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: $1,637 in Moscow versus $1,028 in Astrakhan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Moscow versus $1,530 in Astrakhan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,579 in Moscow versus $2,032 in Astrakhan.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Moscow is 22% above, Astrakhan is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.72 ₽955

$10.80 ₽811

17.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.1 ₽4,286

$33.14 ₽2,489

72.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.39 ₽480

$7.76 ₽583

-17.65%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ₽249

$1.87 ₽141

77.01%

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

$1.43 ₽108

$0.85 ₽64.0

68.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₽47.27

$0.52 ₽39.31

21.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 ₽328

$1.30 ₽97.9

235.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 ₽327

$2.57 ₽193

69.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 ₽99.3

$1.28 ₽95.9

3.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₽66.8

$1.05 ₽79.1

-15.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 ₽126

$1.02 ₽76.9

63.73%

Eggs

$1.84 ₽138

$1.77 ₽133

3.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.39 ₽1,006

$24.66 ₽1,853

-45.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.95 ₽447

$4.98 ₽374

19.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.26 ₽921

$6.95 ₽522

76.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 ₽146

$1.64 ₽123

18.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ₽160

$1.75 ₽131

21.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₽177

$1.62 ₽122

45.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 ₽313

$2.41 ₽181

73.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 ₽77.6

$0.95 ₽71.6

8.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 ₽62.8

$0.56 ₽41.78

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 ₽127

$1.39 ₽105

21.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₽59.7

$0.66 ₽49.68

19.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₽244

$1.89 ₽142

71.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.66 ₽801

$6.59 ₽495

61.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ₽84.2

$1.06 ₽79.6

5.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₽173

$1.93 ₽145

19.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ₽68.2

$0.53 ₽39.46

71.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.03 ₽2,857

$21.96 ₽1,650

73.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 ₽189

$2.47 ₽186

2.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ₽33.42

$0.33 ₽24.78

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ₽620

$3.77 ₽283

118.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 ₽56.0

$0.94 ₽70.6

-20.21%

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

$37.9K ₽2.8M

$34.7K ₽2.6M

9.33%

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

$37.3K ₽2.8M

$32.0K ₽2.4M

16.57%

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

$153 ₽11.5K

$102 ₽7,629

50.18%

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

$8.16 ₽613

$6.47 ₽486

26.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.20 ₽616

$5.51 ₽414

48.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.39 ₽3,484

$48.96 ₽3,677

-5.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.02 ₽2,555

$24.95 ₽1,874

36.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 ₽470

$5.49 ₽412

13.84%

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

$686 ₽51.5K

$113 ₽8,517

504.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ₽1.1M

$6,984 ₽524.5K

112.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.0 ₽6,607

$58.2 ₽4,370

51.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 ₽3,985

$31.48 ₽2,364

68.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₽9,739

$90.3 ₽6,784

43.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 ₽12.3K

$126 ₽9,499

29.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 ₽100.3K

$418 ₽31.4K

219.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$732 ₽54.9K

$313 ₽23.5K

133.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,943 ₽221.1K

$440 ₽33.0K

569.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,426 ₽107.1K

$382 ₽28.7K

273.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₽893.0K

$1,686 ₽126.7K

604.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,809 ₽361.2K

$1,201 ₽90.2K

300.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,915 ₽143.9K

$508 ₽38.1K

277.25%

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 Astrakhan: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,335 in Moscow and $418 in Astrakhan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Moscow pays 277% 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: $57.0 in Moscow vs $33.00 in Astrakhan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $248 vs $231 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 ($1,637 vs $1,028 including rent). Astrakhan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Moscow pays 277% more on average, 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: $1,335 in Moscow versus $418 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 73% less than in Moscow. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $686 in Moscow versus $113 in Astrakhan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,028 in Astrakhan versus $1,637 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.