Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Samara and Kazan

For one person, living is cheaper in Samara: $765 a month against $1,201 in Kazan, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Samara
🇷🇺 Russia
$765
/mo nomad
Kazan
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,201
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Samara and in Kazan

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $765 in Samara versus $1,201 in Kazan.

  • Samara $765
  • Kazan $1,201

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,253 in Samara versus $1,877 in Kazan.

  • Samara $1,253
  • Kazan $1,877

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,741 in Samara versus $2,552 in Kazan.

  • Samara $1,741
  • Kazan $2,552

Living in Samara costs roughly 36% less than in Kazan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Samara 44% lower, Kazan 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Samara
Kazan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.57 ₽716
$13.11 ₽1,094
-34.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.02 ₽3,591
$40.04 ₽3,342
7.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.21 ₽435
$6.16 ₽514
-15.42%
Cappuccino
$2.30 ₽192
$3.33 ₽278
-30.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.14 ₽94.9
$1.45 ₽121
-21.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.52 ₽43.42
$0.56 ₽46.56
-7.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.77 ₽148
$1.84 ₽154
-3.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 ₽248
$2.36 ₽197
25.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Samara
Kazan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.24 ₽104
$1.11 ₽92.5
11.71%
White Bread (500g)
$1.05 ₽87.7
$0.71 ₽59.1
47.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.62 ₽135
$1.58 ₽132
2.53%
Eggs
$1.53 ₽128
$1.51 ₽126
1.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.14 ₽1,013
$11.43 ₽954
6.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.07 ₽590
$4.60 ₽384
53.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.47 ₽624
$10.68 ₽891
-30.06%
Apples (1kg)
$3.04 ₽254
$1.97 ₽164
54.31%
Banana (1kg)
$1.76 ₽147
$1.70 ₽142
3.53%
Oranges (1kg)
-
$1.88 ₽157
-
Tomato (1kg)
$4.04 ₽337
$3.14 ₽262
28.66%
Potato (1kg)
$0.83 ₽68.9
$0.85 ₽71.0
-2.35%
Onion (1kg)
$0.38 ₽31.46
$0.58 ₽48.17
-34.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.46 ₽122
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₽46.44
$0.72 ₽60.1
-22.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.51 ₽210
$3.03 ₽253
-17.16%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$7.89 ₽659
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 ₽89.5
$1.01 ₽84.5
5.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.87 ₽156
-
🚌 Getting Around
Samara
Kazan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.46 ₽38.41
$0.57 ₽47.94
-19.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$19.17 ₽1,600
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.70 ₽309
$2.39 ₽200
54.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.56 ₽46.76
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ₽308
$7.11 ₽593
-48.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.87 ₽72.9
$0.87 ₽72.3
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$51.7K ₽4.3M
$52.8K ₽4.4M
-2.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.2K ₽3.4M
$41.9K ₽3.5M
-1.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Samara
Kazan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$140 ₽11.7K
$127 ₽10.6K
10.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.73 ₽395
$5.28 ₽441
-10.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.93 ₽1,163
$7.10 ₽592
96.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Samara
Kazan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.07 ₽3,511
$36.85 ₽3,075
14.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.95 ₽1,832
$29.66 ₽2,476
-25.99%
Cinema Ticket
$11.95 ₽997
$6.62 ₽553
80.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Samara
Kazan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$294 ₽24.5K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$6,411 ₽535.1K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Samara
Kazan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$146 ₽12.1K
$94.4 ₽7,878
54.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$78.9 ₽6,587
$92.6 ₽7,730
-14.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$158 ₽13.2K
$108 ₽8,986
46.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.0 ₽7,176
$78.5 ₽6,551
9.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Samara
Kazan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$674 ₽56.2K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$426 ₽35.5K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,132 ₽94.5K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$791 ₽66.0K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,443 ₽203.9K
$4,456 ₽371.9K
-45.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,601 ₽133.6K
$2,402 ₽200.5K
-33.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Samara
Kazan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$985 ₽82.2K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
25.03
20.8
20.34%

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

Last update for Samara: October 17, 2026

Last update for Kazan: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Clothing & Footwear
Samara
$211
Kazan
$168 20.3% $43
Groceries & Markets
Samara
$191 *
Kazan
$206 7.8% $15
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Samara
$159
Kazan
$140 12.2% $19
Eating Out
Samara
$133
Kazan
$185 39% $52
Sport & Entertainment
Samara
$66
Kazan
$50 24.1% $16
Getting Around
Samara
$5.5 *
Kazan
$27 381% $21
Accommodation & Living
Samara
- *
Kazan
$426

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

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $43.00 in Samara vs $40.00 in Kazan. Groceries flip the comparison at $191 vs $206, with Samara cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇷🇺 Samara
🇷🇺 Kazan
🕒 Local time
15:37 3:37 PM
14:37 2:37 PM
1 h behind Samara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,163,645
1,257,341
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to RUB – Russian Ruble Converter

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Samara Kazan 290 km
From you
  • Samara
  • Kazan

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
Samara vs Kazan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Samara and in Kazan?
Samara and Kazan differ by about 57% in total monthly costs ($765 vs $1,201 including rent). Samara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Samara compared to Kazan?
You'd need roughly $1,148 in Samara and $1,802 in Kazan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Samara – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $40.00 in Kazan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Samara or Kazan?
All in, you'll spend $765 per month in Samara versus $1,201 in Kazan – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $765 in Samara versus $1,201 in Kazan, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Samara but tight or insufficient in Kazan. The gap between the two cities makes Samara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Samara and Kazan?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Samara or Kazan safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Samara and Kazan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Samara or Kazan?
Expats usually find Samara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Kazan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Samara vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?