Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Makhachkala

For one person, living is cheaper in Makhachkala: $1,049 a month against $1,887 in Moscow, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

90

Cost of Living Index in Moscow
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Moscow Living Index
51

Cost of Living Index in Makhachkala
Learn more

Makhachkala Living Index

Jump to prices

Moscow

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,887

/mo nomad

Makhachkala

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,049

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Moscow and in Makhachkala

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

A single person spends $1,887 per month in Moscow vs $1,049 in Makhachkala, rent included.

Moscow $1,887
Makhachkala $1,049

A couple spends around $2,893 per month in Moscow vs $1,635 in Makhachkala, rent included.

Moscow $2,893
Makhachkala $1,635

A family of three spends $3,899 per month in Moscow vs $2,222 in Makhachkala, rent included.

Moscow $3,899
Makhachkala $2,222

Moscow costs about 80% more than Makhachkala, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Moscow sits 39% above the global median, while Makhachkala is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.20 ₽1,018

$10.80 ₽902

12.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 ₽4,952

$36.26 ₽3,026

63.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 ₽589

$6.40 ₽534

10.31%

Cappuccino

$3.90 ₽326

$3.05 ₽255

27.87%

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

$1.70 ₽142

$1.25 ₽104

36.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₽71.6

$0.51 ₽42.98

68.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 ₽411

$1.98 ₽165

148.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 ₽437

$2.83 ₽236

84.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 ₽103

$1.12 ₽93.1

9.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ₽85.2

$0.72 ₽60.3

41.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 ₽147

$1.44 ₽120

22.92%

Eggs

$1.97 ₽164

$1.63 ₽136

20.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.72 ₽1,229

$11.49 ₽959

28.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.97 ₽582

$5.42 ₽453

28.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.33 ₽1,279

$11.18 ₽933

37.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 ₽179

$1.79 ₽149

20.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₽150

$1.78 ₽148

1.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 ₽171

$1.84 ₽153

11.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 ₽333

$2.69 ₽225

48.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 ₽77.6

$0.84 ₽69.8

10.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 ₽59.8

$0.61 ₽51.2

18.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 ₽138

$1.44 ₽120

14.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₽83.6

$0.71 ₽59.2

40.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.61 ₽301

$3.39 ₽283

6.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.11 ₽1,011

$7.84 ₽654

54.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₽103

$1.04 ₽87.1

18.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 ₽220

$1.78 ₽149

48.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 ₽83.6

$0.47 ₽39.20

112.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.43 ₽3,541

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 ₽298

$2.12 ₽177

68.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 ₽67.7

$0.34 ₽28.11

138.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.22 ₽1,020

$6.02 ₽503

102.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 ₽78.5

$0.84 ₽70.3

11.90%

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

$43.9K ₽3.7M

$57.5K ₽4.8M

-23.68%

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

$39.5K ₽3.3M

$37.4K ₽3.1M

5.71%

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

$195 ₽16.2K

$121 ₽10.1K

60.65%

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

$8.83 ₽737

$5.46 ₽455

61.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.13 ₽845

$8.46 ₽706

19.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.77 ₽3,570

$35.95 ₽3,001

18.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.27 ₽3,779

$23.54 ₽1,964

92.31%

Cinema Ticket

$9.48 ₽791

$6.23 ₽520

52.17%

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

$850 ₽70.9K

$343 ₽28.7K

147.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.1K ₽2.4M

$6,198 ₽517.3K

368.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 ₽9,237

$87.1 ₽7,266

27.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.4 ₽5,709

$60.4 ₽5,044

13.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 ₽12.4K

$119 ₽9,895

24.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 ₽15.4K

$109 ₽9,073

69.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 ₽123.5K

$467 ₽39.0K

216.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$846 ₽70.6K

$317 ₽26.5K

166.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,083 ₽257.3K

$916 ₽76.4K

236.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,542 ₽128.7K

$571 ₽47.7K

169.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.1K ₽844.1K

$2,241 ₽187.0K

351.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,782 ₽399.1K

$1,521 ₽126.9K

214.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,743 ₽145.4K

$614 ₽51.3K

183.66%

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 Makhachkala: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Moscow

$846 44.8%

Makhachkala

$317 30.3% 62.5% $529

Groceries & Markets

Moscow

$271 14.3%

Makhachkala

$209 19.9% 22.9% $62

Clothing & Footwear

Moscow

$230 12.2%

Makhachkala

$169 16.1% 26.7% $62

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Moscow

$214 11.3%

Makhachkala

$135 12.9% 36.8% $79

Eating Out

Moscow

$211 11.2%

Makhachkala

$165 15.7% 21.8% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Moscow

$62 3.3%

Makhachkala

$48 4.6% 21.6% $13

Getting Around

Moscow

$54 2.9%

Makhachkala

$5.7 * 0.5% 89.5% $48

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,480 in Moscow versus $467 in Makhachkala. 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 184% 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 $59.0 in Moscow versus $36.00 in Makhachkala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $209 – making Makhachkala the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Moscow

🇷🇺 Makhachkala

🕒 Local time

15:32 3:32 PM

Same time as Moscow

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,700,000 Capital

604,266

💱 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 Makhachkala 1,590 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Moscow
Makhachkala

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 Makhachkala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Moscow is pricier by about 80%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,831 per month in Moscow and $1,573 in Makhachkala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,887 in Moscow and $1,049 in Makhachkala. That's a gap of about 80%.

Kindergarten costs $850 per month in Moscow and $343 in Makhachkala. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Makhachkala, where all-in costs run around $1,049, than in Moscow at $1,887. In Makhachkala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moscow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Makhachkala – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Makhachkala. 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.