When choosing a city for future residence, it is very important to take into account all the features of the infrastructure and your own wishes. Yaroslavl, like St. Petersburg, has its pluses and minuses regarding the climate, transport features and much more.
Of course, it is quite difficult to choose between the northern capital of Russia and the relatively small and calm Yaroslavl. However, there are criteria that can help you make your choice.
Climate
The climate of St. Petersburg, despite the mildness in terms of temperature differences, is very humid due to the nearby Gulf of Finland and the numerous rivers and canals that cross the city. Summer in St. Petersburg is cool, and winter can be badly experienced precisely because of the high humidity in the atmosphere, when you can freeze even in a slight minus temperature. Yaroslavl, located in a temperate continental climatic zone, is characterized by warm summers, moderately cold winters and a rather pleasant off-season.
Transport
In terms of transport interchanges, St. Petersburg is the preferred option. Its own international airport, from where there are flights to almost all countries of the world, a large railway junction, a large number of bus routes in Russia and neighboring countries (including Europe) - all this makes travel more convenient. There is a subway in the city itself, there is an extensive network of surface public transport. Yaroslavl is also located at the intersection of transport routes, however, for international communication, residents need to go to the airports of Moscow or Nizhny Novgorod. There is no underground transport in the city.
Lodging
The architecture of cities is very different. Yaroslavl is an ancient Russian city with a large number of monuments from the era of Ancient Russia and the Moscow principality. Petersburg was built according to European projects, the city center was built up in the 18-19th centuries. In both cities, more affordable housing is found on the outskirts and in dormitory areas, with virtually identical houses built from the early 1960s to the present.
Infrastructure and living standards
Infrastructure - hotels, restaurants, bars, cafes, theaters and museums, concert halls - there is much more of this in St. Petersburg. Residents of Yaroslavl have to travel to major significant events either to Moscow, or to Nizhny Novgorod, or to St. Petersburg itself. But for those who prefer a quiet lifestyle in a provincial city with clean air and not very busy roads, Yaroslavl will be more to their taste than St. Petersburg.
Both cities fall in roughly the same category in terms of cost of living and job availability. Being a large city not far from both capitals, Yaroslavl is almost equal in terms of the amount of funds spent monthly. The salary index is not much lower than in St. Petersburg, and much lower than in Moscow.
