How much trip to 2018 WC will cost you

The cheapest hotels are in Sochi

Those who plan to find a comfortable hotel room will face more difficulties on the championship days. Demand for hotel services on match days is very high, and prices for the rooms that left unreserved is corresponding.

To analyse average hotel bills, Realnoe Vremya's analysts based on single Economy and Standard rooms. The results reflect the development level of the hotel industry in the championship host cities. Resort-city Sochi – 4,757 rubles – and tourist Saint Petersburg – 9,091 rubles – demonstrated the cheapest average bills per night on match days. Moscow is more expensive – 22,813 rubles, Kazan has 18,695. Saransk was an absolute record-holder where one will have to pay 81,733 rubles per night.

The full information is available in the table. But we will notice in advance that the average bills on match days estimated by us are very different from the officially announced numbers, which are calculated according to average year-end indicators. For comparison, a night in Sochi is officially 1,140 rubles. But, in reality, it's four times more expensive on a match day. In Moscow, the official price is 3,129 rubles. In fact, it's seven times more expensive. Saransk officially has 1,483 rubles, in reality, the price is 55 times higher!

We will notice from the beginning we didn't analyse the cheapest hostels where you pay only for a bed. But considering the big flow of fans, one also should think of this option beforehand.

Those who plan to find a comfortable hotel room will face more difficulties on the championship days. Photo:ostrovok.ru

Official flat rent is cheaper, but there can be ''surprises''

The difference between the officially announced prices for a house to rent from individuals and average prices, which Realnoe Vremya found by analysing open data on Domofond.ru, is far less. Only one-bedroomed flats were chosen for analysis. The prices show a month of rent. This time, the prices were more reasonable in Saransk – 7,378 rubles officially and 8,589 rubles by Realnoe Vremya's calculations. In Volgograd, it's 11,109 rubles officially and 11,689 rubles, according to data on Domofond.ru. By Realnoe Vremya's estimates, the most expensive flats to rent are in Sochi (19,862 rubles), Saint Petersburg (21,681 rubles) and Moscow (33,860 rubles).

Rent price is quite predictably dependent on existing accommodation prices in a city. In Saransk, an average price for one square metre is 47,317 rubles, in Sochi – 97,142 rubles, in Moscow – 191,617 rubles.

However, there are ''surprises'' by the WC. Flat rent prices in Saransk where owners raised prices to 100,000 rubles per night caused a great outcry on the Internet. The championship's intrigue whether there will be found lessees for such prices is no less than the competition's outcome. The problem will probably be solved by usual bargaining.

Flat rent prices in Saransk where owners raised prices to 100,000 rubles per night caused a great outcry on the Internet. Photo: saransk.house2you.ru

What one should know while calculating transport expenses

Our research shows detailed numbers about the price per kilometre in Yandex.Taxi in all 2018 WC cities. By Realnoe Vremya's calculations, the price for a trip from a railway station to a stadium in the cities is the following:

• Sochi – 1,027 rubles (Economy), 1,166 rubles (Comfort);
• Moscow – 493 rubles (Economy) / 636 rubles (Comfort);
• Saint Petersburg – 355 rubles (Economy) / 551 rubles (Comfort);
• Samara – 272 rubles (Economy) / 365 rubles (Comfort);
• Kaliningrad – 167 rubles (Economy) / 231 rubles (Comfort);
• Kazan – 150 rubles (Economy) / 211 rubles (Comfort);
• Ekaterinburg – 146 rubles (Economy) / 210 rubles (Comfort);
• Rostov-on-Don – 130 rubles (Economy) / 212 rubles (Comfort);
• Nizhny Novgorod – 104 rubles (Economy) / 178 rubles (Comfort);
• Volgograd – 85 rubles;
• Saransk – 62 rubles.

If you have the time and energy, it's always cheaper to go by bus:

• Moscow – 55 rubles;
• Saint Petersburg – 40 rubles;
• Ekaterinburg and Nizhny Novgorod – 28 rubles;
• Kazan and Samara – 25 rubles;
• Rostov-on-Don – 24 rubles;
• Sochi – 22 rubles;
• Volgograd and Kaliningrad – 20 rubles;
• Saransk – 16-17 rubles.

At the same time, one should remember that bus fares in some cities can be different from electric transport prices, while official average numbers include discounts the purchase of travel cards gives.

If you go on your own car, the cheapest 92 RON petrol in Ekaterinburg, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Samara and Saransk is from 37 to 28 rubles, in Volgograd, Moscow, Saint Petersburg – from 38 to 39 rubles, in Rostov-on-Don and Sochi – from 39 to 40 rubles, in Kaliningrad, petrol costs more than 40 rubles.

To be in touch with your nearest and dearest

Mobile Internet and a package of mobile communication services in the majority of cities hosting the championship is 200-400 rubles per month, according to official statistics. Saint Petersburg is the most expensive city to communicate where the price for mobile Internet is 545 rubles 14 kopeks, mobile communication – 386 rubles 53 kopeks. The payment for the Internet for notebooks and desktop computers is considerably higher in the majority of cities and is about 400-600 rubles except Moscow with 1,070 rubles 61 kopeks.

Realnoe Vremya's analysts calculated an average bill in cafes and restaurants (excluding fast food) on the basis of data on 2GIS. Photo: Oleg Tikhonov

Average café and restaurant bills, average prices in shops

Realnoe Vremya's analysts calculated an average bill in cafes and restaurants (excluding fast food) on the basis of data on 2GIS. The cheapest bill is in Volgograd – 775 rubles. Kaliningrad – 804 rubles – and Saransk – 805 rubles – are in the top 3 cheapest cities. To compare, in Moscow, this indicator amounts to 1,569 rubles, in Sochi, it's 1,304 rubles 76 kopeks. These data are also different from the official statistics that come from the information for the previous period. For instance, dinner in a restaurant for one person in Moscow is estimated by statistics at 3,610 rubles and 1,862 rubles in very cheap Volgograd, from a perspective of prices in restaurants.

It's clear that one can always find establishments with a cheaper price tag. If you're going to eat not in public canteens but cook in a rented flat yourself, Realnoe Vremya prepared detailed information about the price of main foodstuff and the essentials (including diapers for kids). This list will make it easier for you and members of your family to estimate costs on the most important events of sports tourism this summer.