Cost of Living in Kaliningrad, Russia

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How Much Does It Cost to Live In Kaliningrad?

Kaliningrad is the capital city of Kaliningrad Oblast.

Here, the economy is currently booming because of the favored access to the EU. This is why prices here, for many things and aspects of living, are at or higher than what is considered the country’s average.

Kaliningrad is a bustling city, counting around 1 million inhabitants.

Apart from the inconvenience of being separate from the main part of Russia, it is a nice city to live with good job prospects, low crime and moderate cost of living.

RESTAURANTS

In Kalininigrad, you can – of course – find restaurants that offer world class dining, but you can also eat for less money – and eat well – without going to the many western fast food chains that have opened up. Russians have their own versions of fast food restaurants where you can eat for only 6$. Mixed alcoholic beverages and beers at nightclubs are extremely expensive.

MARKETS

As for grocery shopping, there are some supermarkets that are more expensive than others, and usually offer more products and imported goods than most others. As for fresh fruits and vegetables, you can always buy them at one of the open markets that pop up daily all throughout the city. It’s always fresh, and usually much cheaper than the produce in supermarkets.

TRANSPORTATION

Public transport has been massively neglected in major as well as smaller cities, and therefore you can see overbooked trains and buses with people crammed in a small space in Kaliningrad, too. Car rental and petrol/gas, if you own a private vehicle, is relatively cheap and definitely affordable for international tourists. But the driving culture is not on a high level even though it’s cheap.

UTILITIES (MONTHLY)

Utilities in Kaliningrad are very cheap, probably cheaper than in most other Russian cities and for an apartment of 85m2 all basic utilities, including electricity, gas, garbage services, heating and cooling cost only around 80$. Calls to landlines from mobile phones are more expensive than calls to other mobile phones. The coverage is good in urban areas and the tariffs are some of the cheapest in the world.

SPORTS & LEISURE

Kaliningrad is filled with forests where you can go hiking, jogging, walking and many other activities. However, if you’re more of an indoor type of person, you can exercise in a gym or a fitness club for around 40$ fee a month. As for other types of leisure, there are theaters and cinemas throughout the country, and a ticket for a cinema costs around 4$.

CLOTHING & SHOES

There are many shops and some malls in Kaliningrad, like the Europa shopping mall. There’s also the Polotskaya wholesale shopping base, that’s very popular in this city because it offers cheap prices for food and beverages and this is the place where you’ll find cheap clothes and shoes. Many say this is the best place if your budget is limited. As for other shopping malls, you can buy a pair of quality jeans for around 65$, while a pair of running shoes of brands like Nike costs around 87$.

RENT PER MONTH

Rent isn’t too expensive, but it does largely depend on where you want to live and the size of the apartment you’re renting. If you’re looking for an apartment in the very center of Kaliningrad, it will cost you around 250$. However, if you have your eye on the Kaliningrad suburbs, the price will drop to at around 190$.

Cost of Living Averages Table for Kaliningrad

How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Kaliningrad?

The people of Kaliningrad spend the biggest part of their incomes on food and groceries.

The second biggest expense for the people living in Kaliningrad is rent, which is expected since rent is a big financial burden for any home.

The interesting thing here is that many smaller cities in Russia have rent prices so low, that they’re monthly cost is very close to the monthly cost for restaurant expenses.

Transportation is also an important financial burden for everyone since it has to be paid, whether you use your private car or public transport.

Average Costs Breakdown

Kaliningrad: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages

The average salary in Kalinigrad is relatively low, taking into consideration the rents and the prices of utilities, transportation and other expenses.

With an average monthly income of around 400$ you can cover all basic expenses, but you can’t save up or indulge in experiences and adventures like traveling.

Minimum wage in Kaliningrad is around 160$ and, though this isn’t staggeringly low given the prices in the city, it definitely isn’t enough to cover all basic needs.

Still, many say that this city offers good job prospects, so many young people of Russia might take into consideration living here.

Cost of Living by City in Kaliningrad