Moscow and St. Petersburg are the two capitals of Russia, official and cultural, the two largest cities in the country. And each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. Someone likes a stormy and eventful life in the white-stone capital, and someone wants to live in a more leisurely and measured St. Petersburg. Answer unequivocally to the question "Where is it better to live?" impossible, but you can give an approximate description of life in these two cities in order to compare all the advantages and disadvantages and make the best choice.
Life in Moscow
Moscow is a huge, very fast, even impetuous city, where an active life is always in full swing. Everything is expressed more strongly in it: salaries are higher, there is more entertainment, more opportunities, and a better standard of living. But this rule also works in the other direction: in Moscow there is more noise, more people, housing and many things are more expensive, and life itself is more complicated. To feel at ease in Moscow, you need to be a purposeful, ambitious, assertive person. It is not for nothing that many visitors call Muscovites "boors", but the point is not that the residents of the capital are impolite, they just have less time, they are immersed in a busy life and do not want to be distracted. This way of life is suitable for someone, for someone it is contraindicated.
Moscow cannot boast of an ideal climate, but compared to the northern capital, it wins. There are rather mild winters and warm summers, well-defined seasons without extremes. Severe cold weather is rare, as is extreme heat. It rains, as expected, in autumn and spring, without having time to bore. The air is drier here than in St. Petersburg, and this is also a matter of taste. Some people live well in dry climates, which are especially suitable for the treatment of diseases of the joints and the musculoskeletal system. Others do not tolerate dryness, it irritates the mucous membranes, dries the skin and can cause throat and nose diseases.
It is necessary to say separately about earnings in Moscow - in the capital, the average salary is indeed 20% higher than in St. Petersburg, and the job market is slightly better developed. Finding a job is not difficult: the higher the experience, the more opportunities. But you also have to pay more: travel on public transport is more expensive, housing also costs a lot of money, and many services are also not cheap. And in terms of the cultural level, the capital lags behind: despite the fact that there are many theaters, museums and other cultural institutions in Moscow, a much larger number of residents, in comparison with St. Petersburg residents, prefer to spend their free time in front of the TV. But lovers of night parties and clubs will like it here, in St. Petersburg there are fewer opportunities for an active nightlife.
Life in St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg is the cultural capital of Russia, and that says it all. Local residents are twice more likely than in Moscow (according to statistics) to go to the opera, museums, exhibitions, and theaters. It hosts art festivals, world-famous exhibitions, various cultural events, the famous Hermitage is located here, and the Kunstkamera founded by Peter the Great is located here. Finally, the entire central part of the city can be called an open-air museum that preserves the memory of the architecture of old times.
In St. Petersburg, life is more measured and unhurried; people move more slowly in the metro and public places. The closer to tourist attractions, the smoother the gait of people becomes.
Real estate in St. Petersburg is almost twice as cheap as in Moscow. And the job market is well developed - there are fewer vacancies than in the capital, but there are plenty for both indigenous people and visitors.
A very significant drawback of Peter is the weather, although there are amateurs who praise the eternally gloomy sky, dark days and chilly wind. Nearby is the Gulf of Finland, the winds from which make it freeze to the bone even during a mild winter. In winter, there is very little sun, and many locals suffer from a lack of vitamin D. But in St. Petersburg there are famous white nights, and in summer the day lasts for a very long time, making up for the lack of sun.
