Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Astrakhan Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Astrakhan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,638 in Moscow versus $1,029 in Astrakhan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,596 in Moscow versus $1,529 in Astrakhan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,554 in Moscow versus $2,029 in Astrakhan.

Living in Moscow is roughly 59% more expensive than in Astrakhan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.79 ₽1,020

$10.85 ₽865

17.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.5 ₽4,590

$34.14 ₽2,724

68.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 ₽501

$7.77 ₽620

-19.18%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ₽264

$1.86 ₽148

77.96%

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

$1.42 ₽114

$0.92 ₽73.2

54.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₽53.5

$0.49 ₽38.80

36.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.32 ₽345

$1.29 ₽103

234.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 ₽362

$2.56 ₽204

77.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 ₽103

$1.33 ₽106

-3.01%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 ₽71.5

$1.05 ₽83.9

-14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ₽135

$1.06 ₽84.7

59.43%

Eggs

$1.87 ₽149

$1.80 ₽144

3.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 ₽1,035

$24.51 ₽1,955

-47.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.99 ₽478

$4.73 ₽377

26.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.95 ₽953

$6.80 ₽542

75.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ₽149

$1.55 ₽124

20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 ₽164

$1.73 ₽138

18.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ₽183

$1.62 ₽129

41.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 ₽320

$2.39 ₽191

67.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 ₽82.1

$0.91 ₽72.5

13.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 ₽64.5

$0.57 ₽45.39

42.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 ₽135

$1.39 ₽111

21.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₽63.5

$0.65 ₽52.2

23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₽248

$1.86 ₽148

66.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 ₽1,013

$3.78 ₽302

235.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ₽89.5

$1.10 ₽87.7

1.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ₽194

$1.88 ₽150

29.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ₽68.7

$0.50 ₽39.75

72.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.82 ₽3,017

$22.08 ₽1,761

71.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.49 ₽199

$2.59 ₽207

-3.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ₽35.45

$0.35 ₽27.99

25.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 ₽632

$3.87 ₽309

104.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₽65.3

$0.86 ₽68.4

-4.65%

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

$37.4K ₽3.0M

$34.3K ₽2.7M

8.84%

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

$36.2K ₽2.9M

$32.2K ₽2.6M

12.29%

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

$151 ₽12.0K

$105 ₽8,371

43.61%

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

$8.00 ₽638

$6.54 ₽522

22.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.82 ₽624

$5.49 ₽438

42.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.92 ₽3,743

$48.36 ₽3,858

-2.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.41 ₽2,745

$24.45 ₽1,950

40.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 ₽494

$5.33 ₽425

16.14%

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

$697 ₽55.6K

$114 ₽9,111

510.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ₽1.2M

$6,933 ₽553.0K

112.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 ₽7,086

$57.7 ₽4,600

54.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.0 ₽4,224

$32.19 ₽2,568

64.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 ₽10.7K

$90.2 ₽7,192

48.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 ₽12.9K

$127 ₽10.2K

26.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,344 ₽107.3K

$407 ₽32.5K

230.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$738 ₽58.9K

$316 ₽25.2K

133.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 ₽236.5K

$449 ₽35.8K

560.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,434 ₽114.4K

$381 ₽30.4K

276.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ₽863.9K

$1,268 ₽101.2K

753.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,627 ₽369.1K

$633 ₽50.5K

630.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,794 ₽143.1K

$414 ₽33.0K

333.53%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Astrakhan: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,344 in Moscow and $407 in Astrakhan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Moscow pays 334% 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: $58.0 in Moscow vs $34.00 in Astrakhan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $223 per month, with Astrakhan 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 Astrakhan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow and Astrakhan differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($1,638 vs $1,029 including rent). Astrakhan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 334% 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: $1,344 in Moscow versus $407 in Astrakhan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Astrakhan runs roughly 71% less than in Moscow. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $697 in Moscow versus $114 in Astrakhan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,029 in Astrakhan versus $1,638 in Moscow, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Astrakhan but tight or insufficient in Moscow. The gap between the two cities makes Astrakhan 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 Astrakhan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Moscow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.