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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,072 in Tomsk versus $1,267 in Saint Petersburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,622 in Tomsk versus $2,019 in Saint Petersburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,171 in Tomsk versus $2,771 in Saint Petersburg.

Living in Tomsk costs roughly 15% less than in Saint Petersburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tomsk 22% lower, Saint Petersburg 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.66 ₽727

$11.13 ₽935

-22.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.66 ₽2,493

$40.61 ₽3,413

-26.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.29 ₽529

$6.08 ₽511

3.45%

Cappuccino

$2.24 ₽188

$2.89 ₽243

-22.49%

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

$0.90 ₽75.8

$1.42 ₽119

-36.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 ₽34.30

$0.69 ₽57.7

-40.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ₽88.9

$2.67 ₽224

-60.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 ₽292

$3.30 ₽277

5.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 ₽100

$1.12 ₽94.2

6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₽62.6

$0.92 ₽77.1

-19.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₽83.5

$1.66 ₽140

-40.36%

Eggs

$1.43 ₽120

$1.61 ₽135

-11.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 ₽940

$11.60 ₽975

-3.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 ₽394

$6.20 ₽521

-24.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ₽806

$12.26 ₽1,030

-21.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 ₽125

$1.73 ₽146

-13.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₽152

$1.59 ₽134

13.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 ₽167

$1.71 ₽144

16.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.66 ₽224

$3.00 ₽252

-11.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.44 ₽36.72

$0.75 ₽62.9

-41.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 ₽28.12

$0.62 ₽52.0

-46.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 ₽152

$1.30 ₽110

38.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₽47.40

$0.73 ₽61.0

-23.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.66 ₽223

$2.99 ₽251

-11.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.28 ₽528

$8.94 ₽752

-29.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₽73.9

$1.09 ₽91.9

-19.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ₽136

$1.97 ₽166

-17.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ₽35.81

$1.04 ₽87.1

-58.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.16 ₽686

$53.2 ₽4,472

-84.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ₽199

$2.60 ₽218

-8.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ₽23.46

$0.56 ₽47.37

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.89 ₽579

$8.62 ₽725

-20.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 ₽69.5

$0.86 ₽72.7

-3.49%

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

$35.0K ₽2.9M

$35.5K ₽3.0M

-1.19%

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

$30.2K ₽2.5M

$32.5K ₽2.7M

-7.23%

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

$150 ₽12.6K

$140 ₽11.8K

7.35%

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

$8.27 ₽695

$7.52 ₽632

9.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.68 ₽981

$7.82 ₽657

49.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 ₽4,786

$41.62 ₽3,498

36.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.44 ₽1,298

$42.27 ₽3,553

-63.47%

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 ₽382

$7.15 ₽601

-36.36%

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

$231 ₽19.4K

$550 ₽46.2K

-58.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₽1.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 ₽9,392

$87.2 ₽7,329

28.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.0 ₽5,883

$50.3 ₽4,225

39.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$163 ₽13.7K

$131 ₽11.0K

24.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ₽9,681

$121 ₽10.1K

-4.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₽42.1K

$750 ₽63.1K

-33.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 ₽24.5K

$438 ₽36.8K

-33.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$777 ₽65.3K

$1,560 ₽131.1K

-50.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ₽40.9K

$905 ₽76.0K

-46.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,144 ₽180.2K

$4,215 ₽354.3K

-49.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,597 ₽134.2K

$2,688 ₽225.9K

-40.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$868 ₽73.0K

$1,098 ₽92.3K

-20.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.04

9.78%

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

Last update for Tomsk: September 6, 2026

Last update for Saint Petersburg: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Tomsk and $750 in Saint Petersburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Petersburg pays 27% 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: $30.00 in Tomsk vs $41.00 in Saint Petersburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $221 per month, with Tomsk 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

Tomsk vs Saint Petersburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tomsk wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Saint Petersburg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tomsk the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Saint Petersburg. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Tomsk versus $750 in Saint Petersburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,072 per month in Tomsk versus $1,267 in Saint Petersburg – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tomsk runs roughly 552% less than in Saint Petersburg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,072 in Tomsk versus $1,267 in Saint Petersburg, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tomsk but tight or insufficient in Saint Petersburg. The gap between the two cities makes Tomsk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Tomsk delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,072 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tomsk hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tomsk and Saint Petersburg 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 Tomsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Saint Petersburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.