Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Elista and Moscow

For one person, living is cheaper in Elista: $946 a month against $1,922 in Moscow, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

46

Cost of Living Index in Elista
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Elista Living Index
92

Cost of Living Index in Moscow
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Moscow Living Index

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Elista

🇷🇺 Russia

$946

/mo nomad

Moscow

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,922

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Elista and in Moscow

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Elista and in Moscow actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $946 per month in Elista vs $1,922 in Moscow, rent included.

Elista $946
Moscow $1,922

A couple spends around $1,491 per month in Elista vs $2,941 in Moscow, rent included.

Elista $1,491
Moscow $2,941

A family of three spends $2,036 per month in Elista vs $3,960 in Moscow, rent included.

Elista $2,036
Moscow $3,960

Elista is about 51% cheaper than Moscow, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Elista sits 30% below the global median, while Moscow is 41% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.01 ₽564

$12.50 ₽1,006

-43.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.5 ₽4,061

$61.2 ₽4,929

-17.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 ₽520

$7.65 ₽616

-15.56%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ₽219

$3.84 ₽309

-29.17%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₽82.4

$1.74 ₽140

-41.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₽47.96

$0.85 ₽68.7

-29.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ₽93.8

$4.83 ₽389

-75.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ₽147

$5.17 ₽416

-64.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 ₽83.5

$1.32 ₽107

-21.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 ₽45.68

$1.04 ₽83.8

-45.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ₽93.3

$1.77 ₽143

-34.46%

Eggs

$1.45 ₽117

$2.02 ₽162

-28.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 ₽620

$15.08 ₽1,214

-48.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 ₽380

$6.86 ₽552

-31.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.99 ₽965

$15.29 ₽1,231

-21.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 ₽104

$2.14 ₽172

-39.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₽122

$1.83 ₽148

-17.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 ₽117

$2.03 ₽163

-28.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.65 ₽213

$4.14 ₽333

-35.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 ₽59.7

$0.94 ₽75.9

-21.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 ₽38.67

$0.77 ₽61.8

-37.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 ₽30.68

$1.69 ₽136

-77.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₽54.6

$1.01 ₽81.2

-32.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 ₽236

$3.71 ₽298

-21.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 ₽764

$12.23 ₽985

-22.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₽90.6

$1.26 ₽101

-10.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₽163

$2.73 ₽220

-26.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 ₽45.88

$0.96 ₽77.2

-40.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.45 ₽2,049

$43.33 ₽3,487

-41.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₽180

$3.68 ₽296

-39.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ₽29.25

$0.84 ₽67.4

-57.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 ₽304

$12.33 ₽992

-69.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 ₽72.6

$0.96 ₽77.3

-6.25%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.9K ₽2.2M

$45.4K ₽3.7M

-40.81%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.3K ₽2.6M

$41.2K ₽3.3M

-21.64%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$85.5 ₽6,881

$199 ₽16.0K

-57.00%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$6.57 ₽529

$9.04 ₽728

-27.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.81 ₽628

$10.05 ₽809

-22.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.64 ₽3,030

$44.51 ₽3,582

-15.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.99 ₽2,012

$47.40 ₽3,815

-47.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.39 ₽353

$9.63 ₽775

-54.41%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$348 ₽28.0K

$898 ₽72.3K

-61.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,865 ₽472.1K

$29.3K ₽2.4M

-79.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.8 ₽6,822

$117 ₽9,392

-27.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.4 ₽4,298

$69.4 ₽5,584

-23.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.1 ₽4,434

$153 ₽12.3K

-64.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₽8,749

$188 ₽15.1K

-42.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$479 ₽38.5K

$1,533 ₽123.4K

-68.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 ₽26.0K

$860 ₽69.2K

-62.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$924 ₽74.4K

$3,127 ₽251.7K

-70.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₽41.5K

$1,552 ₽124.9K

-66.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,037 ₽163.9K

$10.5K ₽843.9K

-80.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,345 ₽108.3K

$4,981 ₽401.0K

-72.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$374 ₽30.1K

$1,798 ₽144.7K

-79.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.33

19.58

8.94%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Elista: October 27, 2026

Last update for Moscow: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Elista

$323 34.1%

Moscow

$860 44.7% 167% $537

Groceries & Markets

Elista

$185 19.6%

Moscow

$274 14.3% 48.1% $89

Clothing & Footwear

Elista

$136 14.4%

Moscow

$237 12.3% 74.5% $101

Eating Out

Elista

$124 13.1%

Moscow

$214 11.1% 72.4% $90

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Elista

$100 10.6%

Moscow

$218 11.3% 118% $118

Sport & Entertainment

Elista

$46 4.9%

Moscow

$64 3.3% 37.4% $17

Getting Around

Elista

$32 3.4%

Moscow

$55 2.9% 73.2% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $479 in Elista versus $1,533 in Moscow. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Moscow are about 4.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50 in Elista versus $61 in Moscow. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $185 vs $274 – making Elista the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Elista

🇷🇺 Moscow

🕒 Local time

20:45 8:45 PM

Same time as Elista

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

103,219

12,700,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 RUB = 1.24 USD

100 RUB = 1.12 EUR

100 RUB = 1.24 USD

100 RUB = 1.12 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Elista Moscow 1,150 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Elista
Moscow

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Elista vs Moscow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Moscow is pricier by about 103%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,419 per month in Elista and $2,883 in Moscow. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Elista, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $479 there versus $1,533 in Moscow.

Kindergarten costs $348 per month in Elista and $898 in Moscow. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% more in Moscow, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Families tend to lean toward Elista – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Elista. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Moscow makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.