Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $1,833 in Moscow, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

90

Cost of Living Index in Moscow
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Moscow Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

Jump to prices

Moscow

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,833

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Moscow and in Istanbul

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

A single person spends $1,833 per month in Moscow vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

Moscow $1,833
Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $2,835 per month in Moscow vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

Moscow $2,835
Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $3,837 per month in Moscow vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

Moscow $3,837
Istanbul $3,281

Moscow costs about 18% more than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Moscow and Istanbul sit above the global median – Moscow by 36%, Istanbul by 15%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.01 ₽1,002

$12.30 ₺609

-2.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 ₽4,987

$54.7 ₺2,708

9.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.97 ₽582

$9.22 ₺456

-24.40%

Cappuccino

$3.90 ₽326

$4.40 ₺218

-11.36%

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

$1.67 ₽140

$1.68 ₺83.1

-0.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₽73.1

$0.59 ₺29.40

49.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.88 ₽408

$4.70 ₺233

3.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 ₽459

$5.91 ₺292

-6.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ₽106

$1.21 ₺60.0

4.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ₽85.1

$0.89 ₺44.10

14.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 ₽139

$2.19 ₺108

-23.74%

Eggs

$1.92 ₽161

$2.35 ₺116

-18.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.46 ₽1,207

$10.42 ₺516

38.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 ₽558

$5.65 ₺280

18.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.11 ₽1,261

$20.94 ₺1,037

-27.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ₽170

$1.90 ₺94.1

7.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 ₽155

$2.31 ₺114

-19.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 ₽169

$1.28 ₺63.1

57.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 ₽338

$1.80 ₺89.0

125.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 ₽76.9

$0.65 ₺32.16

41.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 ₽62.5

$0.64 ₺31.91

17.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 ₽136

$1.25 ₺62.1

30.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₽76.0

$0.56 ₺27.58

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.42 ₽286

$2.37 ₺118

44.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.97 ₽999

$13.42 ₺664

-10.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₽100

$2.40 ₺119

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 ₽221

$3.48 ₺172

-24.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ₽75.7

$0.89 ₺43.84

2.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.33 ₽3,449

$67.4 ₺3,338

-38.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ₽300

$1.29 ₺64.1

179.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₽71.1

$0.92 ₺45.70

-7.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.10 ₽1,010

$10.96 ₺542

10.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 ₽72.8

$1.47 ₺72.9

-40.82%

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

$39.3K ₽3.3M

$50.8K ₺2.5M

-22.70%

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

$38.5K ₽3.2M

$44.5K ₺2.2M

-13.51%

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

$191 ₽16.0K

$88.6 ₺4,387

116.06%

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

$8.65 ₽722

$11.59 ₺574

-25.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.19 ₽850

$15.81 ₺783

-35.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.73 ₽3,566

$77.2 ₺3,820

-44.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.45 ₽3,710

$22.74 ₺1,126

95.47%

Cinema Ticket

$9.50 ₽793

$8.14 ₺403

16.71%

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

$817 ₽68.2K

$1,008 ₺49.9K

-18.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.7K ₽2.2M

$25.6K ₺1.3M

4.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 ₽9,172

$54.0 ₺2,671

103.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.9 ₽5,664

$40.83 ₺2,021

66.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 ₽12.2K

$98.9 ₺4,895

47.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 ₽15.4K

$96.6 ₺4,783

90.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,499 ₽125.1K

$985 ₺48.7K

52.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$804 ₽67.1K

$650 ₺32.2K

23.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,068 ₽256.0K

$1,983 ₺98.2K

54.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,501 ₽125.3K

$1,180 ₺58.4K

27.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.2K ₽855.4K

$3,138 ₺155.4K

226.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,709 ₽393.0K

$1,780 ₺88.1K

164.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,715 ₽143.1K

$1,205 ₺59.7K

42.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.56

40.92

-52.20%

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

Last update for Moscow: October 11, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Moscow

$804 43.9%

Istanbul

$650 41.9% 19.2% $154

Groceries & Markets

Moscow

$266 14.5%

Istanbul

$260 16.8% 2.4% $6.3

Clothing & Footwear

Moscow

$229 12.5%

Istanbul

$131 8.4% 42.9% $98

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Moscow

$210 11.5%

Istanbul

$116 7.5% 44.8% $94

Eating Out

Moscow

$209 11.4%

Istanbul

$223 14.4% 6.6% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Moscow

$62 3.4%

Istanbul

$93 6% 51.4% $32

Getting Around

Moscow

$53 2.9%

Istanbul

$77 5% 45.6% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,499 in Moscow versus $985 in Istanbul. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 42% higher in Moscow, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Moscow versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $260 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Moscow

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

03:15 3:15 AM

Same time as Moscow

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,700,000 Capital

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to RUB – Russian Ruble Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇺 Russian Ruble (₽)

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

USD to RUB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Moscow Istanbul 1,760 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Moscow
Istanbul

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 Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Moscow is pricier by about 18%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,749 per month in Moscow and $2,325 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Istanbul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $817 per month in Moscow and $1,008 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Moscow, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,550, than in Moscow at $1,833. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moscow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Istanbul. 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.