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: $1,303 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,005 in Rostov-on-Don.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,014 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,542 in Rostov-on-Don.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,726 in Saint Petersburg versus $2,079 in Rostov-on-Don.

Living in Saint Petersburg is roughly 30% more expensive than in Rostov-on-Don, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint Petersburg 2% lower, Rostov-on-Don 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.56 ₽751

$11.16 ₽876

-14.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.36 ₽3,877

$37.79 ₽2,969

30.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.68 ₽447

$4.97 ₽390

14.29%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ₽214

$2.53 ₽199

7.51%

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

$1.07 ₽84.1

$1.19 ₽93.1

-10.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₽45.00

$0.72 ₽56.9

-20.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 ₽247

$1.25 ₽97.9

151.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ₽292

$2.16 ₽170

71.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 ₽92.5

$1.02 ₽80.2

15.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 ₽75.6

$0.55 ₽43.52

74.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₽128

$1.15 ₽90.6

40.87%

Eggs

$1.84 ₽145

$1.57 ₽123

17.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.14 ₽953

$8.24 ₽647

47.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₽422

$4.86 ₽381

10.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ₽859

$7.61 ₽598

43.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 ₽138

$1.27 ₽99.5

38.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₽143

$1.62 ₽127

11.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ₽152

$1.52 ₽119

27.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 ₽273

$2.42 ₽190

43.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₽68.7

$0.71 ₽55.8

22.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₽49.44

$0.55 ₽43.34

14.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₽107

$1.19 ₽93.8

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₽56.9

$0.63 ₽49.41

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 ₽226

$3.20 ₽251

-10.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.41 ₽739

$7.61 ₽598

23.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₽78.8

$0.89 ₽69.5

12.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₽159

$2.11 ₽165

-4.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ₽68.4

$0.51 ₽40.31

70.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.4 ₽4,198

$19.36 ₽1,521

176.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 ₽215

$1.96 ₽154

39.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₽45.69

$0.33 ₽25.83

75.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.80 ₽613

$6.65 ₽522

17.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 ₽61.7

$0.77 ₽60.6

2.60%

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

$37.5K ₽2.9M

$25.7K ₽2.0M

46.10%

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

$37.1K ₽2.9M

$39.7K ₽3.1M

-6.43%

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

$135 ₽10.6K

$99.1 ₽7,787

35.79%

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

$6.73 ₽528

$7.17 ₽563

-6.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.34 ₽577

$8.05 ₽632

-8.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.42 ₽2,940

$41.54 ₽3,263

-9.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.89 ₽1,798

$25.69 ₽2,018

-10.90%

Cinema Ticket

$5.73 ₽450

$5.06 ₽397

13.24%

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

$403 ₽31.7K

$286 ₽22.5K

41.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,480 ₽744.8K

$8,396 ₽659.6K

12.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.7 ₽7,832

$48.48 ₽3,808

105.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 ₽4,314

$60.4 ₽4,743

-9.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ₽9,134

$114 ₽8,992

1.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 ₽10.8K

$102 ₽8,000

34.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 ₽63.0K

$490 ₽38.5K

63.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₽36.9K

$353 ₽27.7K

33.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,441 ₽113.2K

$928 ₽72.9K

55.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$884 ₽69.5K

$580 ₽45.6K

52.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,616 ₽362.6K

$2,635 ₽207.0K

75.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,978 ₽233.9K

$1,630 ₽128.0K

82.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,220 ₽95.9K

$904 ₽71.0K

34.93%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Rostov-on-Don: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $803 in Saint Petersburg and $490 in Rostov-on-Don. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Petersburg pays 35% 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 $222 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 30% 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 35% 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: $803 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 176% 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 $286 in Rostov-on-Don. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,005 in Rostov-on-Don versus $1,303 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 $1,005 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 30% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.