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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,290 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,003 in Tomsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,017 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,574 in Tomsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,745 in Saint Petersburg versus $2,144 in Tomsk.

Living in Saint Petersburg is roughly 29% more expensive than Tomsk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint Petersburg 4% lower, Tomsk 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.39 ₽680

$6.27 ₽454

49.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.1 ₽3,630

$32.38 ₽2,346

54.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ₽424

$5.87 ₽426

-0.34%

Cappuccino

$2.71 ₽196

$2.27 ₽164

19.38%

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

$1.12 ₽81.0

$0.98 ₽70.7

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₽44.61

$0.46 ₽33.18

34.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 ₽232

$1.25 ₽90.7

156.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ₽274

$2.96 ₽215

27.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 ₽84.4

$1.14 ₽82.8

1.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 ₽65.0

$0.55 ₽39.73

63.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 ₽114

$1.82 ₽132

-13.74%

Eggs

$1.94 ₽141

$1.66 ₽120

16.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.00 ₽870

$10.84 ₽785

10.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 ₽381

$5.51 ₽399

-4.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.78 ₽781

$8.97 ₽650

20.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 ₽123

$2.00 ₽145

-15.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 ₽133

$1.97 ₽143

-6.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 ₽140

$2.13 ₽154

-9.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.37 ₽244

$3.76 ₽272

-10.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₽60.8

$0.69 ₽50.1

21.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₽47.00

$0.57 ₽41.41

14.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ₽96.6

$1.05 ₽76.0

26.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₽57.1

$0.59 ₽42.43

33.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 ₽218

$2.47 ₽179

21.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.82 ₽712

$7.57 ₽548

29.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₽72.6

$0.85 ₽61.8

17.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₽147

$1.89 ₽137

7.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ₽62.8

$0.39 ₽28.33

123.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ₽3,861

$26.30 ₽1,906

102.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 ₽208

$1.70 ₽123

68.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 ₽39.92

$0.25 ₽18.19

120.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 ₽559

$6.15 ₽446

25.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 ₽57.1

$0.74 ₽53.6

6.76%

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

$37.6K ₽2.7M

$31.1K ₽2.3M

20.96%

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

$37.8K ₽2.7M

$41.5K ₽3.0M

-8.87%

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

$134 ₽9,706

$114 ₽8,295

17.01%

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

$6.81 ₽493

$5.13 ₽372

32.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.22 ₽523

$8.28 ₽600

-12.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.57 ₽2,722

$63.1 ₽4,571

-40.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.96 ₽1,664

$25.32 ₽1,835

-9.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.68 ₽412

$5.84 ₽423

-2.74%

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

$404 ₽29.2K

$76.5 ₽5,545

427.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,691 ₽702.2K

$4,477 ₽324.4K

116.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₽7,315

$76.3 ₽5,532

32.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.0 ₽3,983

$34.31 ₽2,486

60.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₽8,508

$133 ₽9,664

-11.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₽9,622

$181 ₽13.1K

-26.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$804 ₽58.3K

$438 ₽31.7K

83.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 ₽33.6K

$277 ₽20.1K

67.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,404 ₽101.7K

$760 ₽55.1K

84.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$887 ₽64.3K

$518 ₽37.5K

71.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,923 ₽356.7K

$2,482 ₽179.8K

98.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,147 ₽228.0K

$1,734 ₽125.6K

81.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,324 ₽95.9K

$1,002 ₽72.6K

32.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.95

22.08

13.00%

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

Last update for Saint Petersburg: June 8, 2026

Last update for Tomsk: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $804 in Saint Petersburg and $438 in Tomsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Petersburg pays 32% 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 $32.00 in Tomsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $205 per month, with Tomsk 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 Tomsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tomsk wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Saint Petersburg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tomsk the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Saint Petersburg pays 32% 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: $804 in Saint Petersburg versus $438 in Tomsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,290 per month in Saint Petersburg versus $1,003 in Tomsk – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tomsk runs roughly 103% less than in Saint Petersburg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,003 in Tomsk versus $1,290 in Saint Petersburg, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tomsk but tight or insufficient in Saint Petersburg. The gap between the two cities makes Tomsk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Tomsk delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,003 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tomsk hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Saint Petersburg and Tomsk are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Tomsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.