# Forum About Russia Russian Cities  moscow vs ST. PETERSBURG: COST OF LIVING

## klopp

Hi guys, I have one question: I know that Moscow is the most expensive city in Russia, bit I don't know how much difference there is between the capital and St. Petersurg... is the last one much more cheap, or just a little bit? The cost of living is more similar to Moscow or to the others secondarys Russian cities (kazan Nižnij Novgorod Novosibirsk etc etc)? 
thank you in advance

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## klopp

can't believe nobody has an opinion about this matter  ::

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## Lampada

> can't believe nobody has an opinion about this matter

  Ничего, иди в Гугл.  *Cost of Living in Moscow. Updated Prices Mar 2014.   http://www.expat.ru/forum/index.php -* *The Moscow Expat Forums*

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## vikk

> can't believe nobody has an opinion about this matter

 I have moved in Moscow from Saint-P five years ago and can tell you cost of living in Moscow is more expensive than other secondary cities in Russia including Saint-P, especially rent of immovables and cost of apartments.
It's rightly if you want to live in Russian a lot but if you're a tourist in Moscow and Saint-P you will pay twice or more for all. Cost of rest in Saint-P is very expensive for tourists also as in Moscow. As for cost of food or things of vital sphere, these are equal! 
Sorry for mistakes! ::

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## Serge_spb

Hey, Klopp.
Great website specially for you NUMBEO . com Cost of Living 
(for instance Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Petersburg, Russia And Stockholm, Sweden) 
Just take into account that 
1.someone (me) might not need any cigarettes, which are - morover -extremely expensive in Scandinavia due to gov. monopoly. 
2. cars in Sweden are muuuuch cheaper (no stupid 70 % fee) than in Russia and its condition could differ a lot because russian roads is another side of the moon... 
So, check the figures carefully. 
Of course, you can conduct the comparison among russian cities as well: http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living...rg&city2=Kazan 
(SPb- the city of Kazan)
--- 
And if you wish exact answer without any bothering - then roughly 
Moscow basic average salary: 30 000 rubles ($ 833)
St Petersburg: 25 000 rubles ($ 694)
Other Russia (ex. Yekaterinburg): 20 000 rubles ($ 555) 
Rent and everything else change gradually among these three "peaks" correspondingly.

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## Serge_spb

You would need around *153,069.05руб in Moscow* to maintain the same standard of life that you can have with *110,000.00руб in Saint Petersburg* (assuming you rent in both cities). This calculation uses our Consumer Prices Including Rent Index. 
Indices Difference	Info
Consumer Prices in Moscow are 20.56% higher than in Saint Petersburg
Consumer Prices Including Rent in Moscow are 39.15% higher than in Saint Petersburg
Rent Prices in Moscow are 75.22% higher than in Saint Petersburg
Restaurant Prices in Moscow are 40.29% higher than in Saint Petersburg
Groceries Prices in Moscow are 8.29% higher than in Saint Petersburg
Local Purchasing Power in Moscow is 8.00% higher than in Saint Petersburg 
Average Monthly Disposable Salary (After Tax)	 SPB 30,099.70 руб	     MSK 45,233.85 руб	      +50.28 %
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre	 SPB 20,357.61 руб	     MSK 31,972.97 руб	      +57.06 %  Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Petersburg, Russia And Moscow, Russia

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## Hanna

Blimey!!!  I am originally from Stockholm. St Petersburg is a MUCH bigger city than Stockholm.
Several old school friends of mine live in St Petersburg actually. I am not in touch with them directly, but I can see them boasting about their glamorous lifestyles in social media....  
Well this would explain that... !  

> Consumer Prices in Stockholm are 92.76% higher than in Saint Petersburg  Consumer Prices Including Rent in Stockholm are 77.54% higher than in Saint Petersburg  Rent Prices in Stockholm are 47.97% higher than in Saint Petersburg  Restaurant Prices in Stockholm are 85.91% higher than in Saint Petersburg  Groceries Prices in Stockholm are 112.10% higher than in Saint Petersburg  Local Purchasing Power in Stockholm is 128.97% higher than in Saint Petersburg

 The reason that rent prices in Stockholm. aren't higher is because they are controlled by the state in Sweden. If this is changed, then rents would double or triple, and level with the other prices in the table. The rents that people pay is ridiculously low - they should be 3x higher, really. It's a great situation if you can get your hands on a state rent controlled flat, which is very hard and requires waiting lists etc. 
I am guessing that the housing market in St-P is completely market adjusted and people bought their flats or pay market based rent.  
I actually wouldn't mind living in St Petersburg for a while, just to see if I like it. Isn't it likened to Venice or something? Well so is Stockholm. Assuming there are suitable jobs etc, obviously! 
I have been there eons ago and it was very impressive and grand. I liked the architecture a lot, but it was quite run-down back then, and no shopping to mention, however I am aware this has changed dramatically, and St-P has great shopping and good restaurants and bars. 
Seems like it's become quite chic!  I really think I'd like it.    

> Transportation  [Edit]  [Edit]   One-way Ticket (Local Transport)  27.00 руб      197.88 руб       +632.88 %  Monthly Pass (Regular Price)  1,600.00 руб      4,342.29 руб       +171.39 %  Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)  250.00 руб      247.35 руб       -1.06 %  Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff)  30.00 руб      65.96 руб       +119.86 %  Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)  400.00 руб      2,459.72 руб       +514.93 %  Gasoline (1 liter)  31.84 руб      81.75 руб       +156.72 %  Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car)  700,000.00 руб      989,382.78 руб       +41.34 %

 Scandis, this speaks for itself! Buy your car and fill up the tank in Russia!!!!   
Anyone interested in hiring me for a Swedish salary while I live in St Petersburg?   :: 
 I am a great IT project manager, really, I am!!   

> Buy Apartment Price  [Edit]  [Edit]   Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment in City Centre  117,066.75 руб      362,350.87 руб       +209.53 %  Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre   81,626.63 руб      198,875.93 руб       +143.64 %    Salaries And Financing  [Edit]  [Edit]   Average Monthly Disposable Salary (After Tax)   30,241.35 руб      122,937.67 руб       +306.52 %  Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly   13.98      3.24       -76.82 %

    
And to any Russian who sees this and gets pissed off about the differences, I want to say; We are slowly destroying our country,  ::   while you are building up your country. ::  In 10 years, this will have evened out. In the meantime, it's unfair and it's not reflective of people's skills I think.  
Also - I have heard, right here at MR that people's REAL salaries are much higher than what they report to the state, and they get the difference in cash without paying tax on it. So the Russian figures are probably not correct anyway.

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## Serge_spb

> We are slowly destroying our country,

 Shouldn`t judge the country depending on Snabba Cash movie  :: 
Actually, I lived in Malmoe (Dalaplan area), for almost two years.   

> So the Russian figures are probably not correct anyway

 Yes, good explanation.
I`ve heard, I think, so probably... etc etc 
Tell this to those who work like working bees in local groceries store. Not everyone in our country is oligarch, corrupted cop or lousy lawyer who can write 1000 $ in spring tax declaration but get tens more in envelopes. People cook, drive, wash, repair and believe me - they live on the numbers given to you by numbeo.
555 $ \ months  in russian Auchan store comparing to 17 000 krons \ month in some Lidl or ICA (and that is after your "MOMS", am I right? Which are much higher than in Russia and which will go directly for maintain roads, facilities, safety, effectiveness not to officials pockets). 
I`m not even talking about working conditions.
Or the possibility not to get salary on time. 
I know that Stockholm is expensive. But prices in Malmoe were almost the same comparing to SPb. 
Food - all the same apart from Danish meat or Cheese and few other exceptions.
Cinema - more expensive in Sweden.
Cloth was little bit cheaper in Sw.
Petrol - little bit more expensive in Sw. (its quality on russian damned gas stations is a different issue though)
Transportation - more expensive in Sw., but it is more comfortable, faster and more quiet than in Russia. I loved x2000 trains so much...
Apartments - maybe more expensive in Sw, but... there is no piss in the entrance, neighbours always say "hey", laudndry in the basement, no noise after 10 pm, and condition of the accomodation is better. My impression is based on different places where I lived.
Banking services - might be more expensive in Sweden but when I needed a paper in Lunds "fofspar" with managers signature and seal - they gave it to me for free, for instance. In russian banks they would rob you for 5-10 dollars... 
So, not everything is only dependent on cost, my friend.

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## Hanna

How interesting to hear your experiences! What brought you to Sweden?
I only been to Malmö a couple of times, and that was ages ago and I didn't like it. I can't stand the accent they have there. And I heard that it's mini-Iraq these days... Whenever I hear about it, Malmö nowadays, it seems to be about crime, rasism or something negative. 
I just have a very negative view of the whole place.

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## Serge_spb

> How interesting to hear your experiences! What brought you to Sweden?
> I only been to Malmö a couple of times, and that was ages ago and I didn't like it. I can't stand the accent they have there. And I heard that it's mini-Iraq these days... Whenever I hear about it, Malmö nowadays, it seems to be about crime, rasism or something negative. 
> I just have a very negative view of the whole place.

 I used to be a student in Lund. 
Yes, lots of harsh people in Malmoe, ha-ha. Once I`ve almost seen a car pursuit, which enden with a tragedy not far from my place. En död efter biljakt - Sydsvenskan En död efter vansinneskörning av kulturberikare | Petterssons gör skillnad
(I was walking nearby 5 minutes later, seeing lots of shocked pedestrians.) 
Lund is just in 10 minutes by train, but is much more "european", polite, bright...  ::  
I didn`t feel that it was more dangerous than Russia, though. You can also compare crime rates using numbeo - the percentage of them is 3-4 times higher here in SPb than on Stockholm\Sweden (per 100 000).

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