Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Elista

For one person, living is cheaper in Elista: $946 a month against $1,922 in Moscow, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

92

Cost of Living Index in Moscow
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Moscow Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Elista
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Elista Living Index

Jump to prices

Moscow

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,922

/mo nomad

Elista

🇷🇺 Russia

$946

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Moscow and in Elista

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 Elista actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,922 per month in Moscow vs $946 in Elista, rent included.

Moscow $1,922
Elista $946

A couple spends around $2,941 per month in Moscow vs $1,491 in Elista, rent included.

Moscow $2,941
Elista $1,491

A family of three spends $3,960 per month in Moscow vs $2,036 in Elista, rent included.

Moscow $3,960
Elista $2,036

Moscow costs about 103% more than Elista, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Moscow sits 41% above the global median, while Elista is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.50 ₽1,008

$7.01 ₽565

78.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₽4,939

$50.5 ₽4,069

21.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ₽617

$6.46 ₽521

18.42%

Cappuccino

$3.84 ₽309

$2.72 ₽219

41.18%

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

$1.74 ₽140

$1.02 ₽82.5

70.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₽68.8

$0.60 ₽48.05

41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.83 ₽390

$1.17 ₽94.0

312.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 ₽417

$1.82 ₽147

184.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 ₽107

$1.04 ₽83.7

26.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 ₽84.0

$0.57 ₽45.76

82.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 ₽143

$1.16 ₽93.4

52.59%

Eggs

$2.02 ₽163

$1.45 ₽117

39.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.08 ₽1,216

$7.70 ₽621

95.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 ₽553

$4.73 ₽381

45.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.29 ₽1,233

$11.99 ₽967

27.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 ₽173

$1.29 ₽104

65.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₽148

$1.51 ₽122

21.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 ₽164

$1.45 ₽117

40.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 ₽334

$2.65 ₽214

56.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 ₽76.0

$0.74 ₽59.8

27.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 ₽62.0

$0.48 ₽38.75

60.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 ₽137

$0.38 ₽30.74

344.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ₽81.3

$0.68 ₽54.7

48.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.71 ₽299

$2.93 ₽236

26.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.23 ₽986

$9.49 ₽765

28.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 ₽102

$1.13 ₽90.8

11.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 ₽220

$2.02 ₽163

35.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ₽77.4

$0.57 ₽45.97

68.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.33 ₽3,494

$25.45 ₽2,053

70.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 ₽296

$2.24 ₽180

64.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 ₽67.6

$0.36 ₽29.31

133.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.33 ₽994

$3.77 ₽304

227.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 ₽77.4

$0.90 ₽72.7

6.67%

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

$45.4K ₽3.7M

$26.9K ₽2.2M

68.96%

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

$41.2K ₽3.3M

$32.3K ₽2.6M

27.62%

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

$199 ₽16.0K

$85.5 ₽6,895

132.58%

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

$9.04 ₽729

$6.57 ₽530

37.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.05 ₽810

$7.81 ₽629

28.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.51 ₽3,589

$37.64 ₽3,036

18.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.40 ₽3,823

$24.99 ₽2,016

89.68%

Cinema Ticket

$9.63 ₽777

$4.39 ₽354

119.36%

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

$898 ₽72.4K

$348 ₽28.1K

157.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K ₽2.4M

$5,865 ₽473.0K

399.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 ₽9,411

$84.8 ₽6,835

37.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.4 ₽5,595

$53.4 ₽4,306

29.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$153 ₽12.3K

$55.1 ₽4,442

177.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$188 ₽15.1K

$109 ₽8,766

72.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,533 ₽123.6K

$479 ₽38.6K

220.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$860 ₽69.4K

$323 ₽26.0K

166.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,127 ₽252.2K

$924 ₽74.6K

238.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,552 ₽125.1K

$515 ₽41.6K

201.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.5K ₽845.5K

$2,037 ₽164.3K

414.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,981 ₽401.7K

$1,345 ₽108.5K

270.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,798 ₽145.0K

$374 ₽30.1K

381.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.58

21.33

-8.20%

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

Last update for Moscow: October 25, 2026

Last update for Elista: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Moscow

$860 44.7%

Elista

$323 34.1% 62.5% $537

Groceries & Markets

Moscow

$274 14.3%

Elista

$185 19.6% 32.5% $89

Clothing & Footwear

Moscow

$237 12.3%

Elista

$136 14.4% 42.7% $101

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Moscow

$218 11.3%

Elista

$100 10.6% 54.2% $118

Eating Out

Moscow

$214 11.1%

Elista

$124 13.1% 42% $90

Sport & Entertainment

Moscow

$64 3.3%

Elista

$46 4.9% 27.2% $17

Getting Around

Moscow

$55 2.9%

Elista

$32 3.4% 42.2% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,533 in Moscow versus $479 in Elista. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Moscow are about 4.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Moscow versus $50 in Elista. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $185 – making Elista the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Moscow

🇷🇺 Elista

🕒 Local time

21:41 9:41 PM

Same time as Moscow

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,700,000 Capital

103,219

💱 Currency

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 RUB = 1.24 USD

100 RUB = 1.11 EUR

100 RUB = 1.24 USD

100 RUB = 1.11 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Moscow Elista 1,150 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Moscow
Elista

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 Elista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Moscow is pricier by about 103%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,883 per month in Moscow and $1,419 in Elista. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Elista, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $479 there versus $1,533 in Moscow.

Kindergarten costs $898 per month in Moscow and $348 in Elista. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% more in Moscow, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Families tend to lean toward Elista – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Elista. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Moscow makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.