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: $1,637 in Moscow versus $982 in Arzamas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Moscow versus $1,501 in Arzamas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,579 in Moscow versus $2,021 in Arzamas.

Living in Moscow is roughly 67% more expensive than Arzamas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Moscow is 22% above, Arzamas is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.72 ₽955

$9.38 ₽705

35.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.1 ₽4,286

$37.81 ₽2,840

50.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.39 ₽480

$5.79 ₽435

10.36%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ₽249

$2.30 ₽173

43.91%

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

$1.43 ₽108

$1.08 ₽80.9

32.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₽47.27

$0.48 ₽36.03

31.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 ₽328

$1.43 ₽107

204.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 ₽327

$2.49 ₽187

75.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 ₽99.3

$1.10 ₽82.4

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₽66.8

$0.70 ₽52.3

27.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 ₽126

$1.37 ₽103

21.90%

Eggs

$1.84 ₽138

$1.71 ₽129

7.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.39 ₽1,006

$11.03 ₽828

21.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.95 ₽447

$4.72 ₽355

26.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.26 ₽921

$9.02 ₽677

35.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 ₽146

$1.82 ₽136

7.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ₽160

$1.86 ₽140

14.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₽177

$1.91 ₽144

23.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 ₽313

$2.80 ₽210

48.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 ₽77.6

$0.86 ₽64.5

19.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 ₽62.8

$0.66 ₽49.66

27.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 ₽127

$1.42 ₽106

19.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₽59.7

$0.66 ₽49.35

19.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₽244

$2.89 ₽217

12.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.66 ₽801

$6.59 ₽495

61.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ₽84.2

$0.95 ₽71.5

17.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₽173

$1.95 ₽146

18.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ₽68.2

$0.49 ₽36.83

85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.03 ₽2,857

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 ₽189

$1.85 ₽139

36.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ₽33.42

$0.35 ₽26.56

25.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ₽620

$6.52 ₽490

26.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 ₽56.0

$0.76 ₽57.2

-1.32%

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

$37.9K ₽2.8M

$34.5K ₽2.6M

9.75%

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

$37.3K ₽2.8M

$35.2K ₽2.6M

6.24%

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

$153 ₽11.5K

$108 ₽8,077

41.84%

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

$8.16 ₽613

$5.83 ₽438

39.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.20 ₽616

$7.60 ₽571

7.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.39 ₽3,484

$35.09 ₽2,636

32.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.02 ₽2,555

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 ₽470

$5.19 ₽390

20.42%

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

$686 ₽51.5K

$322 ₽24.2K

112.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ₽1.1M

$7,020 ₽527.3K

111.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.0 ₽6,607

$69.3 ₽5,208

26.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 ₽3,985

$43.57 ₽3,273

21.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₽9,739

$113 ₽8,485

14.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 ₽12.3K

$106 ₽7,971

53.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 ₽100.3K

$451 ₽33.9K

196.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$732 ₽54.9K

$303 ₽22.7K

141.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,943 ₽221.1K

$774 ₽58.1K

280.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,426 ₽107.1K

$506 ₽38.0K

181.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₽893.0K

$2,156 ₽162.0K

451.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,809 ₽361.2K

$1,336 ₽100.4K

259.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,915 ₽143.9K

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Arzamas: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,335 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 $248 vs $195 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 67% in total monthly costs ($1,637 vs $982 including rent). Arzamas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,456 in Moscow and $1,472 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: $1,335 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 27% higher in Moscow. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,637 per month in Moscow versus $982 in Arzamas – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $982 in Arzamas versus $1,637 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 67% less than in Moscow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.