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: $1,273 in Saint Petersburg versus $1,264 in Yekaterinburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,032 in Saint Petersburg versus $2,068 in Yekaterinburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,791 in Saint Petersburg versus $2,873 in Yekaterinburg.

Living in Saint Petersburg is roughly 1% more expensive than in Yekaterinburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint Petersburg 7% lower, Yekaterinburg 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₽939

$12.36 ₽1,070

-12.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.15 ₽3,561

$47.23 ₽4,087

-12.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ₽530

$5.75 ₽498

6.43%

Cappuccino

$3.01 ₽260

$2.78 ₽241

8.27%

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

$1.34 ₽116

$1.42 ₽123

-5.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₽55.1

$0.45 ₽39.23

42.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ₽203

$2.07 ₽179

13.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₽249

$2.89 ₽250

-0.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 ₽94.7

$1.05 ₽90.5

3.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 ₽74.9

$0.60 ₽51.5

45.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₽140

$1.13 ₽97.5

43.36%

Eggs

$1.57 ₽136

$1.46 ₽127

7.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.58 ₽1,002

$11.92 ₽1,032

-2.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 ₽520

$4.89 ₽423

22.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.42 ₽989

$11.62 ₽1,005

-1.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 ₽147

$1.80 ₽156

-5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ₽135

$1.66 ₽144

-6.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₽155

$1.42 ₽123

26.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.02 ₽261

$2.63 ₽228

14.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ₽64.8

$0.68 ₽59.0

10.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 ₽50.2

$0.56 ₽48.40

3.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ₽109

$1.48 ₽128

-14.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₽67.9

$0.80 ₽69.3

-2.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₽255

Wine (Bottle)

$8.93 ₽773

$6.99 ₽605

27.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 ₽92.5

$1.29 ₽112

-17.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ₽163

$2.46 ₽213

-23.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 ₽85.3

$0.47 ₽40.81

110.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.7 ₽4,474

$17.04 ₽1,475

203.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 ₽225

$2.88 ₽249

-9.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 ₽61.9

$0.17 ₽14.66

317.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.39 ₽726

$4.07 ₽353

106.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₽70.6

$0.76 ₽65.6

7.89%

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

$34.2K ₽3.0M

$29.6K ₽2.6M

15.61%

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

$32.7K ₽2.8M

$27.6K ₽2.4M

18.18%

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

$140 ₽12.1K

$123 ₽10.7K

13.22%

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

$7.37 ₽638

$6.47 ₽560

13.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.80 ₽675

$11.44 ₽990

-31.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.54 ₽3,595

$49.53 ₽4,286

-16.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.98 ₽3,027

$22.83 ₽1,976

53.22%

Cinema Ticket

$6.79 ₽588

$5.48 ₽474

23.91%

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

$441 ₽38.2K

$339 ₽29.3K

30.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ₽1.3M

$6,632 ₽573.9K

119.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.7 ₽7,499

$102 ₽8,853

-15.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.99 ₽4,326

$61.0 ₽5,279

-18.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 ₽11.6K

$150 ₽13.0K

-11.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 ₽10.4K

$129 ₽11.2K

-7.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ₽63.1K

$786 ₽68.0K

-7.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 ₽37.5K

$449 ₽38.9K

-3.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 ₽136.8K

$1,246 ₽107.8K

26.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$881 ₽76.2K

$1,014 ₽87.8K

-13.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 ₽362.6K

$2,399 ₽207.6K

74.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ₽230.3K

$1,656 ₽143.3K

60.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,109 ₽96.0K

$889 ₽76.9K

24.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.04

22.33

-10.26%

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

Last update for Saint Petersburg: August 31, 2026

Last update for Yekaterinburg: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Saint Petersburg and $786 in Yekaterinburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Petersburg pays 25% 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 $47.00 in Yekaterinburg. Groceries flip the comparison at $216 vs $204, 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 1% 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.

Average pay runs 25% 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 $786 in Yekaterinburg. 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 $1,264 in Yekaterinburg – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Yekaterinburg runs roughly 203% less than in Saint Petersburg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,264 in Yekaterinburg versus $1,273 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 $1,264 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 1% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.