Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Petersburg and Novorossiysk

For one person, living is cheaper in Novorossiysk: $925 a month against $1,334 in Saint Petersburg, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

65

Cost of Living Index in Saint Petersburg
Learn more

Saint Petersburg Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Novorossiysk
Learn more

Novorossiysk Living Index

Jump to prices

Saint Petersburg

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,334

/mo nomad

Novorossiysk

🇷🇺 Russia

$925

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saint Petersburg and in Novorossiysk

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Saint Petersburg and in Novorossiysk actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,334 in Saint Petersburg versus $925 in Novorossiysk.

Saint Petersburg $1,334
Novorossiysk $925

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,131 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,365 in Novorossiysk.

Saint Petersburg $2,131
Novorossiysk $1,365

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,927 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,805 in Novorossiysk.

Saint Petersburg $2,927
Novorossiysk $1,805

Living in Saint Petersburg is roughly 44% more expensive than in Novorossiysk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint Petersburg 2% lower, Novorossiysk 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.86 ₽990

$12.10 ₽1,010

-1.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.90 ₽3,497

$36.73 ₽3,065

14.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.51 ₽544

$5.38 ₽449

21.00%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ₽268

$2.84 ₽237

13.03%

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

$1.63 ₽136

$1.12 ₽93.6

45.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₽64.8

$0.37 ₽31.18

110.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 ₽254

$1.19 ₽99.0

155.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ₽310

$3.05 ₽255

21.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 ₽97.9

$1.13 ₽94.5

3.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ₽83.4

$0.65 ₽54.1

53.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ₽141

$1.12 ₽93.7

50.89%

Eggs

$1.64 ₽137

$1.01 ₽84.1

62.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.32 ₽1,028

$8.57 ₽715

43.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 ₽553

$4.54 ₽379

45.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.56 ₽1,048

$10.07 ₽840

24.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 ₽147

$0.84 ₽69.8

110.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ₽135

$1.60 ₽133

1.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 ₽146

$1.46 ₽121

19.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.27 ₽273

$1.95 ₽163

67.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₽70.3

$0.66 ₽55.1

27.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 ₽54.7

$0.46 ₽38.33

43.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ₽108

$0.51 ₽42.83

152.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ₽63.6

$0.51 ₽42.62

49.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 ₽256

$2.71 ₽226

13.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.59 ₽717

$6.05 ₽505

41.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₽101

$1.01 ₽84.2

18.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₽168

$1.60 ₽134

25.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 ₽87.2

$0.59 ₽49.47

77.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 ₽4,440

$19.95 ₽1,665

166.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 ₽229

$1.22 ₽102

124.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₽51.6

$0.22 ₽18.32

181.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.74 ₽730

$2.95 ₽246

196.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 ₽77.4

$0.80 ₽66.5

16.25%

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

$40.9K ₽3.4M

$21.4K ₽1.8M

91.54%

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

$36.2K ₽3.0M

$27.7K ₽2.3M

30.87%

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

$151 ₽12.6K

$122 ₽10.2K

23.31%

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

$7.75 ₽647

$5.11 ₽427

51.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.66 ₽723

$8.90 ₽743

-2.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.26 ₽3,444

$26.49 ₽2,211

55.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.73 ₽3,567

$14.06 ₽1,173

203.91%

Cinema Ticket

$7.46 ₽622

$4.91 ₽410

51.93%

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

$633 ₽52.9K

$569 ₽47.5K

11.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K ₽1.5M

$4,032 ₽336.5K

331.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.5 ₽8,224

$57.9 ₽4,832

70.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 ₽4,412

$25.50 ₽2,128

107.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 ₽11.5K

$61.1 ₽5,097

126.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 ₽10.1K

$71.6 ₽5,974

69.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 ₽61.8K

$394 ₽32.9K

88.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 ₽37.3K

$300 ₽25.0K

49.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,620 ₽135.2K

$509 ₽42.5K

217.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$939 ₽78.4K

$398 ₽33.2K

136.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,469 ₽373.0K

$2,292 ₽191.3K

94.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,803 ₽233.9K

$1,624 ₽135.6K

72.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,187 ₽99.1K

$1,059 ₽88.4K

12.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.81

21.33

-7.13%

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

Last update for Saint Petersburg: October 17, 2026

Last update for Novorossiysk: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Saint Petersburg

$447 33.5%

Novorossiysk

$300 32.4% 33% $148

Groceries & Markets

Saint Petersburg

$230 17.2%

Novorossiysk

$166 17.9% 28% $64

Eating Out

Saint Petersburg

$185 13.9%

Novorossiysk

$165 17.8% 10.9% $20

Clothing & Footwear

Saint Petersburg

$185 13.9%

Novorossiysk

$97 10.5% 47.4% $88

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saint Petersburg

$167 12.6%

Novorossiysk

$136 14.8% 18.5% $31

Getting Around

Saint Petersburg

$63 4.7%

Novorossiysk

$25 2.7% 61% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Saint Petersburg

$56 4.2%

Novorossiysk

$36 3.9% 35.4% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Saint Petersburg and $394 in Novorossiysk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Petersburg pays 12% 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: $42.00 in Saint Petersburg vs $37.00 in Novorossiysk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $166 per month, with Novorossiysk cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Saint Petersburg

🇷🇺 Novorossiysk

🕒 Local time

15:37 3:37 PM

Same time as Saint Petersburg

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,597,763

275,795

💱 Currency

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Saint Petersburg Novorossiysk 1,760 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Saint Petersburg
Novorossiysk

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Novorossiysk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Novorossiysk is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 12% 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: $741 in Saint Petersburg versus $394 in Novorossiysk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Novorossiysk – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $42.00 in Saint Petersburg. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,334 per month in Saint Petersburg versus $925 in Novorossiysk – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $925 in Novorossiysk versus $1,334 in Saint Petersburg, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Novorossiysk but tight or insufficient in Saint Petersburg. The gap between the two cities makes Novorossiysk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Novorossiysk is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Saint Petersburg, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Novorossiysk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.