Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Magadan Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Magadan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,638 in Moscow versus $1,103 in Magadan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,596 in Moscow versus $1,766 in Magadan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,554 in Moscow versus $2,428 in Magadan.

Living in Moscow is roughly 49% more expensive than in Magadan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Moscow is 23% above, Magadan is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.79 ₽1,020

$9.60 ₽766

33.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.5 ₽4,590

$63.5 ₽5,062

-9.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 ₽501

$5.55 ₽443

13.15%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ₽264

$3.11 ₽248

6.43%

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

$1.42 ₽114

$1.54 ₽123

-7.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₽53.5

$1.05 ₽84.0

-36.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.32 ₽345

$1.42 ₽113

204.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 ₽362

$2.57 ₽205

76.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 ₽103

$1.62 ₽129

-20.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 ₽71.5

$1.06 ₽84.5

-15.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ₽135

$1.42 ₽113

19.01%

Eggs

$1.87 ₽149

$2.99 ₽239

-37.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 ₽1,035

$15.10 ₽1,205

-14.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.99 ₽478

$8.88 ₽709

-32.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.95 ₽953

$15.74 ₽1,256

-24.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ₽149

$1.80 ₽143

3.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 ₽164

$3.50 ₽279

-41.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ₽183

$3.09 ₽247

-25.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 ₽320

$2.80 ₽223

43.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 ₽82.1

$1.34 ₽107

-23.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 ₽64.5

$1.17 ₽93.1

-30.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 ₽135

$0.85 ₽67.9

98.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₽63.5

$1.22 ₽97.7

-34.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₽248

$3.19 ₽255

-2.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 ₽1,013

$12.19 ₽973

4.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ₽89.5

$1.03 ₽82.1

8.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ₽194

$2.51 ₽200

-3.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ₽68.7

$0.99 ₽79.0

-13.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.82 ₽3,017

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.49 ₽199

$1.51 ₽120

64.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ₽35.45

$0.33 ₽25.97

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 ₽632

$6.26 ₽499

26.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₽65.3

$0.77 ₽61.2

6.49%

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

$37.4K ₽3.0M

$33.7K ₽2.7M

10.88%

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

$36.2K ₽2.9M

$35.5K ₽2.8M

1.80%

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

$151 ₽12.0K

$111 ₽8,883

35.33%

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

$8.00 ₽638

$5.92 ₽472

35.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.82 ₽624

$7.74 ₽618

1.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.92 ₽3,743

$35.71 ₽2,849

31.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.41 ₽2,745

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 ₽494

$5.22 ₽416

18.58%

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

$697 ₽55.6K

$325 ₽26.0K

114.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ₽1.2M

$7,043 ₽561.9K

108.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 ₽7,086

$68.7 ₽5,484

29.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.0 ₽4,224

$43.94 ₽3,505

20.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 ₽10.7K

$116 ₽9,222

15.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 ₽12.9K

$107 ₽8,552

50.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,344 ₽107.3K

$439 ₽35.0K

206.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$738 ₽58.9K

$300 ₽23.9K

145.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 ₽236.5K

$776 ₽61.9K

281.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,434 ₽114.4K

$517 ₽41.3K

177.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ₽863.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,627 ₽369.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,794 ₽143.1K

$1,019 ₽81.3K

76.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.39

103.25%

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

Last update for Moscow: July 28, 2026

Last update for Magadan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,344 in Moscow and $439 in Magadan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Moscow pays 76% 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: $58.0 in Moscow vs $63.0 in Magadan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $297 per month, with Moscow 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 Magadan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Magadan wins on cost – living expenses run 49% lower than in Moscow. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Magadan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 76% higher in Moscow, 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: $1,344 in Moscow versus $439 in Magadan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $697 in Moscow versus $325 in Magadan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Magadan – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $58.0 in Moscow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,103 in Magadan versus $1,638 in Moscow, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Magadan but tight or insufficient in Moscow. The gap between the two cities makes Magadan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Magadan delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,103 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Magadan hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Magadan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Moscow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.