Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Chita Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Chita

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,638 in Moscow versus $1,190 in Chita.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,596 in Moscow versus $1,798 in Chita.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,554 in Moscow versus $2,407 in Chita.

Living in Moscow is roughly 38% more expensive than in Chita, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Moscow is 23% above, Chita is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.79 ₽1,018

$12.47 ₽993

2.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.5 ₽4,579

$18.98 ₽1,511

203.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 ₽499

$5.03 ₽400

24.85%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ₽263

$1.92 ₽153

72.40%

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

$1.42 ₽113

$0.55 ₽43.39

158.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₽53.4

$0.31 ₽24.85

116.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.32 ₽344

$1.23 ₽98.2

251.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 ₽362

$1.87 ₽149

142.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 ₽102

$1.43 ₽114

-9.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 ₽71.3

$0.53 ₽42.33

69.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ₽135

$1.85 ₽148

-8.65%

Eggs

$1.87 ₽149

$1.93 ₽154

-3.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 ₽1,033

$15.29 ₽1,217

-15.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.99 ₽477

$6.27 ₽499

-4.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.95 ₽951

$12.92 ₽1,028

-7.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ₽148

$2.85 ₽227

-34.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 ₽163

$2.61 ₽208

-21.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ₽183

$2.56 ₽203

-10.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 ₽319

$1.93 ₽154

107.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 ₽81.9

$0.71 ₽56.4

45.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 ₽64.3

$0.51 ₽40.96

58.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 ₽135

$3.79 ₽301

-55.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₽63.3

$0.72 ₽57.2

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₽247

$2.98 ₽237

4.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 ₽1,011

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ₽89.3

$0.78 ₽62.1

43.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ₽194

$1.12 ₽89.3

116.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ₽68.6

$0.50 ₽39.55

72.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.82 ₽3,010

$25.41 ₽2,023

48.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.49 ₽198

$2.28 ₽181

9.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ₽35.37

$0.58 ₽46.48

-24.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 ₽631

$7.04 ₽560

12.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₽65.1

$0.80 ₽63.7

2.50%

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

$37.4K ₽3.0M

$31.9K ₽2.5M

17.28%

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

$36.2K ₽2.9M

$19.2K ₽1.5M

88.78%

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

$151 ₽12.0K

$122 ₽9,717

23.43%

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

$8.00 ₽636

$6.46 ₽514

23.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.82 ₽623

$10.20 ₽812

-23.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.92 ₽3,734

$32.14 ₽2,558

45.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.41 ₽2,739

$14.65 ₽1,166

134.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 ₽493

$6.21 ₽494

-0.32%

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

$697 ₽55.5K

$267 ₽21.2K

161.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ₽1.2M

$6,990 ₽556.3K

110.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 ₽7,069

$63.3 ₽5,036

40.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.0 ₽4,214

$49.93 ₽3,974

6.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 ₽10.7K

$77.6 ₽6,179

72.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 ₽12.9K

$87.1 ₽6,936

85.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,344 ₽107.0K

$627 ₽49.9K

114.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$738 ₽58.7K

$440 ₽35.0K

67.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 ₽236.0K

$1,147 ₽91.3K

158.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,434 ₽114.1K

$840 ₽66.9K

70.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ₽861.9K

$2,517 ₽200.3K

330.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,627 ₽368.3K

$1,939 ₽154.3K

138.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,794 ₽142.8K

$654 ₽52.0K

174.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.39

21.95%

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

Last update for Moscow: July 28, 2026

Last update for Chita: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,344 in Moscow and $627 in Chita. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Moscow pays 174% 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 $19.00 in Chita for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $234 per month, with Chita 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 Chita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow and Chita differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($1,638 vs $1,190 including rent). Chita is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 174% 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 $627 in Chita. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Moscow. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chita – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $58.0 in Moscow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,190 in Chita versus $1,638 in Moscow, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chita but tight or insufficient in Moscow. The gap between the two cities makes Chita 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 Chita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Moscow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.