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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,302 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,158 in Yekaterinburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,049 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,838 in Yekaterinburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,796 in Saint Petersburg versus $2,519 in Yekaterinburg.

Living in Saint Petersburg is roughly 12% more expensive than Yekaterinburg, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint Petersburg 3% lower, Yekaterinburg 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.60 ₽709

$13.56 ₽1,000

-29.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.48 ₽3,651

$49.97 ₽3,687

-0.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ₽417

$6.49 ₽479

-12.94%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₽192

$2.71 ₽200

-4.06%

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

$1.07 ₽79.3

$1.42 ₽105

-24.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₽45.21

$0.60 ₽44.47

1.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.22 ₽238

$1.93 ₽142

66.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 ₽284

$2.24 ₽166

71.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 ₽86.0

$1.15 ₽84.9

0.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 ₽70.9

$0.70 ₽51.8

37.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₽120

$1.41 ₽104

14.89%

Eggs

$1.86 ₽137

$1.63 ₽121

14.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.44 ₽918

$12.45 ₽919

-0.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 ₽387

$4.72 ₽349

11.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ₽801

$11.68 ₽862

-7.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 ₽124

$2.05 ₽151

-18.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₽137

$1.90 ₽140

-2.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 ₽142

$2.41 ₽178

-19.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.47 ₽256

$2.93 ₽216

18.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 ₽65.4

$0.69 ₽51.1

28.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₽47.76

$0.80 ₽58.7

-18.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 ₽95.7

$1.36 ₽100

-4.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ₽53.9

$0.71 ₽52.4

2.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 ₽223

$2.47 ₽183

22.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 ₽727

$8.17 ₽603

20.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₽77.6

$1.14 ₽84.3

-7.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₽152

$2.48 ₽183

-16.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ₽63.1

$0.44 ₽32.46

95.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.4 ₽3,865

$25.34 ₽1,870

106.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 ₽209

$2.54 ₽187

11.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ₽41.05

$0.32 ₽23.92

75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.56 ₽558

$6.93 ₽511

9.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 ₽54.4

$0.76 ₽56.0

-2.63%

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

$37.9K ₽2.8M

$31.6K ₽2.3M

20.07%

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

$37.7K ₽2.8M

$47.1K ₽3.5M

-19.89%

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

$134 ₽9,868

$127 ₽9,407

4.90%

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

$6.66 ₽491

$7.10 ₽524

-6.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.06 ₽521

$9.57 ₽706

-26.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.57 ₽2,772

$40.96 ₽3,023

-8.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.95 ₽1,694

$18.79 ₽1,387

22.14%

Cinema Ticket

$5.88 ₽434

$5.25 ₽388

12.00%

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

$403 ₽29.7K

$475 ₽35.0K

-15.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,670 ₽713.6K

$8,844 ₽652.6K

9.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.5 ₽7,267

$69.0 ₽5,088

42.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.4 ₽3,938

$46.05 ₽3,398

15.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ₽8,448

$101 ₽7,422

13.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 ₽9,954

$74.8 ₽5,519

80.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₽58.6K

$584 ₽43.1K

36.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 ₽34.7K

$384 ₽28.4K

22.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,417 ₽104.5K

$1,124 ₽82.9K

26.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₽66.4K

$779 ₽57.5K

15.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,914 ₽362.6K

$2,912 ₽214.9K

68.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,083 ₽227.5K

$1,920 ₽141.7K

60.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,319 ₽97.3K

$1,027 ₽75.8K

28.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.95

16.39

52.23%

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

Last update for Saint Petersburg: May 30, 2026

Last update for Yekaterinburg: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $794 in Saint Petersburg and $584 in Yekaterinburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Petersburg pays 28% 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 $50.0 in Yekaterinburg. Groceries flip the comparison at $223 vs $217, with Yekaterinburg 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 Yekaterinburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yekaterinburg wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Saint Petersburg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Yekaterinburg the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Saint Petersburg pays 28% 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 $584 in Yekaterinburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,302 per month in Saint Petersburg versus $1,158 in Yekaterinburg – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Yekaterinburg runs roughly 107% less than in Saint Petersburg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,158 in Yekaterinburg versus $1,302 in Saint Petersburg, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Yekaterinburg but tight or insufficient in Saint Petersburg. The gap between the two cities makes Yekaterinburg the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Yekaterinburg delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,158 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Yekaterinburg hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Yekaterinburg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.