburg pays 103% 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: $41.00 in Saint Petersburg vs $46.00 in Novokuznetsk. Groceries flip the comparison at $216 vs $194, with Novokuznetsk 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 Novokuznetsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint Petersburg and Novokuznetsk differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($1,273 vs $971 including rent). Novokuznetsk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 103% 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: $729 in Saint Petersburg versus $441 in Novokuznetsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Novokuznetsk – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $41.00 in Saint Petersburg. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,273 per month in Saint Petersburg versus $971 in Novokuznetsk – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $971 in Novokuznetsk versus $1,273 in Saint Petersburg, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Novokuznetsk but tight or insufficient in Saint Petersburg. The gap between the two cities makes Novokuznetsk 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 Novokuznetsk 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.