Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Kislovodsk

For one person, living is cheaper in Kislovodsk: $1,017 a month against $1,887 in Moscow, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

90

Cost of Living Index in Moscow
Learn more

Moscow Living Index
51

Cost of Living Index in Kislovodsk
Learn more

Kislovodsk Living Index

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Moscow

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,887

/mo nomad

Kislovodsk

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,017

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Moscow and in Kislovodsk

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,887 in Moscow versus $1,017 in Kislovodsk.

Moscow $1,887
Kislovodsk $1,017

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,893 in Moscow versus $1,644 in Kislovodsk.

Moscow $2,893
Kislovodsk $1,644

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,899 in Moscow versus $2,272 in Kislovodsk.

Moscow $3,899
Kislovodsk $2,272

Living in Moscow is roughly 86% more expensive than in Kislovodsk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Moscow is 39% above, Kislovodsk is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.20 ₽1,018

$11.88 ₽992

2.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 ₽4,952

$38.01 ₽3,173

56.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 ₽589

$5.40 ₽451

30.74%

Cappuccino

$3.90 ₽326

$2.74 ₽229

42.34%

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

$1.70 ₽142

$1.15 ₽95.9

47.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₽71.6

$0.61 ₽50.8

40.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 ₽411

$1.84 ₽154

167.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 ₽437

$2.86 ₽238

82.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 ₽103

$1.17 ₽98.0

5.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ₽85.2

$0.79 ₽65.7

29.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 ₽147

$1.43 ₽120

23.78%

Eggs

$1.97 ₽164

$1.46 ₽122

34.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.72 ₽1,229

$11.61 ₽969

26.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.97 ₽582

$5.40 ₽450

29.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.33 ₽1,279

$11.25 ₽939

36.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 ₽179

$1.78 ₽149

20.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₽150

$1.97 ₽165

-8.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 ₽171

$1.93 ₽161

6.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 ₽333

$2.66 ₽222

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 ₽77.6

$0.83 ₽69.2

12.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 ₽59.8

$0.59 ₽48.93

22.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 ₽138

$1.25 ₽105

32.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₽83.6

$0.82 ₽68.8

21.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.61 ₽301

$2.99 ₽249

20.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.11 ₽1,011

$6.83 ₽570

77.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₽103

$1.06 ₽88.1

16.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 ₽220

$1.95 ₽163

35.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 ₽83.6

$0.55 ₽45.87

81.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.43 ₽3,541

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 ₽298

$2.75 ₽230

29.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 ₽67.7

$0.31 ₽26.19

161.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.22 ₽1,020

$5.45 ₽455

124.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 ₽78.5

$0.84 ₽70.0

11.90%

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

$43.9K ₽3.7M

$52.7K ₽4.4M

-16.73%

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

$39.5K ₽3.3M

$38.6K ₽3.2M

2.47%

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

$195 ₽16.2K

$116 ₽9,669

68.04%

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

$8.83 ₽737

$5.69 ₽475

55.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.13 ₽845

$7.44 ₽621

36.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.77 ₽3,570

$33.19 ₽2,770

28.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.27 ₽3,779

$27.21 ₽2,271

66.37%

Cinema Ticket

$9.48 ₽791

$6.19 ₽517

53.15%

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

$850 ₽70.9K

$305 ₽25.4K

178.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.1K ₽2.4M

$7,051 ₽588.5K

312.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 ₽9,237

$86.4 ₽7,208

28.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.4 ₽5,709

$53.5 ₽4,465

27.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 ₽12.4K

$119 ₽9,902

24.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 ₽15.4K

$99.5 ₽8,304

85.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 ₽123.5K

$518 ₽43.3K

185.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$846 ₽70.6K

$298 ₽24.9K

183.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,083 ₽257.3K

$885 ₽73.9K

248.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,542 ₽128.7K

$625 ₽52.2K

146.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.1K ₽844.1K

$2,022 ₽168.7K

400.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,782 ₽399.1K

$1,648 ₽137.6K

190.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,743 ₽145.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.56

21.45

-8.81%

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

Last update for Moscow: October 19, 2026

Last update for Kislovodsk: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Moscow

$846 44.8%

Kislovodsk

$298 29.4% 64.7% $548

Groceries & Markets

Moscow

$271 14.3%

Kislovodsk

$210 20.7% 22.4% $61

Clothing & Footwear

Moscow

$230 12.2%

Kislovodsk

$161 15.9% 30% $69

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Moscow

$214 11.3%

Kislovodsk

$129 12.7% 39.6% $85

Eating Out

Moscow

$211 11.2%

Kislovodsk

$166 16.3% 21.2% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Moscow

$62 3.3%

Kislovodsk

$46 4.5% 26.2% $16

Getting Around

Moscow

$54 2.9%

Kislovodsk

$6.5 * 0.6% 87.9% $48

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,480 in Moscow and $518 in Kislovodsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $59.0 in Moscow vs $38.00 in Kislovodsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $210 per month, with Kislovodsk cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Moscow

🇷🇺 Kislovodsk

🕒 Local time

15:08 3:08 PM

Same time as Moscow

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,700,000 Capital

127,919

💱 Currency

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Moscow Kislovodsk 1,370 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Moscow
Kislovodsk

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 Kislovodsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kislovodsk is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,831 in Moscow and $1,525 in Kislovodsk to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,480 in Moscow versus $518 in Kislovodsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Moscow. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,887 per month in Moscow versus $1,017 in Kislovodsk – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Kislovodsk versus $1,887 in Moscow, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kislovodsk but tight or insufficient in Moscow. The gap between the two cities makes Kislovodsk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kislovodsk is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Moscow, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Moscow and Kislovodsk are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kislovodsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Moscow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.