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: $1,689 in Moscow versus $1,050 in Astrakhan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,582 in Moscow versus $1,510 in Astrakhan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,475 in Moscow versus $1,970 in Astrakhan.

Living in Moscow is roughly 61% more expensive than Astrakhan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Moscow is 26% above, Astrakhan is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.95 ₽938

$10.99 ₽796

17.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.0 ₽4,130

$33.08 ₽2,397

72.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.31 ₽457

$7.56 ₽548

-16.53%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ₽240

$1.84 ₽134

79.89%

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

$1.40 ₽101

$0.92 ₽66.9

52.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₽45.62

$0.52 ₽37.68

21.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.35 ₽315

$1.26 ₽91.0

245.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 ₽328

$2.59 ₽188

74.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 ₽97.6

$1.32 ₽95.8

2.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₽64.3

$1.06 ₽76.5

-16.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 ₽122

$1.01 ₽73.4

66.34%

Eggs

$1.85 ₽134

$1.74 ₽126

6.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.94 ₽937

$24.42 ₽1,769

-47.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.02 ₽437

$4.82 ₽349

24.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 ₽883

$6.72 ₽487

81.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 ₽140

$1.55 ₽112

25.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 ₽150

$1.80 ₽130

14.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ₽164

$1.57 ₽114

44.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 ₽293

$2.39 ₽174

69.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 ₽71.3

$0.95 ₽68.9

3.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 ₽57.6

$0.57 ₽41.09

38.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 ₽122

$1.45 ₽105

16.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₽57.5

$0.65 ₽46.83

21.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₽234

$1.94 ₽141

66.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.88 ₽789

$4.19 ₽304

159.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₽80.7

$1.05 ₽76.0

5.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₽175

$1.95 ₽141

23.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ₽65.3

$0.48 ₽35.14

87.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.34 ₽2,778

$21.77 ₽1,577

76.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 ₽182

$2.46 ₽179

2.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 ₽32.46

$0.33 ₽23.73

36.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 ₽574

$3.83 ₽277

107.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₽59.3

$0.88 ₽63.4

-6.82%

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

$37.4K ₽2.7M

$33.9K ₽2.5M

10.31%

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

$36.6K ₽2.7M

$31.4K ₽2.3M

16.42%

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

$150 ₽10.9K

$103 ₽7,458

45.50%

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

$8.15 ₽591

$6.36 ₽461

28.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.04 ₽582

$5.56 ₽403

44.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.24 ₽3,423

$47.88 ₽3,469

-1.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.36 ₽2,490

$24.68 ₽1,788

39.22%

Cinema Ticket

$6.45 ₽468

$5.30 ₽384

21.70%

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

$698 ₽50.5K

$115 ₽8,298

509.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ₽1.1M

$7,028 ₽509.2K

109.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.6 ₽6,349

$57.8 ₽4,187

51.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 ₽3,823

$31.62 ₽2,291

66.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₽9,461

$88.0 ₽6,378

48.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 ₽11.6K

$129 ₽9,373

23.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 ₽94.9K

$421 ₽30.5K

211.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 ₽53.6K

$321 ₽23.3K

130.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,942 ₽213.2K

$445 ₽32.2K

561.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,435 ₽104.0K

$381 ₽27.6K

276.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₽859.3K

$1,345 ₽97.5K

781.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,856 ₽351.8K

$678 ₽49.1K

615.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,014 ₽145.9K

$453 ₽32.8K

345.00%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Astrakhan: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,310 in Moscow and $421 in Astrakhan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Moscow pays 345% 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 $246 vs $224 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 61% in total monthly costs ($1,689 vs $1,050 including rent). Astrakhan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Moscow pays 345% 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: $1,310 in Moscow versus $421 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 76% less than in Moscow. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $698 in Moscow versus $115 in Astrakhan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,050 in Astrakhan versus $1,689 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 61% less than in Moscow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.