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: $1,648 in Moscow versus $1,068 in Arkhangelsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,603 in Moscow versus $1,606 in Arkhangelsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,557 in Moscow versus $2,144 in Arkhangelsk.

Living in Moscow is roughly 54% more expensive than Arkhangelsk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Moscow is 23% above, Arkhangelsk is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.91 ₽953

$9.37 ₽691

37.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 ₽4,192

$37.20 ₽2,745

52.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 ₽463

$6.42 ₽474

-2.18%

Cappuccino

$3.16 ₽233

$2.07 ₽153

52.66%

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

$1.38 ₽102

$1.16 ₽85.9

18.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₽50.3

$0.47 ₽34.91

44.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.54 ₽335

$2.10 ₽155

116.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 ₽333

$1.30 ₽95.6

246.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 ₽97.9

$1.11 ₽81.9

19.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₽65.5

$0.77 ₽56.6

15.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 ₽130

$2.02 ₽149

-12.87%

Eggs

$1.85 ₽137

$1.63 ₽120

13.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 ₽952

$11.28 ₽832

14.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.89 ₽435

$5.63 ₽415

4.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.24 ₽903

$10.33 ₽762

18.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ₽140

$1.63 ₽120

15.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ₽156

$1.74 ₽128

21.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₽174

$2.28 ₽169

3.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 ₽306

$2.07 ₽153

100.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 ₽72.4

$0.72 ₽53.1

36.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 ₽62.4

$0.64 ₽47.59

32.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 ₽127

$0.92 ₽67.7

86.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₽59.9

$0.55 ₽40.34

47.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₽229

$3.20 ₽236

-3.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.90 ₽804

$9.66 ₽713

12.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ₽80.1

$1.12 ₽82.8

-2.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 ₽175

$1.66 ₽123

42.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ₽64.4

$0.49 ₽36.34

77.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.26 ₽2,824

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 ₽186

$2.27 ₽167

11.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 ₽34.89

$1.41 ₽104

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 ₽597

$6.31 ₽465

28.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 ₽59.9

$0.75 ₽55.1

8.00%

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

$38.1K ₽2.8M

$34.9K ₽2.6M

9.33%

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

$37.2K ₽2.7M

$34.9K ₽2.6M

6.34%

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

$151 ₽11.1K

$153 ₽11.3K

-1.05%

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

$7.97 ₽588

$7.27 ₽537

9.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.99 ₽590

$9.75 ₽720

-18.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.81 ₽3,454

$31.82 ₽2,348

47.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.68 ₽2,559

$25.47 ₽1,880

36.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.26 ₽462

$4.65 ₽343

34.62%

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

$707 ₽52.1K

$323 ₽23.8K

118.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ₽1.1M

$6,958 ₽513.4K

108.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 ₽6,484

$129 ₽9,527

-31.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 ₽3,935

$37.34 ₽2,755

42.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₽9,631

$64.5 ₽4,758

102.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 ₽11.7K

$76.9 ₽5,673

106.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,317 ₽97.2K

$450 ₽33.2K

192.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$734 ₽54.1K

$381 ₽28.1K

92.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,005 ₽221.7K

$632 ₽46.6K

375.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,393 ₽102.8K

$569 ₽42.0K

144.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.7K ₽865.8K

$1,781 ₽131.4K

558.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,027 ₽370.9K

$1,332 ₽98.3K

277.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,075 ₽153.1K

$585 ₽43.1K

255.00%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Arkhangelsk: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,317 in Moscow and $450 in Arkhangelsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Moscow pays 255% 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 $37.00 in Arkhangelsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 vs $206 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 54% in total monthly costs ($1,648 vs $1,068 including rent). Arkhangelsk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Moscow pays 255% more on average, 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: $1,317 in Moscow versus $450 in Arkhangelsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $707 in Moscow versus $323 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 $37.00 versus $57.0 in Moscow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,068 in Arkhangelsk versus $1,648 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 54% less than in Moscow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.