Russia - Food costs - while travellin

Hi,

I like to do budgets before traveling (so I am not surprised by how much a trip costs. Calling on Russian experts here - How much should I budget for meals in St. Petersburg (not Moscow).

As a guide, I usually have breakfast at a cafe or free at the hotel, lunch is at a cafe, dinner at a restaurant. I may or may not have a glass of wine with dinner and lunch, and have a snack in between.

This is what I typically budget for 1 person (to spend on food and snacks, a day). It's generous - but I like to keep it that way.

UK - London 120 GBP
UK - Outside London 100 GBP
Europe (Paris, Amsterdam) 120 Euro
Europe (others) 100
Switzerland - 120 CHF
Asia (Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia) 70 US
Asia (Singapore / Japan/ Hong Kong/Taiwan ) 100 US
Argentina (BA / Mendoza) 70 US
Brazil (SP and RJ) 90 US

Given these rares - is 100 euros / a day acceptable? (for St. Petersburg)

And out of curiosity, how much is appropriate for Moscow?

You can definitely make it within 100 Euros a day, especially if you're eating breakfast at the hotel. If breakfast isn't included at the hotel, I would suggest a Russian cafe chain like Kofe Khaus (Coffee House) or Shokoladnitsa where you can get a cup of joe and a modest breakfast for cheap.

There are some restaurants in Pieter that will easily set you back 100 Euro for a dinner, however. You're going to have to be a little careful.

One place I really like for traditional Russian food is 1913:

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g298507-d801181-Reviews-1913-St_Petersburg_North_West_Russia.html

It's a bit off the Nevsky corridor, but worth the trip.

Another of my favorites is Teplo:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g298507-d1111731-Reviews-Teplo-St_Petersburg_North_West_Russia.html

Finally, if you're ready for a change, Testo has good italian:

http://www.inyourpocket.com/russia/st-petersburg/restaurants/italian/Testo_41692v

None of the places mentioned above will break your budget (1913 is the most expensive of the bunch).

In Moscow, I would probably budget a little more, especially if you want to splurge one night on a place like Cafe Pushkin or Dom Literaterov.

Edited to add - I noticed all three places I recommended are off the Nevsky corridor. I don't think that's a coincidence. You're going to eat better and cheaper if you're willing to venture out of the tourist area a little bit.

another tip - in general (and of course there are exceptions) Georgian, Armenian and Azeri restaurants have great food. It's just hard to screw up as long as it's a clean, reasonable place. For lunch, I sometime grab crepes filled with whatever you want - most of the crepe (blini) places are stand-up takeaway, not sitdown, but if weather is good it makes for a good lunch in the park. you also find them in food courts.
I stay away from sushi - expensive and not very good (especially since you've probably had the real stuff in asia).

If you ever visit the Russian Federations, you can do with $20 USD per day.

If you ever visit the Russian Federations, you can do with $20 USD per day.

not in Moscow or SPB unless you only buy food at groceries and cook yourself or have complete flexibility as to when and where you eat. if you are tourist and need to grab lunch while sightseeing, you'll have to pay up for convenience (as everywhere). same with dinner - if you don't want to deal with taking an hour to get back to your hotel.

not in Moscow or SPB unless you only buy food at groceries and cook yourself or have complete flexibility as to when and where you eat. if you are tourist and need to grab lunch while sightseeing, you'll have to pay up for convenience (as everywhere). same with dinner - if you don't want to deal with taking an hour to get back to your hotel.

I'm not talking about Moscow or St. Petersburg.
The other federations consists of small territories near the Caspian Sea or near greater Mongolia.

There is a sanitorium on top of Gunib, Dadgestan where you can have a room with 3 meals and an attending nurse for $40 USD / week.

I'm not talking about Moscow or St. Petersburg.
The other federations consists of small territories near the Caspian Sea or near greater Mongolia.

There is a sanitorium on top of Gunib, Dadgestan where you can have a room with 3 meals and an attending nurse for $40 USD / week.

Except that OPs question was about SPB..Dagestan is completely irrelevant.

I just got back and thought I'd provide an update. 3000 rubles a day, per personis what I ended up spending on food, not including breakfast. At present time, that is 100 USD. I spent roughly the same in Moscow, perhaps just slightly more.

Mind you, I ate at restaurants (not hotel restaurants ) not bistro or Russian sushi/japanese places which seem to be everywhere, and had a glass of wine and/or vodka shot and dessert. if you skip the alcohol, I think you get away with less.

The bistro's should be avoided. I live in New York City, the thought of eating sushi in Russia strikes me as odd - but I was told, after the fact, English is to Curry and Russian is to Sushi. Apparently the latest food craze in Russia.

Had some fantastic georgian food instead, - absolutely delicious.

I live in New York City, the thought of eating sushi in Russia strikes me as odd - but I was told, after the fact, English is to Curry and Russian is to Sushi. Apparently the latest food craze in Russia.


Especially if you like your sushi with some mayo! Some places have definitely russified the dish!

But it is a craze - that and the Mojito.You find some restaurants that have absolutely nothing to do with Japanese or Cuban, and they'll have sushi and Mojitos on the menu.

Especially if you like your sushi with some mayo! Some places have definitely russified the dish!

But it is a craze - that and the Mojito.You find some restaurants that have absolutely nothing to do with Japanese or Cuban, and they'll have sushi and Mojitos on the menu.

Are the suishi rolls or sashimi?

Are the suishi rolls or sashimi?

Rolls are definitely the craze, and nigiri, but you can find sashimi too.