Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Murmansk

For one person, living is cheaper in Murmansk: $1,095 a month against $1,922 in Moscow, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

92

Cost of Living Index in Moscow
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Moscow Living Index
53

Cost of Living Index in Murmansk
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Murmansk Living Index

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Moscow

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,922

/mo nomad

Murmansk

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,095

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Moscow and in Murmansk

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

A single person spends $1,922 per month in Moscow vs $1,095 in Murmansk, rent included.

Moscow $1,922
Murmansk $1,095

A couple spends around $2,941 per month in Moscow vs $1,700 in Murmansk, rent included.

Moscow $2,941
Murmansk $1,700

A family of three spends $3,960 per month in Moscow vs $2,305 in Murmansk, rent included.

Moscow $3,960
Murmansk $2,305

Moscow costs about 76% more than Murmansk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Moscow sits 41% above the global median, while Murmansk is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.50 ₽1,008

$11.01 ₽888

13.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₽4,939

$39.21 ₽3,162

56.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ₽617

$6.55 ₽528

16.79%

Cappuccino

$3.84 ₽309

$2.92 ₽236

31.51%

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

$1.74 ₽140

$1.21 ₽97.8

43.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₽68.8

$0.63 ₽50.9

34.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.83 ₽390

$1.61 ₽130

200.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 ₽417

$3.30 ₽266

56.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 ₽107

$1.15 ₽92.6

14.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 ₽84.0

$0.79 ₽63.7

31.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 ₽143

$1.47 ₽119

20.41%

Eggs

$2.02 ₽163

$1.59 ₽128

27.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.08 ₽1,216

$11.85 ₽956

27.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 ₽553

$5.40 ₽436

27.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.29 ₽1,233

$11.90 ₽960

28.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 ₽173

$1.86 ₽150

15.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₽148

$1.66 ₽134

10.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 ₽164

$1.72 ₽139

18.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 ₽334

$2.40 ₽194

72.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 ₽76.0

$0.80 ₽64.3

17.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 ₽62.0

$0.60 ₽48.61

28.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 ₽137

$1.31 ₽106

29.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ₽81.3

$0.65 ₽52.0

55.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.71 ₽299

$3.34 ₽270

11.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.23 ₽986

$8.64 ₽697

41.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 ₽102

$1.08 ₽87.3

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 ₽220

$2.11 ₽170

29.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ₽77.4

$0.65 ₽52.1

47.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.33 ₽3,494

$31.91 ₽2,573

35.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 ₽296

$2.59 ₽209

42.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 ₽67.6

$0.38 ₽30.55

121.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.33 ₽994

$5.98 ₽483

106.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 ₽77.4

$0.83 ₽66.7

15.66%

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

$45.4K ₽3.7M

$53.2K ₽4.3M

-14.71%

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

$41.2K ₽3.3M

$41.0K ₽3.3M

0.53%

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

$199 ₽16.0K

$115 ₽9,294

72.54%

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

$9.04 ₽729

$6.73 ₽543

34.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.05 ₽810

$8.69 ₽701

15.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.51 ₽3,589

$37.42 ₽3,018

18.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.40 ₽3,823

$24.10 ₽1,943

96.68%

Cinema Ticket

$9.63 ₽777

$6.49 ₽524

48.38%

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

$898 ₽72.4K

$362 ₽29.2K

148.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K ₽2.4M

$6,537 ₽527.2K

348.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 ₽9,411

$84.8 ₽6,838

37.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.4 ₽5,595

$53.9 ₽4,344

28.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$153 ₽12.3K

$125 ₽10.0K

22.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$188 ₽15.1K

$107 ₽8,601

76.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,533 ₽123.6K

$482 ₽38.9K

218.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$860 ₽69.4K

$332 ₽26.8K

158.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,127 ₽252.2K

$1,033 ₽83.3K

202.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,552 ₽125.1K

$571 ₽46.0K

171.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.5K ₽845.5K

$2,272 ₽183.2K

361.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,981 ₽401.7K

$1,523 ₽122.8K

227.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,798 ₽145.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.58

21.45

-8.72%

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

Last update for Moscow: October 25, 2026

Last update for Murmansk: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Moscow

$860 44.7%

Murmansk

$332 30.4% 61.4% $528

Groceries & Markets

Moscow

$274 14.3%

Murmansk

$211 19.3% 22.9% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Moscow

$237 12.3%

Murmansk

$166 15.2% 29.8% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Moscow

$218 11.3%

Murmansk

$131 11.9% 40% $87

Eating Out

Moscow

$214 11.1%

Murmansk

$165 15.1% 23% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Moscow

$64 3.3%

Murmansk

$50 4.6% 21% $13

Getting Around

Moscow

$55 2.9%

Murmansk

$39 3.6% 29.2% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,533 in Moscow versus $482 in Murmansk. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Moscow versus $39 in Murmansk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $211 – making Murmansk the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Moscow

🇷🇺 Murmansk

🕒 Local time

00:50 12:50 AM

Same time as Moscow

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,700,000 Capital

282,851

💱 Currency

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 RUB = 1.24 USD

100 RUB = 1.11 EUR

100 RUB = 1.24 USD

100 RUB = 1.11 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Moscow Murmansk 1,490 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Moscow
Murmansk

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 Murmansk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow costs about 76% more than Murmansk, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,883 per month in Moscow and $1,643 in Murmansk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Murmansk, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $1,533 in Moscow.

Public transport costs about 26% less in Murmansk. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $898 per month in Moscow and $362 in Murmansk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

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

For expats, Murmansk is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 43% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.