Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Kostroma Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Kostroma

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,707 per month in Moscow vs $915 in Kostroma, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,604 per month in Moscow vs $1,420 in Kostroma, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,501 per month in Moscow vs $1,925 in Kostroma, rent included.

Moscow costs about 86% more than Kostroma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Moscow sits 24% above the global median, while Kostroma is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.43 ₽981

$17.27 ₽1,483

-33.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.2 ₽4,912

$51.7 ₽4,438

10.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 ₽598

$7.13 ₽612

-2.38%

Cappuccino

$3.47 ₽298

$2.86 ₽245

21.33%

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

$1.53 ₽132

$1.46 ₽125

4.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₽66.8

$0.66 ₽56.7

18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.68 ₽401

$1.72 ₽148

172.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 ₽409

$2.45 ₽210

94.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 ₽100

$1.15 ₽99.1

1.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 ₽82.9

$0.55 ₽47.51

76.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 ₽138

$1.32 ₽113

21.97%

Eggs

$1.85 ₽159

$1.21 ₽104

52.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.72 ₽1,092

$4.17 ₽357

205.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 ₽534

$3.47 ₽298

79.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ₽1,156

$3.78 ₽325

256.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₽163

$0.83 ₽70.9

128.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 ₽147

$1.52 ₽130

12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ₽167

$0.93 ₽80.0

108.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 ₽338

$1.34 ₽115

194.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ₽70.6

$0.74 ₽63.2

10.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₽54.6

$0.42 ₽36.27

52.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 ₽135

$1.02 ₽87.5

53.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₽74.5

$0.65 ₽55.4

33.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 ₽271

$3.05 ₽262

3.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.64 ₽999

$5.06 ₽434

130.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₽99.5

$1.12 ₽95.9

3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₽206

$1.96 ₽168

22.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 ₽79.4

$0.37 ₽31.54

148.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.35 ₽3,377

$20.39 ₽1,750

92.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 ₽302

$1.37 ₽118

156.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₽59.0

$0.14 ₽12.37

392.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.93 ₽766

$7.01 ₽602

27.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 ₽73.2

$0.76 ₽65.5

11.84%

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

$36.9K ₽3.2M

$23.5K ₽2.0M

56.56%

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

$38.1K ₽3.3M

$26.4K ₽2.3M

44.31%

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

$180 ₽15.5K

$125 ₽10.7K

44.81%

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

$8.22 ₽705

$6.36 ₽546

29.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.47 ₽812

$7.64 ₽655

23.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.64 ₽3,144

$28.93 ₽2,483

26.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.52 ₽3,735

$17.43 ₽1,496

149.68%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₽677

$6.96 ₽598

13.36%

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

$738 ₽63.3K

$300 ₽25.8K

145.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.5K ₽1.9M

$6,591 ₽565.6K

240.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.0 ₽8,241

$63.6 ₽5,460

50.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.2 ₽5,084

$52.6 ₽4,516

12.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 ₽11.6K

$106 ₽9,138

27.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$169 ₽14.5K

$102 ₽8,756

65.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,393 ₽119.5K

$369 ₽31.6K

277.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$743 ₽63.8K

$211 ₽18.1K

252.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,793 ₽239.7K

$579 ₽49.7K

382.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,397 ₽119.9K

$345 ₽29.6K

305.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.0K ₽861.5K

$1,755 ₽150.7K

471.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,413 ₽378.7K

$856 ₽73.5K

415.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,665 ₽142.9K

$902 ₽77.4K

84.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.86

-0.70%

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

Last update for Moscow: August 31, 2026

Last update for Kostroma: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,393 in Moscow versus $369 in Kostroma. 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 84% 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 $57.0 in Moscow versus $52.0 in Kostroma. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $127 – making Kostroma the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kostroma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow costs about 86% more than Kostroma, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,561 per month in Moscow and $1,373 in Kostroma. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 95% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Moscow and $52.0 in Kostroma. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kostroma, where all-in costs run around $915, than in Moscow at $1,707. In Kostroma it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moscow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kostroma costs $915 versus $1,707 in Moscow. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Kostroma. 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.