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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,273 in Saint Petersburg versus $811 in Ulyanovsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,032 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,259 in Ulyanovsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,791 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,707 in Ulyanovsk.

Living in Saint Petersburg is roughly 57% more expensive than in Ulyanovsk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint Petersburg 7% lower, Ulyanovsk 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₽931

$11.56 ₽992

-6.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.15 ₽3,531

$28.53 ₽2,448

44.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ₽525

$5.87 ₽504

4.26%

Cappuccino

$3.01 ₽258

$2.40 ₽206

25.42%

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

$1.34 ₽115

$1.00 ₽85.8

34.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₽54.6

$0.49 ₽42.22

30.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ₽201

$2.22 ₽191

5.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₽247

$1.71 ₽147

68.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 ₽93.9

$1.06 ₽91.0

2.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 ₽74.3

$0.72 ₽62.2

20.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₽139

$1.21 ₽104

33.88%

Eggs

$1.57 ₽135

$0.98 ₽84.1

60.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.58 ₽994

$11.43 ₽981

1.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 ₽515

$5.48 ₽471

9.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.42 ₽980

$9.44 ₽810

20.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 ₽146

$1.20 ₽103

41.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ₽133

$1.61 ₽138

-3.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₽154

$2.35 ₽201

-23.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.02 ₽259

$2.79 ₽240

8.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ₽64.3

$0.96 ₽82.3

-21.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 ₽49.79

$0.65 ₽55.7

-10.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ₽108

$1.43 ₽123

-11.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₽67.3

$0.42 ₽36.18

85.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₽253

$2.63 ₽226

12.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.93 ₽766

$6.89 ₽592

29.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 ₽91.7

$0.70 ₽59.8

52.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ₽162

$0.60 ₽51.3

213.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 ₽84.6

$0.41 ₽35.08

141.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.7 ₽4,437

$17.03 ₽1,461

203.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 ₽223

$1.25 ₽108

108.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 ₽61.4

$0.17 ₽14.43

317.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.39 ₽720

$4.83 ₽414

73.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₽70.0

$0.78 ₽66.6

5.13%

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

$34.2K ₽2.9M

$48.9K ₽4.2M

-30.09%

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

$32.7K ₽2.8M

$42.2K ₽3.6M

-22.49%

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

$140 ₽12.0K

$58.0 ₽4,978

140.52%

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

$7.37 ₽632

$5.19 ₽446

42.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.80 ₽669

$4.54 ₽390

71.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.54 ₽3,565

$27.89 ₽2,393

48.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.98 ₽3,002

$24.53 ₽2,105

42.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.79 ₽583

$5.53 ₽474

22.78%

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

$441 ₽37.9K

$175 ₽15.0K

152.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ₽1.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.7 ₽7,436

$29.00 ₽2,489

198.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.99 ₽4,290

$34.14 ₽2,930

46.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 ₽11.5K

$91.2 ₽7,830

46.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 ₽10.3K

$57.9 ₽4,969

107.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ₽62.6K

$335 ₽28.7K

117.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 ₽37.2K

$223 ₽19.2K

94.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 ₽135.6K

$504 ₽43.2K

213.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$881 ₽75.6K

$392 ₽33.6K

124.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 ₽359.5K

$2,021 ₽173.5K

107.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ₽228.4K

$1,231 ₽105.7K

116.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,109 ₽95.2K

$613 ₽52.6K

81.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.04

-12.87%

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

Last update for Saint Petersburg: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ulyanovsk: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Saint Petersburg and $335 in Ulyanovsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Petersburg pays 81% 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: $41.00 in Saint Petersburg vs $29.00 in Ulyanovsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $189 per month, with Ulyanovsk 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 Ulyanovsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ulyanovsk wins on cost – living expenses run 57% lower than in Saint Petersburg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ulyanovsk the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 81% 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: $729 in Saint Petersburg versus $335 in Ulyanovsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,273 per month in Saint Petersburg versus $811 in Ulyanovsk – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ulyanovsk runs roughly 204% less than in Saint Petersburg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $811 in Ulyanovsk versus $1,273 in Saint Petersburg, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ulyanovsk but tight or insufficient in Saint Petersburg. The gap between the two cities makes Ulyanovsk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ulyanovsk delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $811 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ulyanovsk hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Ulyanovsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.