Cost of Living in Rostov-na-donu, Russia

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How Much Does It Cost to Live In Rostov-na-donu?

Rostov-on-Don is considered as the informal capital of Southern part of Russia, and with a large population of over 1 million, one of the largest cities in Russia.

It is formed out of two adjacent towns, one of which was ethnically non-Russian but actually Armenian, so the former border area between these two towns was turned into the city’s main square.

It’s a cosmopolitan historic, multicultural and industrial city, and a big center of Cossack culture.

Cost of living is cheap compared to Moscow, though the people living here also have salaries up to twice lower than in the capital.

RESTAURANTS

Rostov-na-donu is developing fast, so there’s a huge number of eateries and bars at one’s disposal. A pint of beer in a downtown bar will cost you 1$. As for places to eat, you can chose from a variety of places to go to, plenty of restaurants are concentrated in the city center, where you can try local Russian dishes. The cheapest restaurants will offer meals for only 7$.

MARKETS

You can always buy plenty of groceries downtown in a familiar supermarket-type environment, and try some of the many Russian supermarket chainslike Perekrestok, Pyaterochka, and Magnit – which are actually discount minimarkets with basic choice, very simular to Aldi ot Lidl. You can also find fresh produce and fish in open markets that pop up daily all throughout the city.

TRANSPORTATION

There is no metro system in Rostov. Transportation relies mostly on buses and minibuses (the aforementioned “marshrutka” which are basically small minibuses that can hold up to 8 people. The prices are reasonable and they move quickly through the city). Trolleybus and tram (light rail) systems are of limited use, but cheap. One-way ticket for public transport costs only 0.37$.

UTILITIES (MONTHLY)

Utilities in Rostov-na-donu are very cheap, probably cheaper than in most other Russian cities. For an apartment of 85m2 all basic utilities, including electricity, gas, garbage services, heating and cooling cost only around 88$. Calls to landlines from mobile phones are more expensive than calls to other mobile phones. The coverage is good in the city center and the tariffs very cheap. Internet works great in most houses and cafes.

SPORTS & LEISURE

The nature of the Rostov-na-donu is attractive for hiking, day or weekend trips. Here you can practice sports outside whenever you want to, but if you’re more into inside sports, you can become a member of a gym or a fitness club for only 30$ a month. There are also many cinemas and other leisure opportunities throughout the city. A cinema ticket costs around 4$.

CLOTHING & SHOES

You can go shopping at the Central Rinok, which is basically a Russian version of a farmer’s market. This is actually a massive outdoor-and-indoor assortment of tiny shops and though it’s a strange concept for Westerners it’s actually pretty exciting. If you’re more into the Western-style shopping malls, most of them are in the outskirts of the city. The prices are low here, and you can buy quality jeans for around 48$, and sneakers for 70$.

RENT PER MONTH

Your biggest cost in Rostov-na donu will be your accommodation (apart from the food and groceries, of course). Rental properties vary quite a bit, depending on whether you want to live near the center or not and on the condition of the apartment. Usually, an apartment in the city center will cost around 300$, while an apartment a bit more further will cost you over 210$.

Cost of Living Averages Table for Rostov-na-donu

How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Rostov-na-donu?

The people of Rostov-na-donu spend the biggest part of their incomes on food and groceries – like in most countries around the world.

For the people living here, the biggest financial burden, apart from food is definitely rent, since it’s not really a bargain to live here.

Restaurants are on the third place on the list of biggest expenses here – since many people eat there every day, three times a day.

The interesting thing here is that people spend more money on sports and leisure than on utilities – because they’re very cheap in Rostov-na-donu.

Average Costs Breakdown

Rostov-na-donu: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages

The average salary in Rostov-na-donu is within the norm of all other cities in Russia, but taking into consideration the rents and the prices of utilities, transportation and other expenses, 470$ per month is not too high of a salary.

With such an average monthly income you can cover all basic expenses, but you can’t save up or indulge in traveling during Holidays, for example.

Minimum wage in Rostov-na-donu is around 220$ which, although the norm in the cities of Russia, can definitely be a problem for the residents, since it’s barely enough to cover all basic needs.

Cost of Living by City in Rostov-na-donu