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: $1,302 in Saint Petersburg versus $996 in Rostov-on-Don.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,049 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,555 in Rostov-on-Don.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,796 in Saint Petersburg versus $2,113 in Rostov-on-Don.

Living in Saint Petersburg is roughly 31% more expensive than Rostov-on-Don, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint Petersburg 3% lower, Rostov-on-Don 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.60 ₽709

$11.24 ₽829

-14.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.48 ₽3,651

$38.44 ₽2,836

28.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ₽417

$4.99 ₽369

13.23%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₽192

$2.51 ₽186

3.59%

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

$1.07 ₽79.3

$1.20 ₽88.8

-10.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₽45.21

$0.70 ₽51.5

-12.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.22 ₽238

$1.24 ₽91.3

159.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 ₽284

$2.28 ₽168

68.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 ₽86.0

$1.02 ₽75.4

13.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 ₽70.9

$0.55 ₽40.41

74.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₽120

$1.15 ₽84.9

40.87%

Eggs

$1.86 ₽137

$1.57 ₽116

18.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.44 ₽918

$8.12 ₽599

53.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 ₽387

$4.77 ₽352

9.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ₽801

$7.38 ₽545

47.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 ₽124

$1.26 ₽93.2

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₽137

$1.65 ₽121

12.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 ₽142

$1.46 ₽108

32.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.47 ₽256

$2.41 ₽178

43.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 ₽65.4

$0.72 ₽53.0

23.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₽47.76

$0.56 ₽41.22

16.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 ₽95.7

$1.19 ₽87.7

9.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ₽53.9

$0.68 ₽50.0

7.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 ₽223

$3.32 ₽245

-8.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 ₽727

$7.93 ₽586

24.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₽77.6

$0.91 ₽67.5

15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₽152

$2.11 ₽156

-2.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ₽63.1

$0.51 ₽37.82

68.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.4 ₽3,865

$18.86 ₽1,392

177.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 ₽209

$1.94 ₽143

45.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ₽41.05

$0.35 ₽26.16

60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.56 ₽558

$6.36 ₽469

18.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 ₽54.4

$0.78 ₽57.8

-5.13%

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

$37.9K ₽2.8M

$25.3K ₽1.9M

49.78%

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

$37.7K ₽2.8M

$39.9K ₽2.9M

-5.47%

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

$134 ₽9,868

$96.2 ₽7,100

38.98%

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

$6.66 ₽491

$7.01 ₽517

-4.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.06 ₽521

$8.06 ₽595

-12.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.57 ₽2,772

$40.50 ₽2,989

-7.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.95 ₽1,694

$25.14 ₽1,855

-8.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.88 ₽434

$4.94 ₽365

19.03%

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

$403 ₽29.7K

$288 ₽21.2K

40.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,670 ₽713.6K

$8,215 ₽606.2K

17.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.5 ₽7,267

$48.54 ₽3,582

102.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.4 ₽3,938

$62.3 ₽4,599

-14.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ₽8,448

$113 ₽8,322

1.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 ₽9,954

$102 ₽7,504

32.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₽58.6K

$490 ₽36.1K

62.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 ₽34.7K

$351 ₽25.9K

34.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,417 ₽104.5K

$937 ₽69.1K

51.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₽66.4K

$576 ₽42.5K

56.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,914 ₽362.6K

$2,807 ₽207.1K

75.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,083 ₽227.5K

$1,738 ₽128.3K

77.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,319 ₽97.3K

$966 ₽71.3K

36.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.95

16.33

52.79%

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

Last update for Saint Petersburg: May 30, 2026

Last update for Rostov-on-Don: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $794 in Saint Petersburg and $490 in Rostov-on-Don. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Petersburg pays 36% 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 Rostov-on-Don for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $172 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 31% 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.

Saint Petersburg pays 36% 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 $490 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 178% less than in Saint Petersburg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $403 in Saint Petersburg versus $288 in Rostov-on-Don. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $996 in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,302 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 $996 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 31% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.