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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,273 in Saint Petersburg versus $844 in Yaroslavl.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,032 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,322 in Yaroslavl.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,791 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,800 in Yaroslavl.

Living in Saint Petersburg is roughly 51% more expensive than in Yaroslavl, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint Petersburg 7% lower, Yaroslavl 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₽931

$9.29 ₽797

16.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.15 ₽3,531

$29.27 ₽2,512

40.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ₽525

$4.77 ₽409

28.30%

Cappuccino

$3.01 ₽258

$2.51 ₽215

19.92%

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

$1.34 ₽115

$0.90 ₽76.9

48.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₽54.6

$0.48 ₽41.54

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ₽201

$0.94 ₽80.7

150.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₽247

$1.53 ₽131

88.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 ₽93.9

$0.98 ₽84.3

11.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 ₽74.3

$0.77 ₽66.2

12.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₽139

$1.21 ₽104

33.88%

Eggs

$1.57 ₽135

$1.29 ₽111

21.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.58 ₽994

$8.03 ₽689

44.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 ₽515

$4.74 ₽406

26.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.42 ₽980

$11.48 ₽985

-0.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 ₽146

$1.58 ₽135

7.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ₽133

$1.76 ₽151

-11.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₽154

$1.60 ₽137

11.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.02 ₽259

$3.11 ₽266

-2.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ₽64.3

$0.92 ₽78.9

-18.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 ₽49.79

$0.67 ₽57.9

-13.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ₽108

$0.99 ₽84.7

27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₽67.3

$0.55 ₽47.60

41.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₽253

$2.35 ₽202

25.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.93 ₽766

$7.28 ₽625

22.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 ₽91.7

$0.69 ₽58.9

55.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ₽162

$1.50 ₽129

25.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 ₽84.6

$0.47 ₽40.08

110.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.7 ₽4,437

$17.20 ₽1,476

200.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 ₽223

$2.54 ₽218

2.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 ₽61.4

$0.19 ₽16.49

273.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.39 ₽720

$3.39 ₽291

147.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₽70.0

$0.75 ₽64.7

9.33%

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

$34.2K ₽2.9M

$29.7K ₽2.5M

15.21%

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

$32.7K ₽2.8M

$26.2K ₽2.2M

24.84%

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

$140 ₽12.0K

$87.6 ₽7,521

59.19%

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

$7.37 ₽632

$4.85 ₽417

51.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.80 ₽669

$4.60 ₽395

69.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.54 ₽3,565

$24.88 ₽2,135

66.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.98 ₽3,002

$14.46 ₽1,241

141.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.79 ₽583

$4.80 ₽412

41.46%

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

$441 ₽37.9K

$268 ₽23.0K

64.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ₽1.2M

$3,516 ₽301.7K

313.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.7 ₽7,436

$40.41 ₽3,468

114.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.99 ₽4,290

$22.88 ₽1,963

118.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 ₽11.5K

$153 ₽13.2K

-12.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 ₽10.3K

$118 ₽10.1K

2.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ₽62.6K

$389 ₽33.4K

87.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 ₽37.2K

$236 ₽20.2K

83.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 ₽135.6K

$697 ₽59.8K

126.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$881 ₽75.6K

$395 ₽33.9K

123.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 ₽359.5K

$2,175 ₽186.7K

92.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ₽228.4K

$1,053 ₽90.4K

152.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,109 ₽95.2K

$811 ₽69.6K

36.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.04

20.75

-3.42%

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

Last update for Saint Petersburg: August 31, 2026

Last update for Yaroslavl: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Saint Petersburg and $389 in Yaroslavl. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Petersburg pays 37% 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 Yaroslavl for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $186 per month, with Yaroslavl 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 Yaroslavl: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yaroslavl wins on cost – living expenses run 51% lower than in Saint Petersburg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Yaroslavl the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 37% 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 $389 in Yaroslavl. 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 $844 in Yaroslavl – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Yaroslavl runs roughly 201% less than in Saint Petersburg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $844 in Yaroslavl versus $1,273 in Saint Petersburg, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Yaroslavl but tight or insufficient in Saint Petersburg. The gap between the two cities makes Yaroslavl the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Yaroslavl delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $844 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Yaroslavl hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Saint Petersburg and Yaroslavl 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 Yaroslavl gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.