Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Astrakhan

For one person, living is cheaper in Astrakhan: $152 a month against $1,843 in Moscow, rent and utilities included – about $20,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

88

Cost of Living Index in Moscow
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Moscow Living Index

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Moscow

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,843

/mo nomad

Astrakhan

🇷🇺 Russia

$152

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Moscow and in Astrakhan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Moscow and in Astrakhan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,843 in Moscow versus $152 in Astrakhan.

Moscow $1,843
Astrakhan $152

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,822 in Moscow versus $335 in Astrakhan.

Moscow $2,822
Astrakhan $335

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,801 in Moscow versus $517 in Astrakhan.

Moscow $3,801
Astrakhan $517

Living in Moscow is roughly 1110% more expensive than in Astrakhan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Moscow is 36% above, Astrakhan is 89% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 ₽990

$8.69 ₽709

39.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.2 ₽5,070

$42.28 ₽3,449

47.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 ₽596

$5.47 ₽446

33.64%

Cappuccino

$3.72 ₽303

$2.72 ₽222

36.76%

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

$1.67 ₽136

$1.45 ₽118

15.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₽67.4

$0.82 ₽67.0

1.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 ₽410

$3.02 ₽246

66.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 ₽395

$4.80 ₽391

0.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ₽101

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ₽81.2

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₽139

Eggs

$1.90 ₽155

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.34 ₽1,170

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.65 ₽543

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.53 ₽1,185

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 ₽169

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 ₽154

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 ₽156

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 ₽323

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 ₽75.7

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 ₽57.2

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 ₽134

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₽74.8

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.50 ₽286

Wine (Bottle)

$12.25 ₽999

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ₽96.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 ₽207

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ₽77.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.83 ₽3,493

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ₽294

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₽62.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.20 ₽914

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 ₽73.2

$0.81 ₽66.1

11.11%

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

$42.9K ₽3.5M

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

$40.0K ₽3.3M

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

$177 ₽14.5K

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

$8.76 ₽714

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.72 ₽793

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.21 ₽3,442

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.14 ₽3,763

Cinema Ticket

$9.50 ₽775

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

$869 ₽70.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K ₽2.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 ₽8,666

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.5 ₽5,508

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 ₽11.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$179 ₽14.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 ₽120.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$837 ₽68.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,018 ₽246.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,487 ₽121.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,639 ₽786.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,728 ₽385.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,804 ₽147.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.36

1.89%

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

Last update for Moscow: November 3, 2026

Last update for Astrakhan: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Moscow

$837 45.4%

Astrakhan

–

Groceries & Markets

Moscow

$263 14.3%

Astrakhan

–

Clothing & Footwear

Moscow

$223 12.1%

Astrakhan

–

Eating Out

Moscow

$208 11.3%

Astrakhan

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Moscow

$196 10.6%

Astrakhan

–

Sport & Entertainment

Moscow

$61 3.3%

Astrakhan

–

Getting Around

Moscow

$54 2.9%

Astrakhan

–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out at a mid-range restaurant: $62 in Moscow vs $42 in Astrakhan for two.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Moscow

🇷🇺 Astrakhan

🕒 Local time

10:43 10:43 AM

11:43 11:43 AM

1 h ahead of Moscow

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,700,000 Capital

524,371

💱 Currency

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 RUB = 1.23 USD

100 RUB = 1.09 EUR

100 RUB = 1.23 USD

100 RUB = 1.09 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Moscow Astrakhan 1,270 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,843 in Moscow and $152 in Astrakhan, so Astrakhan is about 92% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You’d need roughly $2,764 in Moscow and $229 in Astrakhan 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.

Dining out is cheaper in Astrakhan – a meal for two runs $42 versus $62 in Moscow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $1,843 per month in Moscow versus $152 in Astrakhan – Astrakhan is about 92% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $152 in Astrakhan versus $1,843 in Moscow, a $1,200 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.