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: $1,303 in Saint Petersburg versus $963 in Novokuznetsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,014 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,470 in Novokuznetsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,726 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,977 in Novokuznetsk.

Living in Saint Petersburg is roughly 35% more expensive than in Novokuznetsk, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint Petersburg 2% lower, Novokuznetsk 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.56 ₽751

$9.28 ₽729

3.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.36 ₽3,877

$37.89 ₽2,977

30.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.68 ₽447

$5.82 ₽457

-2.41%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ₽214

$2.27 ₽178

19.82%

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

$1.07 ₽84.1

$1.12 ₽87.9

-4.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₽45.00

$0.49 ₽38.42

16.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 ₽247

$1.41 ₽111

122.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ₽292

$2.58 ₽203

43.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 ₽92.5

$1.11 ₽87.0

6.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 ₽75.6

$0.71 ₽56.0

35.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₽128

$1.38 ₽108

17.39%

Eggs

$1.84 ₽145

$1.80 ₽141

2.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.14 ₽953

$10.70 ₽841

13.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₽422

$4.78 ₽376

12.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ₽859

$8.89 ₽698

23.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 ₽138

$1.73 ₽136

1.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₽143

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ₽152

$1.97 ₽155

-1.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 ₽273

$2.69 ₽212

29.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₽68.7

$0.80 ₽63.0

8.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₽49.44

$0.67 ₽53.0

-5.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₽107

$1.41 ₽111

-3.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₽56.9

$0.67 ₽52.6

7.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 ₽226

Wine (Bottle)

$9.41 ₽739

$6.66 ₽523

41.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₽78.8

$1.02 ₽79.8

-1.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₽159

$1.88 ₽148

7.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ₽68.4

$0.49 ₽38.29

77.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.4 ₽4,198

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 ₽215

$1.85 ₽145

48.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₽45.69

$0.33 ₽25.56

75.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.80 ₽613

$6.40 ₽503

21.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 ₽61.7

$0.79 ₽61.8

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

$37.5K ₽2.9M

$33.6K ₽2.6M

11.53%

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

$37.1K ₽2.9M

$35.2K ₽2.8M

5.37%

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

$135 ₽10.6K

$111 ₽8,742

20.94%

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

$6.73 ₽528

$5.86 ₽460

14.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.34 ₽577

$7.70 ₽605

-4.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.42 ₽2,940

$35.48 ₽2,787

5.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.89 ₽1,798

Cinema Ticket

$5.73 ₽450

$5.16 ₽405

11.05%

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

$403 ₽31.7K

$329 ₽25.8K

22.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,480 ₽744.8K

$6,888 ₽541.1K

37.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.7 ₽7,832

$71.2 ₽5,592

40.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 ₽4,314

$45.27 ₽3,556

21.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ₽9,134

$116 ₽9,081

0.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 ₽10.8K

$106 ₽8,312

29.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 ₽63.0K

$441 ₽34.7K

81.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₽36.9K

$299 ₽23.5K

57.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,441 ₽113.2K

$770 ₽60.5K

87.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$884 ₽69.5K

$506 ₽39.8K

74.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,616 ₽362.6K

$2,909 ₽228.6K

58.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,978 ₽233.9K

$1,910 ₽150.1K

55.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,220 ₽95.9K

$451 ₽35.4K

170.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.95

13.62

83.19%

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

Last update for Saint Petersburg: July 12, 2026

Last update for Novokuznetsk: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $803 in Saint Petersburg and $441 in Novokuznetsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Petersburg pays 171% 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 $38.00 in Novokuznetsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $194 per month, with Novokuznetsk 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 Novokuznetsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint Petersburg and Novokuznetsk differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($1,303 vs $963 including rent). Novokuznetsk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 171% 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 $441 in Novokuznetsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $403 in Saint Petersburg versus $329 in Novokuznetsk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Novokuznetsk – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $49.00 in Saint Petersburg. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $963 in Novokuznetsk versus $1,303 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 35% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.