Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Petersburg and Surgut Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Petersburg and Surgut

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,308 in Saint Petersburg versus $955 in Surgut.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,048 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,493 in Surgut.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,788 in Saint Petersburg versus $2,030 in Surgut.

Living in Saint Petersburg is roughly 37% more expensive than Surgut, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint Petersburg 2% lower, Surgut 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.46 ₽711

$9.34 ₽701

1.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.63 ₽3,728

$38.52 ₽2,893

28.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ₽426

$5.72 ₽430

-0.87%

Cappuccino

$2.57 ₽193

$2.39 ₽179

7.53%

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

$1.08 ₽81.5

$1.11 ₽83.4

-2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₽43.63

$0.48 ₽35.74

20.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 ₽232

$1.41 ₽106

119.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ₽293

$2.56 ₽192

52.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 ₽88.1

$1.15 ₽86.6

1.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 ₽71.8

$0.70 ₽52.8

37.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 ₽121

$1.44 ₽108

11.81%

Eggs

$1.85 ₽139

$1.72 ₽129

7.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.38 ₽930

$10.87 ₽817

13.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 ₽408

$4.88 ₽366

11.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.62 ₽797

$9.07 ₽681

17.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.75 ₽131

$1.80 ₽135

-2.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₽139

$1.83 ₽137

1.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ₽149

$1.99 ₽150

-0.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.50 ₽263

$2.80 ₽210

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₽63.0

$0.81 ₽60.6

3.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₽48.13

$0.72 ₽54.3

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₽102

$1.35 ₽101

0.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₽56.1

$0.71 ₽53.0

5.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 ₽219

$2.96 ₽222

-1.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.57 ₽719

$6.76 ₽508

41.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₽76.2

$1.02 ₽76.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₽154

$1.88 ₽141

9.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ₽67.9

$0.49 ₽36.99

83.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.5 ₽4,016

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 ₽216

$1.89 ₽142

51.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 ₽44.66

$0.33 ₽24.78

78.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 ₽578

$6.18 ₽464

24.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 ₽56.7

$0.73 ₽54.6

2.74%

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

$38.8K ₽2.9M

$34.5K ₽2.6M

12.27%

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

$37.0K ₽2.8M

$35.9K ₽2.7M

3.13%

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

$132 ₽9,879

$108 ₽8,122

21.63%

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

$6.70 ₽503

$5.81 ₽437

15.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.34 ₽551

$7.83 ₽588

-6.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.88 ₽2,770

$35.98 ₽2,703

2.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.04 ₽1,730

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₽439

$5.00 ₽376

16.80%

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

$397 ₽29.8K

$321 ₽24.1K

23.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,653 ₽725.0K

$7,000 ₽525.8K

37.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.2 ₽7,449

$69.3 ₽5,207

43.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.8 ₽4,115

$44.96 ₽3,377

21.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₽8,789

$114 ₽8,575

2.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₽9,955

$107 ₽8,053

23.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$784 ₽58.9K

$449 ₽33.7K

74.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 ₽34.5K

$306 ₽23.0K

50.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,442 ₽108.3K

$758 ₽56.9K

90.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$907 ₽68.2K

$516 ₽38.8K

75.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,548 ₽341.6K

$1,612 ₽121.1K

182.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,919 ₽219.2K

$1,328 ₽99.8K

119.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,261 ₽94.7K

$902 ₽67.8K

39.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.95

15.33

62.75%

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

Last update for Saint Petersburg: April 27, 2026

Last update for Surgut: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $784 in Saint Petersburg and $449 in Surgut. 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: $50.0 in Saint Petersburg vs $39.00 in Surgut for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $197 per month, with Surgut 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 Surgut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surgut wins on cost – living expenses run 37% lower than in Saint Petersburg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Surgut the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Saint Petersburg pays 40% 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: $784 in Saint Petersburg versus $449 in Surgut. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $397 in Saint Petersburg versus $321 in Surgut. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Surgut – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $50.0 in Saint Petersburg. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $955 in Surgut versus $1,308 in Saint Petersburg, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Surgut but tight or insufficient in Saint Petersburg. The gap between the two cities makes Surgut the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Surgut delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $955 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Surgut hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Surgut gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.