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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,683 per month in Moscow vs $1,111 in Kostroma, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,643 per month in Moscow vs $1,756 in Kostroma, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,603 per month in Moscow vs $2,400 in Kostroma, rent included.

Moscow costs about 51% more than Kostroma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Moscow sits 26% above the global median, while Kostroma is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.68 ₽996

$12.81 ₽1,006

-1.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.3 ₽4,500

$58.4 ₽4,586

-1.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.42 ₽504

$6.19 ₽486

3.72%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ₽262

$3.16 ₽248

5.70%

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

$1.39 ₽109

$1.44 ₽113

-3.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₽53.2

$0.64 ₽50.3

6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.42 ₽347

$4.46 ₽351

-0.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 ₽345

$4.35 ₽342

0.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ₽100.0

$1.23 ₽96.6

3.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₽69.3

$0.58 ₽45.57

51.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ₽133

$1.54 ₽121

9.74%

Eggs

$1.92 ₽151

$1.48 ₽117

29.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.38 ₽1,051

$9.46 ₽744

41.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.15 ₽483

$4.38 ₽344

40.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.27 ₽964

$9.88 ₽776

24.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 ₽153

$1.44 ₽113

34.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 ₽163

$1.61 ₽127

28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ₽181

$1.24 ₽97.1

86.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 ₽330

$2.29 ₽180

82.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 ₽78.4

$0.99 ₽77.9

1.01%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 ₽67.5

$0.76 ₽59.7

13.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 ₽130

$1.12 ₽88.2

48.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₽59.2

$0.66 ₽51.6

13.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ₽245

$3.19 ₽250

-2.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 ₽1,002

$5.88 ₽462

117.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ₽85.1

$1.09 ₽85.5

-0.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₽184

$2.42 ₽190

-3.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ₽68.0

$0.42 ₽33.02

107.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.34 ₽2,934

$22.66 ₽1,780

64.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 ₽202

$1.49 ₽117

72.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ₽34.64

$0.14 ₽11.38

214.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.05 ₽632

$7.67 ₽602

4.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 ₽63.2

$0.75 ₽58.8

6.67%

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

$37.8K ₽3.0M

$25.6K ₽2.0M

47.46%

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

$36.0K ₽2.8M

$29.2K ₽2.3M

23.49%

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

$150 ₽11.8K

-0.47%

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

$8.15 ₽640

$7.79 ₽612

4.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.13 ₽639

$4.97 ₽390

63.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.80 ₽3,755

$25.60 ₽2,011

86.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.23 ₽2,768

Cinema Ticket

$6.33 ₽498

$6.24 ₽491

1.44%

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

$694 ₽54.5K

$699 ₽54.9K

-0.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ₽1.2M

$14.4K ₽1.1M

3.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.3 ₽6,859

$88.6 ₽6,964

-1.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 ₽4,158

$53.4 ₽4,194

-0.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 ₽10.4K

-0.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 ₽12.9K

$160 ₽12.6K

2.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 ₽105.7K

$442 ₽34.7K

204.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 ₽59.4K

$308 ₽24.2K

145.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,963 ₽232.8K

$748 ₽58.7K

296.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,385 ₽108.8K

$514 ₽40.4K

169.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.0K ₽865.0K

$1,927 ₽151.4K

471.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,689 ₽368.3K

$986 ₽77.4K

375.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,779 ₽139.8K

$1,002 ₽78.7K

77.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.39

14.67

66.26%

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

Last update for Moscow: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kostroma: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,346 in Moscow versus $442 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 78% 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 $58.0 in Kostroma. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Moscow vs $182 in Kostroma – so Kostroma wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 51% 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 $2,525 per month in Moscow and $1,667 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 38% 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 $58.0 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 $1,111, than in Moscow at $1,683. 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 $1,111 versus $1,683 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.