Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Kislovodsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Kislovodsk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,689 in Moscow versus $964 in Kislovodsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,582 in Moscow versus $1,477 in Kislovodsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,475 in Moscow versus $1,990 in Kislovodsk.

Living in Moscow is roughly 75% more expensive than Kislovodsk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Moscow is 26% above, Kislovodsk is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.95 ₽931

$9.43 ₽678

37.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.0 ₽4,098

$38.53 ₽2,770

47.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.31 ₽454

$5.88 ₽423

7.31%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ₽238

$2.29 ₽165

44.54%

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

$1.40 ₽100

$1.07 ₽77.2

30.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₽45.27

$0.52 ₽37.58

21.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.35 ₽313

$1.43 ₽103

204.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 ₽325

$2.60 ₽187

74.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 ₽96.9

$1.12 ₽80.2

20.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₽63.8

$0.70 ₽50.0

27.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 ₽121

$1.38 ₽99.4

21.74%

Eggs

$1.85 ₽133

$1.71 ₽123

8.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.94 ₽930

$10.69 ₽769

21.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.02 ₽433

$4.88 ₽351

23.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 ₽876

$8.75 ₽629

39.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 ₽139

$1.74 ₽125

11.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 ₽148

$1.82 ₽131

13.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ₽163

$1.91 ₽137

18.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 ₽291

$2.65 ₽191

52.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 ₽70.7

$0.79 ₽56.5

24.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 ₽57.1

$0.67 ₽48.51

17.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 ₽121

$1.34 ₽96.5

26.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₽57.0

$0.66 ₽47.57

19.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₽232

$3.02 ₽217

6.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.88 ₽783

$7.32 ₽526

48.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₽80.0

$1.00 ₽72.2

11.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₽174

$1.88 ₽135

28.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ₽64.8

$0.49 ₽35.02

83.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.34 ₽2,757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 ₽180

$1.86 ₽134

34.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 ₽32.21

$0.32 ₽23.25

40.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 ₽570

$6.33 ₽455

25.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₽58.8

$0.78 ₽55.9

5.13%

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

$37.4K ₽2.7M

$33.7K ₽2.4M

11.07%

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

$36.6K ₽2.6M

$36.1K ₽2.6M

1.46%

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

$150 ₽10.8K

$109 ₽7,837

37.39%

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

$8.15 ₽586

$6.07 ₽436

34.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.04 ₽578

$7.67 ₽551

4.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.24 ₽3,396

$36.10 ₽2,596

30.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.36 ₽2,470

Cinema Ticket

$6.45 ₽464

$5.18 ₽372

24.52%

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

$698 ₽50.2K

$329 ₽23.7K

111.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ₽1.1M

$7,048 ₽506.8K

109.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.6 ₽6,299

$70.8 ₽5,089

23.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 ₽3,794

$43.72 ₽3,144

20.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₽9,388

$112 ₽8,061

16.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 ₽11.5K

$108 ₽7,794

47.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 ₽94.2K

$441 ₽31.7K

197.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 ₽53.2K

$304 ₽21.8K

143.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,942 ₽211.5K

$747 ₽53.7K

293.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,435 ₽103.2K

$503 ₽36.2K

184.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₽852.6K

$2,445 ₽175.8K

385.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,856 ₽349.1K

$1,637 ₽117.7K

196.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,014 ₽144.8K

$847 ₽60.9K

137.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.39

15.33

59.10%

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

Last update for Moscow: June 6, 2026

Last update for Kislovodsk: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,310 in Moscow and $441 in Kislovodsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Moscow pays 138% 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 $39.00 in Kislovodsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $194 per month, with Kislovodsk cheaper across the board.

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 & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 75% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Moscow pays 138% 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: $1,310 in Moscow versus $441 in Kislovodsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Moscow. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,689 per month in Moscow versus $964 in Kislovodsk – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $964 in Kislovodsk versus $1,689 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 75% less than in Moscow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.