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: $1,763 in Moscow versus $1,011 in Arzamas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,760 in Moscow versus $1,597 in Arzamas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,757 in Moscow versus $2,182 in Arzamas.

Living in Moscow is roughly 74% more expensive than in Arzamas, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.93 ₽1,008

$10.66 ₽901

11.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.6 ₽5,033

$31.71 ₽2,679

87.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 ₽617

$6.90 ₽583

5.94%

Cappuccino

$3.67 ₽310

$2.42 ₽205

51.65%

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

$1.52 ₽128

$1.04 ₽87.6

46.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₽66.3

$0.56 ₽47.00

41.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.76 ₽403

$1.91 ₽162

149.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 ₽401

$3.14 ₽265

51.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 ₽101

$1.17 ₽98.6

2.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ₽82.9

$0.75 ₽63.3

30.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ₽143

$1.25 ₽105

35.20%

Eggs

$1.83 ₽155

$1.37 ₽116

33.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.58 ₽1,148

$10.29 ₽869

31.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₽528

$5.12 ₽433

22.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.09 ₽1,190

$10.12 ₽855

39.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 ₽175

$1.70 ₽144

21.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₽153

$1.59 ₽134

13.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ₽164

$1.65 ₽139

17.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 ₽349

$2.76 ₽234

49.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 ₽77.0

$0.69 ₽58.0

31.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₽55.2

$0.61 ₽51.8

6.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ₽136

$1.41 ₽119

13.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₽73.3

$0.66 ₽55.9

31.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 ₽284

$3.16 ₽267

6.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.70 ₽989

$7.78 ₽657

50.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₽96.7

$1.05 ₽89.1

8.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₽206

$2.05 ₽173

19.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ₽81.3

$0.49 ₽41.65

95.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.24 ₽3,400

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 ₽305

$2.40 ₽203

50.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 ₽61.0

$0.28 ₽23.96

157.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.61 ₽897

$6.20 ₽524

71.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 ₽69.9

$0.85 ₽72.1

-2.35%

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

$37.8K ₽3.2M

$30.0K ₽2.5M

25.79%

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

$37.5K ₽3.2M

$32.7K ₽2.8M

14.71%

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

$183 ₽15.5K

$114 ₽9,661

59.95%

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

$8.74 ₽739

$6.21 ₽524

40.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.74 ₽823

$8.09 ₽684

20.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.95 ₽3,375

$38.88 ₽3,285

2.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.59 ₽3,683

$22.50 ₽1,901

93.73%

Cinema Ticket

$8.45 ₽714

$5.12 ₽432

65.04%

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

$784 ₽66.2K

$289 ₽24.4K

170.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.7K ₽2.2M

$7,150 ₽604.1K

258.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 ₽8,582

$65.5 ₽5,533

55.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 ₽5,194

$56.6 ₽4,782

8.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 ₽12.4K

$112 ₽9,447

31.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 ₽14.7K

$94.1 ₽7,946

85.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 ₽123.3K

$298 ₽25.2K

390.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 ₽65.6K

$317 ₽26.8K

144.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,970 ₽251.0K

$481 ₽40.6K

517.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,428 ₽120.6K

$568 ₽48.0K

151.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.5K ₽883.8K

$2,219 ₽187.5K

371.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,624 ₽390.7K

$1,399 ₽118.2K

230.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,756 ₽148.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.52

-7.05%

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

Last update for Moscow: September 12, 2026

Last update for Arzamas: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,459 in Moscow and $298 in Arzamas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $60.0 in Moscow vs $32.00 in Arzamas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $197 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 74% in total monthly costs ($1,763 vs $1,011 including rent). Arzamas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,645 in Moscow and $1,516 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: $1,459 in Moscow versus $298 in Arzamas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Moscow. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,763 per month in Moscow versus $1,011 in Arzamas – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,011 in Arzamas versus $1,763 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 74% less than in Moscow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.