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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,303 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,215 in Yakutsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,014 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,861 in Yakutsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,726 in Saint Petersburg versus $2,506 in Yakutsk.

Living in Saint Petersburg is roughly 7% more expensive than in Yakutsk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint Petersburg 2% lower, Yakutsk 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.56 ₽751

$9.78 ₽769

-2.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.36 ₽3,877

$44.10 ₽3,464

11.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.68 ₽447

$7.46 ₽586

-23.86%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ₽214

$2.59 ₽204

5.02%

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

$1.07 ₽84.1

$1.60 ₽125

-33.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₽45.00

$0.74 ₽58.1

-22.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 ₽247

$3.87 ₽304

-18.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ₽292

$4.35 ₽342

-14.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 ₽92.5

$1.83 ₽144

-35.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 ₽75.6

$0.71 ₽55.5

35.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₽128

$1.53 ₽120

5.88%

Eggs

$1.84 ₽145

$2.53 ₽199

-27.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.14 ₽953

$14.07 ₽1,105

-13.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₽422

$8.49 ₽667

-36.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ₽859

$10.42 ₽818

4.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 ₽138

$3.08 ₽242

-42.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₽143

$3.26 ₽256

-44.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ₽152

$4.34 ₽341

-55.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 ₽273

$3.63 ₽285

-4.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₽68.7

$1.14 ₽89.7

-23.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₽49.44

$1.75 ₽137

-64.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₽107

$1.69 ₽132

-19.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₽56.9

$1.07 ₽84.4

-32.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 ₽226

$2.50 ₽196

15.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.41 ₽739

$9.25 ₽726

1.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₽78.8

$1.25 ₽98.1

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₽159

$2.53 ₽199

-20.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ₽68.4

$0.68 ₽53.4

27.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.4 ₽4,198

$12.54 ₽985

326.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 ₽215

$2.55 ₽200

7.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₽45.69

$1.40 ₽110

-58.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.80 ₽613

$8.74 ₽687

-10.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 ₽61.7

$0.88 ₽69.4

-10.23%

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

$37.5K ₽2.9M

$43.8K ₽3.4M

-14.32%

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

$37.1K ₽2.9M

$32.0K ₽2.5M

15.90%

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

$135 ₽10.6K

$180 ₽14.2K

-25.30%

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

$6.73 ₽528

$5.49 ₽432

22.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.34 ₽577

$10.13 ₽795

-27.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.42 ₽2,940

$48.35 ₽3,798

-22.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.89 ₽1,798

$10.22 ₽803

123.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.73 ₽450

$5.02 ₽394

14.14%

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

$403 ₽31.7K

$141 ₽11.1K

185.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,480 ₽744.8K

$2,528 ₽198.6K

275.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.7 ₽7,832

$31.81 ₽2,499

213.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 ₽4,314

$18.73 ₽1,471

193.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ₽9,134

$63.0 ₽4,950

84.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 ₽10.8K

$64.1 ₽5,035

113.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 ₽63.0K

$643 ₽50.5K

24.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₽36.9K

$440 ₽34.5K

6.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,441 ₽113.2K

$935 ₽73.5K

54.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$884 ₽69.5K

$710 ₽55.7K

24.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,616 ₽362.6K

$3,239 ₽254.5K

42.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,978 ₽233.9K

$2,731 ₽214.6K

9.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,220 ₽95.9K

$1,156 ₽90.8K

5.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.95

8.5

193.53%

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

Last update for Saint Petersburg: July 12, 2026

Last update for Yakutsk: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $803 in Saint Petersburg and $643 in Yakutsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Petersburg pays 6% 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 $44.00 in Yakutsk. Groceries flip the comparison at $222 vs $284, with Saint Petersburg cheaper for home cooking.

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 Yakutsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yakutsk wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Saint Petersburg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Yakutsk the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 6% 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: $803 in Saint Petersburg versus $643 in Yakutsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,303 per month in Saint Petersburg versus $1,215 in Yakutsk – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Yakutsk runs roughly 326% less than in Saint Petersburg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,215 in Yakutsk versus $1,303 in Saint Petersburg, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Yakutsk but tight or insufficient in Saint Petersburg. The gap between the two cities makes Yakutsk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Yakutsk delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,215 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Yakutsk hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Saint Petersburg and Yakutsk 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 Yakutsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.