Cost of living in Russia
Summary of cost of living in Russia
- Family of four estimated monthly costs: руб 196,494
- Single person estimated monthly costs: руб 102,210
- Russia is the most expensive country in Eastern Europe (1 out of 16)
- Cost of living in Russia is more expensive than in 61% of countries in the World (36 out of 89)
Food | |||
---|---|---|---|
Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | руб 573 | ||
Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) | руб 351 | ||
500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | руб 182 | ||
1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | руб 81 | ||
12 eggs, large | руб 120 | ||
1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | руб 226 | ||
500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | руб 422 | ||
1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | руб 116 | ||
1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | руб 66 | ||
0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | руб 70 | ||
1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | руб 665 | ||
2 liters of coca-cola | руб 134 | ||
Bread for 2 people for 1 day | руб 41 | ||
Housing | |||
Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in expensive area | руб 89,557 | ||
Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in normal area | руб 51,498 | ||
Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | руб 8,435 | ||
Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in expensive area | руб 47,110 | ||
Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area | руб 30,796 | ||
Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 sqft) studio | руб 4,797 | ||
Internet 8 mbps (1 month) | руб 562 | ||
40” flat screen tv | руб 28,680 | ||
Microwave 800/900 watt (bosch, panasonic, lg, sharp, or equivalent brands) | руб 8,430 | ||
Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | руб 559 | ||
Hourly rate for cleaning help | руб 821 | ||
Clothes | |||
1 pair of jeans (levis 501 or similar) | руб 6,096 | ||
1 summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) | руб 3,534 | ||
1 pair of sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) | руб 6,752 | ||
1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | руб 8,111 | ||
Transportation | |||
Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new | руб 2,178,290 | ||
1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | руб 52 | ||
Monthly ticket public transport | руб 1,915 | ||
Personal Care | |||
Cold medicine for 6 days (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands) | руб 443 | ||
1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | руб 420 | ||
Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes) | руб 1,384 | ||
1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob, ...) | руб 303 | ||
Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | руб 200 | ||
Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | руб 240 | ||
4 rolls of toilet paper | руб 104 | ||
Tube of toothpaste | руб 129 | ||
Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | руб 654 | ||
Entertainment | |||
Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | руб 1,544 | ||
2 tickets to the movies | руб 682 | ||
2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | руб 4,133 | ||
Dinner for two at an italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | руб 4,162 | ||
1 cocktail drink in downtown club | руб 393 | ||
Cappuccino in expat area of the city | руб 203 | ||
1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | руб 204 | ||
Ipad wi-fi 128gb | руб 49,805 | ||
1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | руб 2.29 | ||
1 month of gym membership in business district | руб 3,354 | ||
1 package of marlboro cigarettes | руб 179 |
Map of Cost of Living in Russia

This map shows only the top cities in Russia. We also have on this page a list of all the cities available in Expatistan:
List of all the cities available in Expatistan
The color of each marker corresponds with the cost of living in the city red markers show more expensive cities green ones show cheaper cities
Moving the mouse on top of a city will show its name and the Cost of Living Index of that city.
What is the Cost of Living Index? To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a
central reference city (that happens to be Prague).
Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the
database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.
Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Cost of Living Ranking in Russia
(top cities by data quality)
Ranking | City | Price Index * |
---|---|---|
1st | Moscow | 156 |
2nd | Vladivostok | 106 |
3rd | Yakutsk | 103 |
4th | Stary Oskol | 103 |
5th | Nizhnekamsk | 95 |
6th | Yekaterinburg | 87 |
7th | Sterlitamak | 87 |
8th | Samara | 87 |
9th | Ufa | 79 |
10th | Kemerovo | 78 |
11th | Voronezh | 77 |
12th | Yaroslavl' | 77 |
13th | Perm | 76 |
14th | Krasnodar | 76 |
15th | Krasnoyarsk | 75 |
16th | Volgograd | 75 |
17th | Kaliningrad | 73 |
18th | Irkutsk | 72 |
19th | Tomsk | 71 |
20th | Ryazan | 70 |
21st | Chelyabinsk | 69 |
22nd | Izhevsk | 68 |
23rd | Omsk | 68 |
24th | Grozny | 0 |
Price Index:
To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a central reference city (that happens to be Prague). Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Are you moving to Russia? Do you know how much money you will need there to maintain your current standard of living?
Find out what is the real equivalent in Russia of your current salary and improve your chances of a happy relocation.
Get a salary calculation for:
List of all cities available in Russia
Recent Comparisons
- Cost of living in Moscow is 21% cheaper than in Tel Aviv
- Cost of living in Saint Petersburg is 16% cheaper than in Moscow
- Cost of living in Samara is 45% cheaper than in Moscow
- Cost of living in Moscow is 127% more expensive than in Chelyabinsk
- Cost of living in Moscow is 10% more expensive than in Nicosia
- Cost of living in Moscow is 31% more expensive than in Nal'chik
- Cost of living in Krasnoyarsk is 19% cheaper than in Novosibirsk
- Cost of living in Cherepovets is about the same as in Vologda
- Cost of living in Irkutsk is 4% cheaper than in Chita
- Cost of living in Vladivostok is 9% more expensive than in Lima
- Cost of living in Tula is 55% cheaper than in Moscow
- Cost of living in Moscow is 61% more expensive than in Budapest
- Cost of living in Krasnodar is 51% cheaper than in Moscow
- Cost of living in Moscow is 42% cheaper than in London
- Cost of living in Moscow is 104% more expensive than in Yerevan
- Cost of living in Vladivostok is about the same as in Zagreb
- Cost of living in Moscow is 168% more expensive than in Minsk
- Cost of living in Moscow is 50% cheaper than in Tehran
- Cost of living in Saint Petersburg is 22% more expensive than in Riga
- Cost of living in Moscow is 75% more expensive than in Lima
Compare other countries
Prices recently added
- 1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) in Moscow costs руб 2.00 (2 days ago)
- 10 eggs, large in Saint Petersburg costs руб 78 (4 days ago)
- 1 pack of marlboro cigarettes in Saint Petersburg costs руб 192 (4 days ago)
- 1 month of gym membership in business district in Saint Petersburg costs руб 8,000 (4 days ago)
- 500 ml beer in neighbourhood pub in Saint Petersburg costs руб 70 (4 days ago)
- Hourly rate for babysitter services in Saint Petersburg costs руб 250 (4 days ago)
- Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city in Saint Petersburg costs руб 600 (4 days ago)
- One-way ticket in public transport in Saint Petersburg costs руб 60 (4 days ago)
- Public transport in Saint Petersburg costs руб 1,200 (4 days ago)
- 1 liter of gasoline in Saint Petersburg costs руб 56 (4 days ago)