Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Arkhangelsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Arkhangelsk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,683 in Moscow versus $1,087 in Arkhangelsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,643 in Moscow versus $1,603 in Arkhangelsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,603 in Moscow versus $2,118 in Arkhangelsk.

Living in Moscow is roughly 55% more expensive than in Arkhangelsk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Moscow is 26% above, Arkhangelsk is 19% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.68 ₽996

$9.54 ₽750

32.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.3 ₽4,500

$36.15 ₽2,840

58.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.42 ₽504

$6.52 ₽512

-1.53%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ₽262

$2.14 ₽168

56.07%

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

$1.39 ₽109

$1.17 ₽92.1

18.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₽53.2

$0.51 ₽40.38

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.42 ₽347

$2.11 ₽166

109.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 ₽345

$1.24 ₽97.2

254.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ₽100.0

$1.12 ₽88.0

13.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₽69.3

$0.77 ₽60.9

14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ₽133

$1.97 ₽155

-14.21%

Eggs

$1.92 ₽151

$1.65 ₽130

16.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.38 ₽1,051

$11.23 ₽882

19.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.15 ₽483

$5.85 ₽460

5.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.27 ₽964

$10.33 ₽812

18.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 ₽153

$1.63 ₽128

19.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 ₽163

$1.80 ₽141

15.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ₽181

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 ₽330

$2.01 ₽158

108.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 ₽78.4

$0.72 ₽56.7

38.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 ₽67.5

$0.60 ₽47.51

43.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 ₽130

$0.99 ₽77.6

67.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₽59.2

$0.59 ₽46.17

27.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ₽245

$3.20 ₽251

-2.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 ₽1,002

$9.30 ₽731

37.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ₽85.1

$1.13 ₽88.6

-4.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₽184

$1.68 ₽132

39.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ₽68.0

$0.54 ₽42.06

61.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.34 ₽2,934

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 ₽202

$2.24 ₽176

14.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ₽34.64

$1.35 ₽106

-67.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.05 ₽632

$6.18 ₽486

30.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 ₽63.2

$0.73 ₽57.0

9.59%

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

$37.8K ₽3.0M

$34.7K ₽2.7M

8.90%

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

$36.0K ₽2.8M

$35.3K ₽2.8M

2.09%

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

$150 ₽11.8K

$151 ₽11.8K

-0.71%

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

$8.15 ₽640

$7.25 ₽569

12.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.13 ₽639

$9.58 ₽753

-15.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.80 ₽3,755

$32.05 ₽2,518

49.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.23 ₽2,768

$25.07 ₽1,970

40.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.33 ₽498

$4.50 ₽353

40.67%

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

$694 ₽54.5K

$321 ₽25.2K

115.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ₽1.2M

$6,874 ₽540.0K

115.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.3 ₽6,859

$126 ₽9,884

-30.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 ₽4,158

$38.17 ₽2,999

38.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 ₽10.4K

$62.3 ₽4,895

112.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 ₽12.9K

$76.2 ₽5,983

114.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 ₽105.7K

$444 ₽34.9K

203.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 ₽59.4K

$381 ₽29.9K

98.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,963 ₽232.8K

$646 ₽50.8K

358.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,385 ₽108.8K

$564 ₽44.3K

145.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.0K ₽865.0K

$1,697 ₽133.3K

548.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,689 ₽368.3K

$1,262 ₽99.2K

271.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,779 ₽139.8K

$552 ₽43.4K

222.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.39

15.75

54.86%

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

Last update for Moscow: July 13, 2026

Last update for Arkhangelsk: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,346 in Moscow and $444 in Arkhangelsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Moscow pays 222% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $57.0 in Moscow vs $36.00 in Arkhangelsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $208 per month, with Arkhangelsk cheaper across the board.

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

Moscow vs Arkhangelsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow and Arkhangelsk differ by about 55% in total monthly costs ($1,683 vs $1,087 including rent). Arkhangelsk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 222% higher in Moscow, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,346 in Moscow versus $444 in Arkhangelsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $694 in Moscow versus $321 in Arkhangelsk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Arkhangelsk – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $57.0 in Moscow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,087 in Arkhangelsk versus $1,683 in Moscow, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Arkhangelsk but tight or insufficient in Moscow. The gap between the two cities makes Arkhangelsk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Arkhangelsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Moscow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.