Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Petersburg and Perm

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

65

Cost of Living Index in Saint Petersburg
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Saint Petersburg Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Perm
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Perm Living Index

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Saint Petersburg

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,334

/mo nomad

Perm

🇷🇺 Russia

$925

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Perm actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,334 per month in Saint Petersburg vs $925 in Perm, rent included.

Saint Petersburg $1,334
Perm $925

A couple spends around $2,131 per month in Saint Petersburg vs $1,421 in Perm, rent included.

Saint Petersburg $2,131
Perm $1,421

A family of three spends $2,927 per month in Saint Petersburg vs $1,917 in Perm, rent included.

Saint Petersburg $2,927
Perm $1,917

Saint Petersburg costs about 44% more than Perm, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Saint Petersburg and Perm are more affordable than the global median – Saint Petersburg 2% lower, Perm 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.86 ₽990

$8.64 ₽721

37.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.90 ₽3,497

$26.16 ₽2,184

60.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.51 ₽544

$6.16 ₽514

5.68%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ₽268

$2.16 ₽180

48.61%

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

$1.63 ₽136

$0.76 ₽63.2

114.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₽64.8

$0.44 ₽36.49

77.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 ₽254

$1.22 ₽102

149.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ₽310

$1.62 ₽135

129.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 ₽97.9

$1.07 ₽89.6

9.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ₽83.4

$0.92 ₽76.6

8.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ₽141

$1.26 ₽105

34.13%

Eggs

$1.64 ₽137

$1.31 ₽110

25.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.32 ₽1,028

$7.96 ₽664

54.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 ₽553

$5.10 ₽425

29.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.56 ₽1,048

$12.27 ₽1,024

2.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 ₽147

$2.20 ₽184

-19.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ₽135

$2.27 ₽189

-28.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 ₽146

$2.24 ₽187

-21.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.27 ₽273

$2.36 ₽197

38.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₽70.3

$0.58 ₽48.04

44.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 ₽54.7

$0.45 ₽37.79

46.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ₽108

$0.89 ₽74.3

44.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ₽63.6

$0.92 ₽77.0

-17.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 ₽256

$2.72 ₽227

12.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.59 ₽717

$9.50 ₽793

-9.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₽101

$0.87 ₽72.6

37.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₽168

$1.67 ₽139

20.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 ₽87.2

$0.54 ₽44.94

94.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 ₽4,440

$25.06 ₽2,091

112.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 ₽229

$1.86 ₽155

47.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₽51.6

$0.44 ₽36.33

40.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.74 ₽730

$4.15 ₽347

110.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 ₽77.4

$0.88 ₽73.1

5.68%

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

$40.9K ₽3.4M

$52.7K ₽4.4M

-22.28%

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

$36.2K ₽3.0M

$40.6K ₽3.4M

-10.65%

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

$151 ₽12.6K

$129 ₽10.8K

17.06%

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

$7.75 ₽647

$5.81 ₽485

33.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.66 ₽723

$8.30 ₽693

4.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.26 ₽3,444

$28.46 ₽2,375

44.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.73 ₽3,567

$13.91 ₽1,161

207.19%

Cinema Ticket

$7.46 ₽622

$8.67 ₽723

-13.96%

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

$633 ₽52.9K

$246 ₽20.5K

157.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K ₽1.5M

$4,550 ₽379.8K

282.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.5 ₽8,224

$54.3 ₽4,533

81.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 ₽4,412

$34.05 ₽2,841

55.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 ₽11.5K

$64.9 ₽5,413

112.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 ₽10.1K

$73.4 ₽6,124

65.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 ₽61.8K

$480 ₽40.0K

54.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 ₽37.3K

$270 ₽22.5K

65.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,620 ₽135.2K

$609 ₽50.9K

165.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$939 ₽78.4K

$503 ₽42.0K

86.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,469 ₽373.0K

$2,506 ₽209.1K

78.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,803 ₽233.9K

$1,642 ₽137.1K

70.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,187 ₽99.1K

$983 ₽82.0K

20.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.81

23.33

-15.09%

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

Last update for Saint Petersburg: October 17, 2026

Last update for Perm: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Saint Petersburg

$447 33.5%

Perm

$270 29.2% 39.7% $178

Groceries & Markets

Saint Petersburg

$230 17.2%

Perm

$206 22.2% 10.6% $24

Eating Out

Saint Petersburg

$185 13.9%

Perm

$128 13.8% 31.1% $58

Clothing & Footwear

Saint Petersburg

$185 13.9%

Perm

$102 11% 44.8% $83

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saint Petersburg

$167 12.6%

Perm

$143 15.5% 14.5% $24

Getting Around

Saint Petersburg

$63 4.7%

Perm

$31 3.4% 50.6% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Saint Petersburg

$56 4.2%

Perm

$46 5% 18.5% $10

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $741 in Saint Petersburg versus $480 in Perm. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 21% higher in Saint Petersburg, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Saint Petersburg versus $26.00 in Perm. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $206 – making Perm the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Saint Petersburg

🇷🇺 Perm

🕒 Local time

14:38 2:38 PM

16:38 4:38 PM

2 h ahead of Saint Petersburg

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,597,763

1,026,908

💱 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

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Between locations

Saint Petersburg Perm 1,490 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Saint Petersburg
Perm

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 Perm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saint Petersburg is pricier by about 44%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,001 per month in Saint Petersburg and $1,388 in Perm. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 12% more in Saint Petersburg, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Saint Petersburg and $26.00 in Perm. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Perm, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Saint Petersburg at $1,334. In Perm it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint Petersburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Perm – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Perm. 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.