Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Petersburg and Shakhty

For one person, living is cheaper in Shakhty: $1,073 a month against $1,375 in Saint Petersburg, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

66

Cost of Living Index in Saint Petersburg
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Saint Petersburg Living Index
52

Cost of Living Index in Shakhty
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Shakhty Living Index

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Saint Petersburg

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,375

/mo nomad

Shakhty

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,073

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,375 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,073 in Shakhty.

Saint Petersburg $1,375
Shakhty $1,073

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,195 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,683 in Shakhty.

Saint Petersburg $2,195
Shakhty $1,683

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,014 in Saint Petersburg versus $2,293 in Shakhty.

Saint Petersburg $3,014
Shakhty $2,293

Living in Saint Petersburg is roughly 28% more expensive than in Shakhty, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.42 ₽1,001

$11.55 ₽932

7.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.05 ₽3,553

$37.49 ₽3,024

17.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.95 ₽561

$6.29 ₽507

10.49%

Cappuccino

$3.26 ₽263

$2.71 ₽218

20.30%

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

$1.61 ₽130

$1.12 ₽90.2

43.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₽62.7

$0.62 ₽50.0

25.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 ₽227

$1.77 ₽143

58.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₽293

$3.06 ₽247

18.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 ₽96.0

$1.12 ₽90.1

6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₽76.9

$0.75 ₽60.4

26.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 ₽137

$1.38 ₽111

23.19%

Eggs

$1.67 ₽135

$1.56 ₽125

7.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.39 ₽999

$11.22 ₽905

10.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 ₽536

$5.41 ₽436

22.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.85 ₽1,037

$11.57 ₽933

11.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.75 ₽142

$1.78 ₽144

-1.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₽132

$1.79 ₽144

-8.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₽145

$1.75 ₽141

2.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.36 ₽271

$2.78 ₽224

20.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ₽66.9

$0.78 ₽63.3

6.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₽50.6

$0.62 ₽49.87

1.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ₽107

$1.30 ₽105

2.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₽62.8

$0.71 ₽57.3

9.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 ₽255

$3.02 ₽244

4.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.41 ₽759

$7.73 ₽623

21.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 ₽95.7

$1.11 ₽89.9

7.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₽159

$1.99 ₽161

-1.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 ₽88.9

$0.53 ₽42.60

107.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.1 ₽4,524

$27.94 ₽2,253

100.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 ₽226

$2.36 ₽191

18.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₽48.62

$0.38 ₽30.39

57.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.01 ₽727

$5.90 ₽476

52.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 ₽71.3

$0.82 ₽66.2

7.32%

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

$43.0K ₽3.5M

$52.2K ₽4.2M

-17.53%

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

$37.4K ₽3.0M

$39.9K ₽3.2M

-6.46%

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

$156 ₽12.6K

$123 ₽9,905

27.19%

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

$7.85 ₽633

$6.27 ₽506

25.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.71 ₽702

$8.60 ₽693

1.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.31 ₽3,331

$36.16 ₽2,916

14.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.82 ₽3,534

$23.72 ₽1,913

84.74%

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 ₽610

$6.28 ₽506

20.54%

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

$663 ₽53.5K

$357 ₽28.8K

85.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.9K ₽1.4M

$6,390 ₽515.4K

180.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.5 ₽7,946

$82.4 ₽6,642

19.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 ₽4,370

$53.0 ₽4,275

2.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$140 ₽11.3K

$121 ₽9,776

15.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 ₽10.3K

$106 ₽8,524

21.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$772 ₽62.2K

$481 ₽38.8K

60.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ₽37.6K

$315 ₽25.4K

48.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,619 ₽130.6K

$900 ₽72.5K

79.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$974 ₽78.5K

$584 ₽47.1K

66.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,632 ₽373.5K

$2,280 ₽183.9K

103.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₽232.8K

$1,516 ₽122.3K

90.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,230 ₽99.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.69

21.45

-8.21%

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

Last update for Saint Petersburg: October 25, 2026

Last update for Shakhty: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Saint Petersburg

$466 33.9%

Shakhty

$315 29.4% 32.4% $151

Groceries & Markets

Saint Petersburg

$234 17%

Shakhty

$209 19.4% 10.7% $25

Eating Out

Saint Petersburg

$190 13.8%

Shakhty

$166 15.4% 12.9% $25

Clothing & Footwear

Saint Petersburg

$189 13.8%

Shakhty

$163 15.2% 13.9% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saint Petersburg

$173 12.6%

Shakhty

$138 12.8% 20.3% $35

Getting Around

Saint Petersburg

$66 4.8%

Shakhty

$34 3.2% 48.3% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Saint Petersburg

$56 4.1%

Shakhty

$49 4.5% 13.7% $7.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $772 in Saint Petersburg and $481 in Shakhty. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44 in Saint Petersburg vs $37 in Shakhty for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $209 per month, with Shakhty cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Saint Petersburg

🇷🇺 Shakhty

🕒 Local time

19:09 7:09 PM

Same time as Saint Petersburg

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,597,763

235,492

💱 Currency

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 RUB = 1.24 USD

100 RUB = 1.11 EUR

100 RUB = 1.24 USD

100 RUB = 1.11 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Saint Petersburg Shakhty 1,500 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Saint Petersburg
Shakhty

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 Shakhty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shakhty wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Saint Petersburg. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Shakhty the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $2,063 in Saint Petersburg and $1,610 in Shakhty to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $772 in Saint Petersburg versus $481 in Shakhty. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,375 per month in Saint Petersburg versus $1,073 in Shakhty – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Shakhty runs roughly 50% less than in Saint Petersburg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Shakhty gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Shakhty gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.