Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Ishim

For one person, living is cheaper in Ishim: $1,031 a month against $1,922 in Moscow, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Moscow, Russia
Ishim, Russia
Moscow
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,922
/mo nomad
Ishim
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,031
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Moscow and in Ishim

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

A single person spends $1,922 per month in Moscow vs $1,031 in Ishim, rent included.

  • Moscow $1,922
  • Ishim $1,031

A couple spends around $2,941 per month in Moscow vs $1,593 in Ishim, rent included.

  • Moscow $2,941
  • Ishim $1,593

A family of three spends $3,960 per month in Moscow vs $2,156 in Ishim, rent included.

  • Moscow $3,960
  • Ishim $2,156

Moscow costs about 86% more than Ishim, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Moscow sits 41% above the global median, while Ishim is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Moscow
Ishim
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.50 ₽1,011
$7.32 ₽592
70.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 ₽4,954
$36.06 ₽2,917
69.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.65 ₽619
$4.80 ₽389
59.38%
Cappuccino
$3.84 ₽310
$2.82 ₽228
36.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 ₽141
$1.55 ₽125
12.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 ₽69.0
$0.75 ₽61.0
13.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.83 ₽391
$2.15 ₽174
124.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.17 ₽418
$3.06 ₽247
68.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Moscow
Ishim
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 ₽107
$1.11 ₽89.9
18.92%
White Bread (500g)
$1.04 ₽84.2
$0.88 ₽71.2
18.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 ₽143
$1.18 ₽95.6
50.00%
Eggs
$2.02 ₽163
$1.35 ₽109
49.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.08 ₽1,220
$9.02 ₽730
67.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.86 ₽555
$5.23 ₽423
31.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.29 ₽1,237
$10.60 ₽857
44.25%
Apples (1kg)
$2.14 ₽173
$1.86 ₽150
15.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.83 ₽148
$1.79 ₽145
2.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 ₽164
$1.78 ₽144
14.04%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.14 ₽335
$1.84 ₽149
125.00%
Potato (1kg)
$0.94 ₽76.2
$0.44 ₽35.34
113.64%
Onion (1kg)
$0.77 ₽62.1
$0.28 ₽22.59
175.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.69 ₽137
$1.36 ₽110
24.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.01 ₽81.6
$0.84 ₽67.9
20.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.71 ₽300
$3.04 ₽246
22.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.23 ₽989
$11.86 ₽960
3.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 ₽102
$1.07 ₽86.3
17.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 ₽221
$1.97 ₽159
38.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Moscow
Ishim
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.96 ₽77.6
$0.52 ₽42.03
84.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$43.33 ₽3,505
$25.14 ₽2,033
72.35%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.68 ₽297
$2.38 ₽193
54.62%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.84 ₽67.8
$0.37 ₽30.22
127.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$12.33 ₽997
$5.83 ₽472
111.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.96 ₽77.7
$0.86 ₽69.5
11.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$45.4K ₽3.7M
$52.1K ₽4.2M
-12.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.2K ₽3.3M
$40.4K ₽3.3M
1.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Moscow
Ishim
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$199 ₽16.1K
$123 ₽9,926
62.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.04 ₽731
$6.18 ₽500
46.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.05 ₽813
$8.67 ₽701
15.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Moscow
Ishim
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.51 ₽3,600
$35.75 ₽2,892
24.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$47.40 ₽3,834
$24.20 ₽1,958
95.87%
Cinema Ticket
$9.63 ₽779
$7.18 ₽581
34.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Moscow
Ishim
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$898 ₽72.7K
$346 ₽28.0K
159.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$29.3K ₽2.4M
$6,297 ₽509.4K
365.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Moscow
Ishim
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$117 ₽9,439
$80.0 ₽6,473
45.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$69.4 ₽5,612
$52.7 ₽4,263
31.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$153 ₽12.4K
$120 ₽9,747
27.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$188 ₽15.2K
$103 ₽8,320
82.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Moscow
Ishim
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,533 ₽124.0K
$466 ₽37.7K
228.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$860 ₽69.6K
$317 ₽25.6K
171.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,127 ₽252.9K
$910 ₽73.6K
243.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,552 ₽125.5K
$563 ₽45.5K
175.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.5K ₽848.1K
$2,288 ₽185.1K
358.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,981 ₽403.0K
$1,510 ₽122.2K
229.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Moscow
Ishim
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,798 ₽145.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
19.58
25.7
-23.81%

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

Last update for Moscow: October 25, 2026

Last update for Ishim: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Moscow
$860
Ishim
$317 63.2% $543
Groceries & Markets
Moscow
$274
Ishim
$202 26.4% $72
Clothing & Footwear
Moscow
$237
Ishim
$160 32.4% $77
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Moscow
$218
Ishim
$138 36.9% $80
Eating Out
Moscow
$214
Ishim
$133 37.9% $81
Sport & Entertainment
Moscow
$64
Ishim
$50 21.4% $14
Getting Around
Moscow
$55
Ishim
$31 42.8% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,533 in Moscow versus $466 in Ishim. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Moscow versus $36 in Ishim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $202 – making Ishim the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇷🇺 Moscow
🇷🇺 Ishim
🕒 Local time
05:29 5:29 AM
07:29 7:29 AM
2 h ahead of Moscow
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
12,700,000 Capital
64,010
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to RUB – Russian Ruble Converter

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 80.89 RUB (100 RUB = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 90.67 RUB (100 RUB = 1.1 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Moscow Ishim 1,970 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Moscow
  • Ishim

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 Ishim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ishim cheaper than Moscow?
Yes – Moscow is pricier by about 86%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,883 per month in Moscow and $1,546 in Ishim. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ishim, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $466 there versus $1,533 in Moscow.
Is eating out cheaper in Moscow or in Ishim?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Moscow and $36 in Ishim. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Moscow and in Ishim?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,922 in Moscow and $1,031 in Ishim. That makes Ishim about 46% cheaper.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Moscow or in Ishim?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ishim, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Moscow at $1,922. In Ishim it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moscow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Moscow or Ishim more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Ishim – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Ishim is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 46% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Moscow vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?