Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Petersburg and Yakutsk

For one person, living is cheaper in Yakutsk: $1,267 a month against $1,334 in Saint Petersburg, rent and utilities included – about $800 less a year. The total is higher in Saint Petersburg despite lower rent and utilities.

65

Cost of Living Index in Saint Petersburg
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Saint Petersburg Living Index
61

Cost of Living Index in Yakutsk
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Yakutsk Living Index

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Saint Petersburg

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,334

/mo nomad

Yakutsk

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,267

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saint Petersburg and in Yakutsk

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Saint Petersburg and in Yakutsk actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,334 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,267 in Yakutsk.

Saint Petersburg $1,334
Yakutsk $1,267

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,131 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,829 in Yakutsk.

Saint Petersburg $2,131
Yakutsk $1,829

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,927 in Saint Petersburg versus $2,391 in Yakutsk.

Saint Petersburg $2,927
Yakutsk $2,391

Living in Saint Petersburg is roughly 5% more expensive than in Yakutsk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint Petersburg 2% lower, Yakutsk 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.86 ₽990

$14.54 ₽1,214

-18.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.90 ₽3,497

$42.12 ₽3,515

-0.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.51 ₽544

$9.14 ₽762

-28.77%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ₽268

$4.32 ₽360

-25.69%

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

$1.63 ₽136

$1.72 ₽143

-5.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₽64.8

$0.93 ₽78.0

-16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 ₽254

$3.57 ₽298

-14.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ₽310

$2.44 ₽204

52.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 ₽97.9

$1.91 ₽159

-38.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ₽83.4

$0.96 ₽80.0

4.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ₽141

$1.67 ₽140

1.20%

Eggs

$1.64 ₽137

$2.20 ₽183

-25.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.32 ₽1,028

$13.78 ₽1,150

-10.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 ₽553

$8.03 ₽670

-17.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.56 ₽1,048

$12.70 ₽1,060

-1.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 ₽147

$3.06 ₽256

-42.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ₽135

$2.45 ₽205

-33.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 ₽146

$3.19 ₽267

-45.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.27 ₽273

$5.09 ₽425

-35.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₽70.3

$1.23 ₽102

-31.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 ₽54.7

$1.14 ₽94.8

-42.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ₽108

$1.18 ₽98.6

9.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ₽63.6

$1.06 ₽88.4

-28.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 ₽256

Wine (Bottle)

$8.59 ₽717

$9.72 ₽811

-11.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₽101

$1.42 ₽118

-15.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₽168

$3.03 ₽253

-33.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 ₽87.2

$0.71 ₽59.6

47.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 ₽4,440

$20.12 ₽1,679

164.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 ₽229

$1.98 ₽166

38.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₽51.6

$0.21 ₽17.48

195.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.74 ₽730

$4.94 ₽413

76.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 ₽77.4

$0.88 ₽73.7

5.68%

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

$40.9K ₽3.4M

$18.1K ₽1.5M

125.96%

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

$36.2K ₽3.0M

$19.6K ₽1.6M

84.69%

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

$151 ₽12.6K

$201 ₽16.8K

-24.86%

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

$7.75 ₽647

$4.80 ₽400

61.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.66 ₽723

$10.85 ₽905

-20.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.26 ₽3,444

$72.8 ₽6,072

-43.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.73 ₽3,567

Cinema Ticket

$7.46 ₽622

$7.29 ₽608

2.33%

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

$633 ₽52.9K

$471 ₽39.3K

34.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K ₽1.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.5 ₽8,224

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 ₽4,412

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 ₽11.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 ₽10.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 ₽61.8K

$922 ₽76.9K

-19.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 ₽37.3K

$420 ₽35.1K

6.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,620 ₽135.2K

$1,226 ₽102.3K

32.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$939 ₽78.4K

$595 ₽49.6K

57.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,469 ₽373.0K

$2,213 ₽184.7K

101.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,803 ₽233.9K

$1,938 ₽161.7K

44.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,187 ₽99.1K

$974 ₽81.3K

21.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.81

-5.67%

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

Last update for Saint Petersburg: October 17, 2026

Last update for Yakutsk: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Saint Petersburg

$447 33.5%

Yakutsk

$420 33.2% 6% $27

Groceries & Markets

Saint Petersburg

$230 17.2%

Yakutsk

$288 22.7% 25.2% $58

Eating Out

Saint Petersburg

$185 13.9%

Yakutsk

$229 18.1% 23.6% $44

Clothing & Footwear

Saint Petersburg

$185 13.9%

Yakutsk

- * 0% 100%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saint Petersburg

$167 12.6%

Yakutsk

$217 17.1% 29.4% $49

Getting Around

Saint Petersburg

$63 4.7%

Yakutsk

$26 2.1% 58.9% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Saint Petersburg

$56 4.2%

Yakutsk

$87 6.9% 55.4% $31

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Saint Petersburg and $922 in Yakutsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Petersburg pays 22% 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: $42.00 in Saint Petersburg vs $42.00 in Yakutsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $288 per month, with Saint Petersburg cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Saint Petersburg

🇷🇺 Yakutsk

🕒 Local time

14:40 2:40 PM

20:40 8:40 PM

6 h ahead of Saint Petersburg

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,597,763

361,154

💱 Currency

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Saint Petersburg Yakutsk 4,830 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Saint Petersburg
Yakutsk

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 5% 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 22% 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: $741 in Saint Petersburg versus $922 in Yakutsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,334 per month in Saint Petersburg versus $1,267 in Yakutsk – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Yakutsk runs roughly 164% less than in Saint Petersburg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,267 in Yakutsk versus $1,334 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 $1,267 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 5% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.