The debate about what is cooler - Moscow or St. Petersburg - will not subside, probably, as long as these cities exist. Indeed, in our time, when moving has become such a simple thing, you can move to where the most favorable conditions. The main thing is to know where those are. Opinions on where it is better to work - in St. Petersburg or Moscow - are many, people who have lived in both cities often hold diametrically opposite points of view. And yet there is a stereotype that the capital is more suitable for those who are going to work, and St. Petersburg - for ordinary life in good conditions. And the summer in Moscow, I must admit, is not pleasant because of the heat and stuffiness, so it’s definitely not worth coming here for the warm season.
Capital: when there is plenty to choose from
In most countries, there is only one main city, but Russians can enjoy a luxurious position: choose your capital from two. One is official, and the other is northern, or cultural, as you like. Despite the fact that only one city has a legal capital status, many are convinced that it is St. Petersburg that is much more suitable for this category. The debate about which city is better (St. Petersburg or Moscow) has not subsided for many years.
When a person plans to move, he wants to choose for himself the best of what the country can provide. As a rule, first they study a detailed comparison of St. Petersburg and Moscow, and then they think about whether to take a smaller city into account. There are several distinctive features of life in these largest settlements. Knowing them, you can understand what is more suitable.
There is no bad weather
No matter what is sung in the songs, nor in the folk tales, climate is a very important aspect when choosing the best place to live. Weather in St. Petersburg is a topic for endless discussion. What can I say, only on the Internet can you find an infinite number of jokes on this topic. If the indigenous people are still accustomed to the vagaries in the form of fogs, storms and endless rains, then for an unprepared beginner, they can be a serious problem.
The weather in St. Petersburg is a constant change when in the mornings you don’t know what clothes will be needed during the day (shorts or a raincoat?), High humidity and the incessant wind. Dampness is due to the proximity of the sea and the presence of a large river. In winter, very cold and strong winds blow from the bay, which is why the passage along any city avenue becomes a real test. By the way, when they analyze where it is better to move - to Moscow or St. Petersburg - they often do not assess the full extent of the problem of wet frosty wind. Because of it, roads and sidewalks are covered with ice crust, and it is completely impossible to deal with it, so in the cold season there is a high probability of a fracture, injury, especially since gusts literally knock you down.
Wouldn’t I go away?
Where is better to live? In St. Petersburg or in Moscow? There are many opinions on this issue, but residents of both cities agree that it is necessary to leave regularly. Statistics show that proud residents most often “send” children to their grandmothers in the summer season - eat fruit, bask in the sun, breathe clean air. It is very problematic to be in the same St. Petersburg year-round, vitamin deficiency is quickly overtaking, and the lack of sunlight makes such a spleen that you don’t feel like waking up in the morning. However, everything is corrected by the season of white nights - it is during this short period that the weather is excellent and the atmosphere is beautiful. Those who visited the Northern capital for the first time in such a summer season are convinced that the answer to the question “where is it better to live: in St. Petersburg or in Moscow” is obvious - St. Petersburg simply cannot have a competitor.
Unfortunately, there is a flip side to the coin. The almost complete absence of night in the summer is directly related to the fact that in winter the daylight hours are only five hours, and even those are covered with gloomy clouds. For lovers of sunlight, Moscow is more suitable. Or Peter? What's better? There is no universal answer - there are many factors, it all depends on the person. For that matter, in the official capital, because of smog, the sun is also sorely lacking for residents.
Winter and summer: is it the same color?
When they try to understand what is better (Moscow or St. Petersburg?), They often pay attention to the cold season. Everything is pretty clear with the Northern capital, it is not in vain that there are many jokes about the fact that the temperature here is approximately the same year-round. Indeed, you can’t wait for a frosty winter, but it will be windy and cold, humid and unpleasant, and wet snow and slippery sidewalks will certainly make a heavy impression.
As for the metropolitan region, here in the cold season you can occasionally encounter frosts at thirty degrees, or even lower. They usually do not last long - a week or two, but still force you to have a good arsenal of protection from the vicissitudes of nature. When analyzing which is better - Moscow or St. Petersburg - one must take into account that the capital requires a more diverse wardrobe in terms of adjustment to weather conditions. The air here is quite dry, which is more pleasant than in St. Petersburg, but it’s very difficult to bear the heat in the summer, there’s absolutely nothing to breathe. By the way, it’s not the first year that practice has been established from the capital to move to St. Petersburg for the hot season - it’s more comfortable here.
And what about finances?
When moving, any responsible and reasonable modern person will first try to figure out where it is more expensive - in Moscow or in St. Petersburg. Indeed, money doesn’t fall from heaven, you have to pay for life, transport, food and utilities eat up a large part of wages. However, on average, as shown by studies conducted some time ago, St. Petersburg housing is almost half the price of a capital. Another important aspect is the possibility of acquiring a home right in the center. If such a house was found in Moscow, it is likely that it will soon be sent for demolition, but the central districts of St. Petersburg are carefully guarded and protected, you can invest in such real estate without fear for the future.
It would seem that the distance between Moscow and St. Petersburg is not so great (only 4 hours by a high-speed train!), But the price difference is quite significant even if there is a high standard of living in these settlements. At the same time, each city has its own specifics. For example, old housing in the center of Moscow is cheap, but in St. Petersburg the prices for most are almost unbearable. It is not surprising, because these buildings survived the blockade, in them - the memory of past eras. Looking at them, it doesn’t even occur to me to think about what is more beautiful: Moscow or St. Petersburg. The buildings are so well planned and decorated that it seems as if it is the most aesthetic city in the world, and it is worth any investment. It should be understood: when buying housing here, you will have to invest a lot when moving into repairs, since the housing stock is quite old, often requiring major alteration.
And if not for long?
Choosing which is better - Moscow or St. Petersburg - as a destination for a tourist trip, you should not pay too much attention to real estate prices. Both hotels and hostels in both cities are approximately the same. In Moscow, this contributes to the overall high level of value, and in St. Petersburg - a very large demand, especially in the tourist season. By the way, it’s better to reserve options in advance, otherwise at the right time it will turn out that only very expensive hotels are available.
I want money!
Trying to understand for themselves which is better - Peter or Moscow - many people first of all pay attention to the average wage level in a settlement. Studies show that in the official capital you can get almost one fifth more than in Russian Albion. However, this is directly related to lower prices for food, housing and other articles. The difference in both cities with other regions of the country is quite noticeable in terms of the opportunity to find work - there are many vacancies, the labor market is well developed. For the most part, specialists, moving to the capital region or St. Petersburg, soon find a suitable place with a decent salary and excellent conditions. But here you need to understand: a lot depends on experience, qualifications, and the ability to give oneself.
A car or not?
If the distance between Moscow and St. Petersburg (by the way, this is about seven hundred kilometers along the highway) is rarely anyone wants to travel by personal transport, within the city limits, many modern people prefer to travel using their own car. Only those who did not pay attention to news at all heard about Moscow traffic jams, but St. Petersburg flashed a little less often. And yet you need to understand that both cities sin with such a problem.
An alternative is public transport. In Moscow it is very difficult to get somewhere without transfers. Usually, you first need to go to the subway, then on the subway, after which you will also have to get to the destination point on the surface. In St. Petersburg, this is easier - it is often possible to find the best non-stop route if you do not have to drive the whole city from end to end. In addition, Moscow public transport is much more expensive than St. Petersburg. It is believed that both ground and underground transport runs in St. Petersburg flawlessly on schedule, the fleet is new. On average, studies have shown that in the Northern capital, a larger percentage of the population uses the services of such cars than in Moscow.
Interesting features
Where to study? Moscow or Peter? It is difficult to give a universal answer to this question. In Moscow there is an excellent university for future diplomats, but in St. Petersburg it is the only department where the Finnish language is really well taught. In Moscow, you can study at Moscow State University or Bauman University, and St. Petersburg State University and the Polytechnic University are available for Petersburgers. Each of the options is strong with its own special subject, a teacher, so you need to choose by analyzing the mindset and thinking what the soul lies to.
Another important point is rest, travel abroad. From Moscow it’s easier to go on vacation to warmer climes, because there are several airports serving international flights, every day planes leave for Africa, Asia, America, Australia, European states and almost all the islands where there are air terminals. In St. Petersburg, the choice is not so great, but you can easily get to your neighbors with your car - Estonia or Finland. By the way, the train to Helsinki takes only three and a half hours. You can use other public transport - regularly there are numerous buses, minibuses in different directions. Many traditionally go to the neighbors for shopping.
Live with pleasure
The official and Northern capital are quite different in the features of the device and the speed of the course of life. In Moscow, as those who live there say, everyday life literally passes in the blink of an eye. I did not have time to wake up and come to work, I started working around - and now it's already evening, you are late at work, and you still need to get home. What dinner to cook there! All that remains is to run into a restaurant or order food home. By the way, prices for catering on average in the capital are higher than St. Petersburg, although the difference is not very significant and depends on the level of the institution.
But Peter is not so fussy, and this is especially noticeable in the cold season, when the bright part of the day is nowhere shorter, the spleen takes over everyone without exception, drowsiness crushes. People want to somehow unwind, have fun, so instead of running around they are trying to find a moment to rest, new experiences. By the way, according to statistics, Petersburgers watch television much less than Muscovites - about half. More often here people go with friends to cafes, museums and cinemas. But Moscow vacation is night clubs and active entertainment.
Inexpensive, but European
If you evaluate the level of cost of dishes in cafes and restaurants of the Northern capital, then most of the institutions will be cheaper than Moscow and a half times. This is directly related to the level of local salaries, but with decent incomes, living in St. Petersburg with taste in the literal sense of the word is much easier and more pleasant. By the way, although the city is smaller than the official Russian capital, the number of catering establishments here is certainly not inferior to Moscow, and their diversity is amazing. There is anything for every taste.
Peter was originally built as a window to Europe. And to this day, the Northern capital successfully performs this task, and in both directions. If you estimate the number of foreign tourists, then in St. Petersburg there are significantly more of them than in Moscow, which is even surprising, given the unofficial status of the Moscow status of the Foggy Albion of Russia. By the way, foreign food products are also found in greater quantities here. And if you can’t find something, you just need to go abroad, the benefit of the whole journey - a couple of hours one way.
Shopping: what else is needed for happiness?
Fans of profitable and enjoyable acquisitions generally like St. Petersburg much more than in Moscow. On the one hand, there are classic shopping centers designed for the middle class - "Ikea", "Mega", as well as the usual outlets of expensive brands. Such can be found in the metropolitan area, however, they are located at a greater distance from the city. But in St. Petersburg you can take the minibus and after a few hours walk around the major shopping center in Finland. And there, the prices are cheaper, and the choice is often greater. By the way, it’s not longer to go than to a large outlet in the nearest Moscow region if you count all the traffic jams along the way.
By the way, many are firmly convinced that goods manufactured in Europe are not only more profitable in price, but also much better in quality. This is where the joke about the need to go on a weekend for the cordon went, because the packaging of the Fairies was over. Jokes are jokes, but this is also the case in reality - every Saturday a huge number of residents of St. Petersburg and the nearest suburbs go for acquisitions to their neighbors, and for the simplest products. Cheese, dishwashing detergent, shampoo, goods for children and pets are brought from Finland - in short, everything that may be needed in everyday life. For residents of other regions, such opportunities are not available.
Big or small?
Moscow is a huge metropolis, one of the largest and most famous all over the planet. Of course, it’s interesting for many modern people to live in such a way, but it’s very easy to get tired of the rhythm of life. If you compare this city with the Northern capital, the second seems almost a village. This is both good and bad. What does a specific person need? What lifestyle, what are the key opportunities? Those who seek maximum activity, speed and noise, want to immerse themselves in business life, will surely find their place in Moscow. But lovers of everyday comfort and tranquility take root much better in St. Petersburg.
The foggy capital of our country is relatively small in size (however, this does not prevent it from being more populated than the whole of neighboring Finland), which makes logistics within the city limits quite simple. Once here, it’s easier to navigate than in Moscow. Importantly, most of the signs are duplicated in English, so that a tourist from another country feels safe. But in Moscow, only the center is designed like that, and on the outskirts of the city without Russian knowledge it’s very difficult to understand where you are and where to go. However, often this skill does not help, even the navigator is powerless. This is also associated with numerous repairs - in Moscow, roads and utilities are much more often made, so the streets are regularly dug up both in the center and on the periphery.
