Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Arzamas Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Arzamas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,689 in Moscow versus $950 in Arzamas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,582 in Moscow versus $1,487 in Arzamas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,475 in Moscow versus $2,025 in Arzamas.

Living in Moscow is roughly 78% more expensive than Arzamas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Moscow is 26% above, Arzamas is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.95 ₽938

$9.77 ₽708

32.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.0 ₽4,130

$38.36 ₽2,780

48.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.31 ₽457

$5.59 ₽405

12.88%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ₽240

$2.37 ₽172

39.66%

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

$1.40 ₽101

$1.11 ₽80.6

26.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₽45.62

$0.52 ₽37.83

21.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.35 ₽315

$1.43 ₽104

204.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 ₽328

$2.46 ₽179

84.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 ₽97.6

$1.15 ₽83.4

17.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₽64.3

$0.69 ₽50.4

28.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 ₽122

$1.36 ₽98.9

23.53%

Eggs

$1.85 ₽134

$1.80 ₽131

2.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.94 ₽937

$10.75 ₽779

20.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.02 ₽437

$4.94 ₽358

21.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 ₽883

$8.80 ₽638

38.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 ₽140

$1.75 ₽127

10.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 ₽150

$1.81 ₽131

13.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ₽164

$1.98 ₽144

14.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 ₽293

$2.67 ₽193

51.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 ₽71.3

$0.80 ₽58.2

22.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 ₽57.6

$0.72 ₽52.3

9.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 ₽122

$1.35 ₽98.0

25.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₽57.5

$0.71 ₽51.8

11.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₽234

$2.90 ₽210

11.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.88 ₽789

$6.77 ₽491

60.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₽80.7

$1.01 ₽72.9

9.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₽175

$1.96 ₽142

22.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ₽65.3

$0.53 ₽38.30

69.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.34 ₽2,778

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 ₽182

$1.89 ₽137

32.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 ₽32.46

$0.35 ₽25.49

28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 ₽574

$6.28 ₽455

26.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₽59.3

$0.77 ₽56.1

6.49%

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

$37.4K ₽2.7M

$34.0K ₽2.5M

10.08%

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

$36.6K ₽2.7M

$35.9K ₽2.6M

1.86%

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

$150 ₽10.9K

$110 ₽7,979

35.99%

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

$8.15 ₽591

$6.09 ₽441

33.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.04 ₽582

$8.03 ₽582

0.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.24 ₽3,423

$34.93 ₽2,531

35.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.36 ₽2,490

Cinema Ticket

$6.45 ₽468

$5.22 ₽378

23.56%

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

$698 ₽50.5K

$330 ₽23.9K

111.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ₽1.1M

$7,082 ₽513.1K

108.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.6 ₽6,349

$70.4 ₽5,100

24.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 ₽3,823

$45.14 ₽3,271

16.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₽9,461

$115 ₽8,368

13.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 ₽11.6K

$107 ₽7,768

49.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 ₽94.9K

$451 ₽32.7K

190.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 ₽53.6K

$309 ₽22.4K

139.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,942 ₽213.2K

$764 ₽55.4K

284.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,435 ₽104.0K

$500 ₽36.3K

186.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₽859.3K

$2,217 ₽160.6K

434.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,856 ₽351.8K

$1,864 ₽135.1K

160.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,014 ₽145.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.39

15.33

59.10%

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

Last update for Moscow: June 6, 2026

Last update for Arzamas: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,310 in Moscow and $451 in Arzamas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $57.0 in Moscow vs $38.00 in Arzamas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $196 per month, with Arzamas 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 Arzamas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow and Arzamas differ by about 78% in total monthly costs ($1,689 vs $950 including rent). Arzamas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,533 in Moscow and $1,424 in Arzamas to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,310 in Moscow versus $451 in Arzamas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Moscow. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,689 per month in Moscow versus $950 in Arzamas – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $950 in Arzamas versus $1,689 in Moscow, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Arzamas but tight or insufficient in Moscow. The gap between the two cities makes Arzamas 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 Arzamas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Moscow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.