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: $1,302 in Saint Petersburg versus $835 in Ulyanovsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,049 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,239 in Ulyanovsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,796 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,642 in Ulyanovsk.

Living in Saint Petersburg is roughly 56% more expensive than Ulyanovsk, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint Petersburg 3% lower, Ulyanovsk 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.60 ₽701

$8.93 ₽652

7.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.48 ₽3,612

$31.68 ₽2,312

56.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ₽413

$5.58 ₽408

1.25%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₽189

$2.41 ₽176

7.88%

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

$1.07 ₽78.4

$1.11 ₽81.0

-3.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₽44.72

$0.46 ₽33.36

32.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.22 ₽235

$0.85 ₽61.8

278.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 ₽281

$1.67 ₽122

130.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 ₽85.0

$1.10 ₽80.6

5.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 ₽70.2

$0.65 ₽47.23

47.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₽118

$1.19 ₽86.8

36.13%

Eggs

$1.86 ₽136

$1.57 ₽114

18.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.44 ₽908

$9.35 ₽682

33.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 ₽383

$4.75 ₽347

10.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ₽792

$8.51 ₽621

27.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 ₽122

$1.25 ₽90.9

34.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₽135

$1.50 ₽109

23.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 ₽141

$1.46 ₽107

32.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.47 ₽253

$1.74 ₽127

99.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 ₽64.7

$0.67 ₽48.62

32.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₽47.25

$0.39 ₽28.68

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 ₽94.6

$1.75 ₽128

-25.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ₽53.3

$0.54 ₽39.40

35.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 ₽221

$1.38 ₽101

119.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 ₽719

$4.98 ₽363

97.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₽76.7

$0.91 ₽66.7

15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₽150

$1.77 ₽129

16.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ₽62.4

$0.43 ₽31.58

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.4 ₽3,824

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 ₽207

$1.85 ₽135

52.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ₽40.60

$0.19 ₽13.75

194.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.56 ₽552

$3.92 ₽286

92.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 ₽53.8

$0.76 ₽55.4

-2.63%

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

$37.9K ₽2.8M

$48.7K ₽3.6M

-22.18%

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

$37.7K ₽2.8M

$44.7K ₽3.3M

-15.59%

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

$134 ₽9,761

$102 ₽7,465

30.76%

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

$6.66 ₽486

$5.47 ₽399

21.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.06 ₽515

$5.59 ₽408

26.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.57 ₽2,742

$35.95 ₽2,624

4.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.95 ₽1,675

Cinema Ticket

$5.88 ₽429

$4.07 ₽297

44.47%

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

$403 ₽29.4K

$89.2 ₽6,511

351.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,670 ₽705.8K

$6,038 ₽440.7K

60.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.5 ₽7,188

$100 ₽7,317

-1.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.4 ₽3,895

$47.92 ₽3,498

11.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ₽8,356

$87.2 ₽6,364

31.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 ₽9,846

$75.7 ₽5,523

78.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₽58.0K

$316 ₽23.0K

151.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 ₽34.3K

$234 ₽17.1K

101.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,417 ₽103.4K

$565 ₽41.2K

150.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₽65.6K

$304 ₽22.2K

195.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,914 ₽358.7K

$2,443 ₽178.3K

101.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,083 ₽225.0K

$1,482 ₽108.2K

108.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,319 ₽96.3K

$742 ₽54.1K

77.82%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Ulyanovsk: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $794 in Saint Petersburg and $316 in Ulyanovsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Petersburg pays 78% 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 $32.00 in Ulyanovsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $170 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 56% 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.

Saint Petersburg pays 78% 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: $794 in Saint Petersburg versus $316 in Ulyanovsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $403 in Saint Petersburg versus $89.2 in Ulyanovsk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ulyanovsk – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $49.00 in Saint Petersburg. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $835 in Ulyanovsk versus $1,302 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 $835 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 56% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.