Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Obninsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Obninsk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,763 per month in Moscow vs $800 in Obninsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,760 per month in Moscow vs $1,228 in Obninsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,757 per month in Moscow vs $1,655 in Obninsk, rent included.

Moscow costs about 120% more than Obninsk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Moscow sits 29% above the global median, while Obninsk is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.93 ₽1,004

$10.79 ₽908

10.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.6 ₽5,012

$31.94 ₽2,687

86.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 ₽615

$7.24 ₽609

0.97%

Cappuccino

$3.67 ₽309

$2.90 ₽244

26.55%

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

$1.52 ₽128

$1.20 ₽101

26.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₽66.1

$0.45 ₽38.14

75.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.76 ₽401

$3.65 ₽307

30.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 ₽400

$2.38 ₽201

99.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 ₽101

$1.09 ₽91.5

10.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ₽82.6

$0.59 ₽49.52

66.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ₽142

$1.67 ₽141

1.20%

Eggs

$1.83 ₽154

$1.26 ₽106

45.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.58 ₽1,143

$7.31 ₽615

85.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₽526

$4.60 ₽387

35.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.09 ₽1,185

$8.41 ₽707

67.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 ₽174

$1.52 ₽128

36.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₽152

$1.64 ₽138

10.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ₽163

$1.75 ₽147

10.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 ₽347

$2.37 ₽200

74.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 ₽76.7

$0.55 ₽46.37

65.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₽55.0

$0.54 ₽45.47

20.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ₽135

$0.94 ₽79.0

70.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₽73.0

$0.58 ₽49.07

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 ₽283

$3.21 ₽270

4.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.70 ₽984

$8.41 ₽707

39.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₽96.3

$1.20 ₽101

-5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₽205

$1.78 ₽150

37.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ₽81.0

$0.43 ₽36.05

123.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.24 ₽3,385

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 ₽304

$3.59 ₽302

0.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 ₽60.7

$0.69 ₽58.3

4.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.61 ₽893

$10.80 ₽909

-1.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 ₽69.6

$0.80 ₽67.2

3.75%

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

$37.8K ₽3.2M

$37.7K ₽3.2M

0.19%

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

$37.5K ₽3.2M

$38.3K ₽3.2M

-1.94%

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

$183 ₽15.4K

-0.29%

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

$8.74 ₽736

$8.49 ₽714

2.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.74 ₽819

$9.68 ₽814

0.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.95 ₽3,361

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.59 ₽3,667

Cinema Ticket

$8.45 ₽711

$8.31 ₽699

1.68%

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

$784 ₽65.9K

$790 ₽66.5K

-0.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.7K ₽2.2M

$25.5K ₽2.1M

0.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 ₽8,546

$105 ₽8,820

-3.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 ₽5,172

$60.5 ₽5,086

1.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 ₽12.3K

$146 ₽12.3K

0.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 ₽14.7K

$176 ₽14.8K

-0.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 ₽122.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 ₽65.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,970 ₽249.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,428 ₽120.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.5K ₽880.1K

$3,153 ₽265.3K

231.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,624 ₽389.1K

$2,461 ₽207.1K

87.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,756 ₽147.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.52

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

Last update for Moscow: September 12, 2026

Last update for Obninsk: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Moscow versus $32.00 in Obninsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $175 – making Obninsk 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 Obninsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow costs about 120% more than Obninsk, 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 $2,645 per month in Moscow and $1,201 in Obninsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Moscow and $32.00 in Obninsk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Obninsk, where all-in costs run around $800, than in Moscow at $1,763. In Obninsk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moscow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Obninsk costs $800 versus $1,763 in Moscow. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Obninsk. 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.