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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,303 per month in Saint Petersburg vs $1,152 in Obninsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,014 per month in Saint Petersburg vs $1,815 in Obninsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,726 per month in Saint Petersburg vs $2,478 in Obninsk, rent included.

Saint Petersburg costs about 13% more than Obninsk, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Saint Petersburg and Obninsk are more affordable than the global median – Saint Petersburg 2% lower, Obninsk 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.56 ₽751

$12.73 ₽1,000

-24.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.36 ₽3,877

$58.1 ₽4,566

-15.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.68 ₽447

$6.45 ₽507

-11.94%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ₽214

$3.21 ₽252

-15.26%

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

$1.07 ₽84.1

$1.44 ₽113

-25.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₽45.00

$0.66 ₽52.1

-13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 ₽247

$1.42 ₽111

121.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ₽292

$4.56 ₽358

-18.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 ₽92.5

$1.16 ₽91.1

1.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 ₽75.6

$0.81 ₽63.9

18.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₽128

$1.74 ₽137

-6.90%

Eggs

$1.84 ₽145

$1.93 ₽152

-4.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.14 ₽953

$13.36 ₽1,050

-9.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₽422

$5.80 ₽456

-7.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ₽859

$12.03 ₽945

-9.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 ₽138

$1.86 ₽146

-5.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₽143

$1.82 ₽143

-0.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ₽152

$2.38 ₽187

-18.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 ₽273

$4.20 ₽330

-17.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₽68.7

$0.99 ₽77.7

-12.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₽49.44

$0.83 ₽65.6

-24.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₽107

$1.70 ₽134

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₽56.9

$0.80 ₽63.1

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 ₽226

$3.11 ₽244

-7.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.41 ₽739

$6.61 ₽519

42.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₽78.8

$1.12 ₽88.2

-10.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₽159

$2.35 ₽185

-14.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ₽68.4

$0.50 ₽39.07

74.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.4 ₽4,198

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 ₽215

$2.56 ₽201

7.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₽45.69

$0.44 ₽34.76

31.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.80 ₽613

$8.12 ₽638

-3.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 ₽61.7

$0.80 ₽62.9

-1.25%

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

$37.5K ₽2.9M

$37.3K ₽2.9M

0.44%

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

$37.1K ₽2.9M

$36.5K ₽2.9M

1.53%

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

$135 ₽10.6K

$153 ₽12.0K

-12.09%

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

$6.73 ₽528

$8.20 ₽644

-17.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.34 ₽577

$8.15 ₽640

-9.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.42 ₽2,940

$35.78 ₽2,811

4.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.89 ₽1,798

$12.65 ₽994

80.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.73 ₽450

$6.48 ₽509

-11.57%

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

$403 ₽31.7K

$322 ₽25.3K

25.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,480 ₽744.8K

$7,011 ₽550.8K

35.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.7 ₽7,832

$87.7 ₽6,893

13.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 ₽4,314

$52.9 ₽4,152

3.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ₽9,134

$132 ₽10.3K

-11.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 ₽10.8K

$164 ₽12.9K

-16.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 ₽63.0K

$451 ₽35.4K

78.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₽36.9K

$302 ₽23.7K

55.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,441 ₽113.2K

$771 ₽60.5K

87.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$884 ₽69.5K

$516 ₽40.5K

71.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,616 ₽362.6K

$2,451 ₽192.6K

88.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,978 ₽233.9K

$1,570 ₽123.4K

89.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,220 ₽95.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.95

211.88%

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

Last update for Saint Petersburg: July 12, 2026

Last update for Obninsk: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $803 in Saint Petersburg versus $451 in Obninsk. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Saint Petersburg versus $58.0 in Obninsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $235 – making Saint Petersburg the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Obninsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint Petersburg costs about 13% more than Obninsk, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,955 per month in Saint Petersburg and $1,727 in Obninsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Obninsk, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,303 in Saint Petersburg and $1,152 in Obninsk. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $403 per month in Saint Petersburg and $322 in Obninsk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Obninsk, where all-in costs run around $1,152, than in Saint Petersburg at $1,303. In Obninsk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint Petersburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Obninsk costs $1,152 versus $1,303 in Saint Petersburg. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Obninsk. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Saint Petersburg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.