Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Irkutsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Irkutsk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,648 in Moscow versus $1,023 in Irkutsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,603 in Moscow versus $1,714 in Irkutsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,557 in Moscow versus $2,405 in Irkutsk.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Moscow is 23% above, Irkutsk is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.91 ₽943

$8.30 ₽606

55.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 ₽4,146

$35.10 ₽2,562

61.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 ₽458

$5.60 ₽409

12.14%

Cappuccino

$3.16 ₽231

$3.06 ₽223

3.27%

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

$1.38 ₽101

$1.49 ₽109

-7.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₽49.71

$0.42 ₽30.99

61.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.54 ₽331

$1.55 ₽113

192.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 ₽329

$2.58 ₽189

74.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 ₽96.8

$1.39 ₽101

-4.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₽64.8

$0.58 ₽42.11

53.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 ₽129

$1.73 ₽126

1.73%

Eggs

$1.85 ₽135

$2.21 ₽161

-16.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 ₽942

$14.94 ₽1,091

-13.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.89 ₽430

$6.36 ₽465

-7.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.24 ₽893

$12.60 ₽920

-2.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ₽138

$2.23 ₽163

-15.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ₽154

$2.50 ₽183

-15.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₽172

$3.03 ₽221

-22.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 ₽303

$4.70 ₽343

-11.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 ₽71.6

$1.08 ₽78.6

-9.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 ₽61.8

$0.92 ₽67.0

-7.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 ₽125

$2.16 ₽158

-20.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₽59.3

$0.72 ₽52.3

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₽227

$3.75 ₽274

-17.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.90 ₽795

$9.65 ₽704

12.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ₽79.3

$1.19 ₽87.1

-8.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 ₽173

$2.38 ₽173

-0.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ₽63.7

$0.49 ₽36.02

77.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.26 ₽2,793

$9.99 ₽729

282.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 ₽184

$1.85 ₽135

36.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 ₽34.51

$0.33 ₽24.07

42.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 ₽591

$4.68 ₽342

73.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 ₽59.2

$0.82 ₽60.1

-1.22%

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

$38.1K ₽2.8M

$29.6K ₽2.2M

28.95%

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

$37.2K ₽2.7M

$25.6K ₽1.9M

45.15%

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

$151 ₽11.0K

$95.9 ₽7,002

57.30%

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

$7.97 ₽582

$6.83 ₽499

16.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.99 ₽583

$9.34 ₽682

-14.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.81 ₽3,416

$38.98 ₽2,845

20.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.68 ₽2,531

$14.31 ₽1,045

142.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.26 ₽457

$4.97 ₽363

25.96%

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

$707 ₽51.6K

$282 ₽20.6K

150.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ₽1.1M

$6,973 ₽509.0K

108.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 ₽6,414

$36.85 ₽2,689

138.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 ₽3,892

$38.60 ₽2,817

38.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₽9,527

$102 ₽7,421

28.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 ₽11.6K

$105 ₽7,685

50.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,317 ₽96.1K

$551 ₽40.2K

139.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$734 ₽53.5K

$331 ₽24.2K

121.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,005 ₽219.3K

$1,165 ₽85.0K

157.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,393 ₽101.7K

$751 ₽54.8K

85.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.7K ₽856.4K

$3,153 ₽230.1K

272.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,027 ₽366.9K

$1,938 ₽141.4K

159.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,075 ₽151.5K

$816 ₽59.5K

154.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.39

19.29

26.44%

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

Last update for Moscow: June 2, 2026

Last update for Irkutsk: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,317 in Moscow and $551 in Irkutsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Moscow pays 154% 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 $35.00 in Irkutsk. Groceries flip the comparison at $247 vs $264, with Moscow cheaper for home cooking.

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 Irkutsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Irkutsk wins on cost – living expenses run 61% lower than in Moscow. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Irkutsk the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Moscow pays 154% 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: $1,317 in Moscow versus $551 in Irkutsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $707 in Moscow versus $282 in Irkutsk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Moscow pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,023 in Irkutsk versus $1,648 in Moscow, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Irkutsk but tight or insufficient in Moscow. The gap between the two cities makes Irkutsk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Irkutsk delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,023 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Irkutsk hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Irkutsk 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.