Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vladivostok and Thames

For one person, living is cheaper in Vladivostok: $1,268 a month against $1,966 in Thames, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Vladivostok
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,268
/mo nomad
Thames
🇳🇿 New Zealand
$1,966
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vladivostok and in Thames

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

A single person spends $1,268 per month in Vladivostok vs $1,966 in Thames, rent included.

  • Vladivostok $1,268
  • Thames $1,966

A couple spends around $1,904 per month in Vladivostok vs $2,999 in Thames, rent included.

  • Vladivostok $1,904
  • Thames $2,999

A family of three spends $2,539 per month in Vladivostok vs $4,032 in Thames, rent included.

  • Vladivostok $2,539
  • Thames $4,032

Vladivostok is about 36% cheaper than Thames, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Vladivostok sits 6% below the global median, while Thames is 46% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vladivostok
Thames
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.71 ₽977
$13.93 NZ$24.63
-15.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.44 ₽3,042
$68.4 NZ$121
-46.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.58 ₽549
$8.89 NZ$15.72
-25.98%
Cappuccino
$3.18 ₽265
$3.42 NZ$6.06
-7.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.04 ₽86.7
$2.02 NZ$3.57
-48.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 ₽57.1
$1.74 NZ$3.08
-60.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.45 ₽121
$6.88 NZ$12.16
-78.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 ₽190
$6.73 NZ$11.90
-66.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vladivostok
Thames
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.75 ₽146
$1.87 NZ$3.31
-6.42%
White Bread (500g)
$0.71 ₽59.0
$2.22 NZ$3.93
-68.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 ₽136
$1.79 NZ$3.16
-8.94%
Eggs
$2.34 ₽195
$6.20 NZ$10.97
-62.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.39 ₽1,117
$8.79 NZ$15.55
52.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.11 ₽510
$9.68 NZ$17.11
-36.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.24 ₽938
$16.82 NZ$29.74
-33.17%
Apples (1kg)
$2.86 ₽239
$2.80 NZ$4.95
2.14%
Banana (1kg)
$2.09 ₽174
$2.16 NZ$3.82
-3.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.70 ₽225
$2.91 NZ$5.14
-7.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.38 ₽365
$5.75 NZ$10.17
-23.83%
Potato (1kg)
$1.03 ₽86.0
$2.13 NZ$3.77
-51.64%
Onion (1kg)
$1.05 ₽87.3
$1.52 NZ$2.69
-30.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.33 ₽111
$1.98 NZ$3.50
-32.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 ₽89.9
$1.04 NZ$1.84
3.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.95 ₽246
$26.57 NZ$46.99
-88.90%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.91 ₽660
$10.25 NZ$18.12
-22.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.17 ₽97.9
$2.84 NZ$5.02
-58.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 ₽187
$3.38 NZ$5.98
-33.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Vladivostok
Thames
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.59 ₽49.22
$1.45 NZ$2.56
-59.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$75.4 NZ$133
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ₽202
$2.30 NZ$4.06
5.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.57 ₽47.66
$1.92 NZ$3.40
-70.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$12.14 ₽1,013
$32.20 NZ$56.9
-62.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.87 ₽72.3
$1.87 NZ$3.31
-53.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$46.1K ₽3.8M
$25.1K NZ$44.5K
83.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.7K ₽3.0M
$21.7K NZ$38.4K
64.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vladivostok
Thames
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 ₽13.2K
$183 NZ$324
-13.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.44 ₽705
$26.20 NZ$46.33
-67.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.21 ₽769
$50.7 NZ$89.6
-81.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vladivostok
Thames
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$41.84 NZ$74.0
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.22 ₽435
$13.10 NZ$23.17
-60.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vladivostok
Thames
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$814 ₽67.9K
$1,135 NZ$2,007
-28.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$19.2K NZ$34.0K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vladivostok
Thames
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$117 ₽9,779
$79.2 NZ$140
48.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$60.5 ₽5,048
$39.93 NZ$70.6
51.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.2 ₽8,115
$92.3 NZ$163
5.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 ₽10.4K
$111 NZ$197
11.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vladivostok
Thames
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$559 ₽46.7K
$930 NZ$1,645
-39.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$470 ₽39.2K
$821 NZ$1,451
-42.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,301 ₽108.6K
$1,484 NZ$2,624
-12.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$792 ₽66.1K
$1,486 NZ$2,629
-46.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,078 ₽256.9K
$4,552 NZ$8,050
-32.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,306 ₽192.5K
$3,773 NZ$6,673
-38.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vladivostok
Thames
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,016 ₽84.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
23.6
5.37
339.48%

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

Last update for Vladivostok: October 10, 2026

Last update for Thames: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Vladivostok
$470
Thames
$821 74.5% $350
Groceries & Markets
Vladivostok
$254
Thames
$337 32.6% $83
Clothing & Footwear
Vladivostok
$180
Thames
$145 19.1% $34
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vladivostok
$176
Thames
$260 47.8% $84
Eating Out
Vladivostok
$170
Thames
$242 42.2% $72
Sport & Entertainment
Vladivostok
$10 *
Thames
$68 552% $58
Getting Around
Vladivostok
$7.6 *
Thames
$93 1118% $85

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $559 in Vladivostok versus $930 in Thames. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Vladivostok versus $68.0 in Thames. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $337 – making Vladivostok the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇷🇺 Vladivostok
🇳🇿 Thames
🕒 Local time
09:23 9:23 AM
12:23 12:23 PM
3 h ahead of Vladivostok
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
600,871
7,500
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

NZD, USD, EUR to RUB – Russian Ruble Converter

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.77 NZD (1 NZD = 0.565 USD). 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (1 NZD = 0.503 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Vladivostok Thames 9,950 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Vladivostok
  • Thames

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
Vladivostok vs Thames: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Thames cheaper than Vladivostok?
Yes – Thames is pricier by about 55%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,902 per month in Vladivostok and $2,949 in Thames. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Vladivostok, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Vladivostok or in Thames?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Vladivostok and $68.0 in Thames. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Vladivostok and in Thames?
Groceries cost about 33% more in Thames, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Vladivostok or in Thames?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Vladivostok, where all-in costs run around $1,268, than in Thames at $1,966. In Vladivostok it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thames it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Vladivostok or Thames more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Vladivostok – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Vladivostok or Thames?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Vladivostok. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Thames makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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