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: $1,302 in Saint Petersburg versus $962 in Novokuznetsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,049 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,491 in Novokuznetsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,796 in Saint Petersburg versus $2,019 in Novokuznetsk.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint Petersburg 3% lower, Novokuznetsk 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.60 ₽701

$9.40 ₽686

2.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.48 ₽3,612

$38.41 ₽2,803

28.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ₽413

$5.57 ₽406

1.44%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₽189

$2.35 ₽171

10.64%

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

$1.07 ₽78.4

$1.12 ₽82.1

-4.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₽44.72

$0.48 ₽35.23

27.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.22 ₽235

$1.37 ₽99.8

135.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 ₽281

$2.47 ₽180

55.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 ₽85.0

$1.15 ₽83.7

0.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 ₽70.2

$0.71 ₽51.8

35.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₽118

$1.43 ₽105

13.29%

Eggs

$1.86 ₽136

$1.77 ₽129

5.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.44 ₽908

$10.73 ₽783

15.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 ₽383

$4.72 ₽345

11.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ₽792

$8.82 ₽644

23.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 ₽122

$1.75 ₽127

-4.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₽135

$1.86 ₽136

-0.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 ₽141

$1.90 ₽139

1.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.47 ₽253

$2.76 ₽201

25.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 ₽64.7

$0.79 ₽57.9

12.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₽47.25

$0.70 ₽51.4

-7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 ₽94.6

$1.41 ₽103

-7.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ₽53.3

$0.66 ₽47.86

10.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 ₽221

$3.00 ₽219

1.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 ₽719

$9.79 ₽714

0.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₽76.7

$1.01 ₽74.0

3.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₽150

$1.93 ₽141

6.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ₽62.4

$0.49 ₽35.61

75.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.4 ₽3,824

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 ₽207

$1.86 ₽135

52.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ₽40.60

$0.35 ₽25.60

60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.56 ₽552

$6.31 ₽461

19.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 ₽53.8

$0.73 ₽53.7

1.37%

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

$37.9K ₽2.8M

$34.3K ₽2.5M

10.39%

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

$37.7K ₽2.8M

$35.7K ₽2.6M

5.67%

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

$134 ₽9,761

$110 ₽8,052

21.22%

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

$6.66 ₽486

$6.05 ₽442

10.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.06 ₽515

$7.62 ₽556

-7.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.57 ₽2,742

$34.96 ₽2,552

7.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.95 ₽1,675

Cinema Ticket

$5.88 ₽429

$5.15 ₽376

14.17%

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

$403 ₽29.4K

$319 ₽23.3K

26.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,670 ₽705.8K

$7,058 ₽515.1K

37.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.5 ₽7,188

$69.2 ₽5,050

42.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.4 ₽3,895

$44.28 ₽3,232

20.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ₽8,356

$115 ₽8,421

-0.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 ₽9,846

$107 ₽7,809

26.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₽58.0K

$443 ₽32.3K

79.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 ₽34.3K

$304 ₽22.2K

54.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,417 ₽103.4K

$773 ₽56.4K

83.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₽65.6K

$500 ₽36.5K

79.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,914 ₽358.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,083 ₽225.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,319 ₽96.3K

$424 ₽31.0K

210.91%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Novokuznetsk: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $794 in Saint Petersburg and $443 in Novokuznetsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Petersburg pays 211% 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 $223 vs $201 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 ($1,302 vs $962 including rent). Novokuznetsk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Saint Petersburg pays 211% more on average, 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: $794 in Saint Petersburg versus $443 in Novokuznetsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $403 in Saint Petersburg versus $319 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 $962 in Novokuznetsk versus $1,302 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.