Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Petersburg and Rostov-on-Don Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Petersburg and Rostov-on-Don

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,273 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,012 in Rostov-on-Don.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,032 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,524 in Rostov-on-Don.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,791 in Saint Petersburg versus $2,036 in Rostov-on-Don.

Living in Saint Petersburg is roughly 26% more expensive than in Rostov-on-Don, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint Petersburg 7% lower, Rostov-on-Don 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₽931

$10.24 ₽879

5.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.15 ₽3,531

$34.33 ₽2,947

19.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ₽525

$5.86 ₽503

4.44%

Cappuccino

$3.01 ₽258

$2.63 ₽226

14.45%

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

$1.34 ₽115

$1.12 ₽96.2

19.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₽54.6

$0.54 ₽46.49

18.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ₽201

$2.02 ₽173

16.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₽247

$3.08 ₽264

-6.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 ₽93.9

$1.14 ₽98.1

-4.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 ₽74.3

$0.67 ₽57.1

29.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₽139

$1.36 ₽117

19.12%

Eggs

$1.57 ₽135

$1.28 ₽110

22.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.58 ₽994

$11.78 ₽1,011

-1.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 ₽515

$4.93 ₽423

21.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.42 ₽980

$8.98 ₽771

27.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 ₽146

$1.34 ₽115

26.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ₽133

$1.75 ₽150

-11.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₽154

$1.46 ₽126

22.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.02 ₽259

$2.61 ₽224

15.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ₽64.3

$0.81 ₽69.8

-7.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 ₽49.79

$0.55 ₽47.44

5.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ₽108

$1.22 ₽104

3.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₽67.3

$0.61 ₽52.1

27.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₽253

$2.85 ₽245

3.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.93 ₽766

$6.63 ₽569

34.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 ₽91.7

$0.87 ₽74.8

22.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ₽162

$1.98 ₽170

-5.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 ₽84.6

$0.52 ₽44.84

90.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.7 ₽4,437

$13.81 ₽1,185

274.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 ₽223

$3.17 ₽272

-17.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 ₽61.4

$0.16 ₽13.48

343.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.39 ₽720

$3.93 ₽337

113.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₽70.0

$0.81 ₽69.5

1.23%

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

$34.2K ₽2.9M

$28.9K ₽2.5M

18.16%

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

$32.7K ₽2.8M

$30.7K ₽2.6M

6.43%

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

$140 ₽12.0K

$127 ₽10.9K

9.70%

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

$7.37 ₽632

$8.89 ₽763

-17.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.80 ₽669

$7.72 ₽662

1.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.54 ₽3,565

$29.45 ₽2,528

41.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.98 ₽3,002

$20.11 ₽1,726

73.94%

Cinema Ticket

$6.79 ₽583

$5.05 ₽434

34.46%

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

$441 ₽37.9K

$323 ₽27.7K

36.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ₽1.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.7 ₽7,436

$51.5 ₽4,421

68.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.99 ₽4,290

$43.02 ₽3,692

16.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 ₽11.5K

$87.5 ₽7,510

52.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 ₽10.3K

$108 ₽9,288

11.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ₽62.6K

$482 ₽41.3K

51.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 ₽37.2K

$326 ₽27.9K

33.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 ₽135.6K

$973 ₽83.5K

62.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$881 ₽75.6K

$509 ₽43.7K

72.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 ₽359.5K

$2,397 ₽205.7K

74.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ₽228.4K

$1,438 ₽123.4K

85.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,109 ₽95.2K

$790 ₽67.8K

40.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.04

20.14

-0.50%

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

Last update for Saint Petersburg: August 31, 2026

Last update for Rostov-on-Don: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Saint Petersburg and $482 in Rostov-on-Don. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Petersburg pays 40% 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: $41.00 in Saint Petersburg vs $34.00 in Rostov-on-Don for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $189 per month, with Rostov-on-Don 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 Rostov-on-Don: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rostov-on-Don wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Saint Petersburg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rostov-on-Don the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 40% 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: $729 in Saint Petersburg versus $482 in Rostov-on-Don. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Rostov-on-Don runs roughly 274% less than in Saint Petersburg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $441 in Saint Petersburg versus $323 in Rostov-on-Don. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,012 in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,273 in Saint Petersburg, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rostov-on-Don but tight or insufficient in Saint Petersburg. The gap between the two cities makes Rostov-on-Don the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Rostov-on-Don delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,012 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Rostov-on-Don hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Rostov-on-Don gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.