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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,637 per month in Moscow vs $1,117 in Obninsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,608 per month in Moscow vs $1,803 in Obninsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,579 per month in Moscow vs $2,488 in Obninsk, rent included.

Moscow costs about 47% more than Obninsk, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Moscow sits 22% above the global median, while Obninsk is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.72 ₽955

$12.52 ₽940

1.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.1 ₽4,286

$58.6 ₽4,402

-2.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.39 ₽480

$6.22 ₽467

2.73%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ₽249

$3.18 ₽239

4.09%

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

$1.43 ₽108

$1.37 ₽103

4.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₽47.27

$0.63 ₽47.62

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 ₽328

$1.35 ₽102

222.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 ₽327

$4.40 ₽331

-0.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 ₽99.3

$1.17 ₽87.8

12.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₽66.8

$0.84 ₽63.4

5.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 ₽126

$1.69 ₽127

-1.18%

Eggs

$1.84 ₽138

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.39 ₽1,006

$13.01 ₽977

2.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.95 ₽447

$5.82 ₽437

2.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.26 ₽921

$12.10 ₽909

1.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 ₽146

$1.89 ₽142

3.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ₽160

$1.76 ₽132

21.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₽177

$2.38 ₽179

-0.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 ₽313

$4.06 ₽305

2.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 ₽77.6

$0.99 ₽74.4

4.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 ₽62.8

$0.78 ₽58.8

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 ₽127

$1.63 ₽123

3.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₽59.7

$0.75 ₽56.2

5.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₽244

$3.20 ₽240

1.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.66 ₽801

$5.26 ₽395

102.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ₽84.2

$1.07 ₽80.3

4.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₽173

$2.32 ₽174

-0.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ₽68.2

$0.54 ₽40.21

68.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.03 ₽2,857

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 ₽189

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ₽33.42

$0.48 ₽36.00

-8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ₽620

$8.34 ₽626

-1.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 ₽56.0

$0.81 ₽61.0

-7.41%

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

$37.9K ₽2.8M

0.01%

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

$37.3K ₽2.8M

$36.4K ₽2.7M

2.51%

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

$153 ₽11.5K

-0.52%

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

$8.16 ₽613

$7.78 ₽584

4.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.20 ₽616

$8.09 ₽607

1.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.39 ₽3,484

$34.87 ₽2,619

33.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.02 ₽2,555

$12.58 ₽945

170.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 ₽470

$6.26 ₽470

-0.16%

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

$686 ₽51.5K

$321 ₽24.1K

113.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ₽1.1M

$6,988 ₽524.9K

112.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.0 ₽6,607

$88.9 ₽6,675

-1.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 ₽3,985

$53.2 ₽3,997

-0.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₽9,739

$133 ₽10.0K

-2.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 ₽12.3K

$159 ₽11.9K

2.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 ₽100.3K

$441 ₽33.1K

202.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$732 ₽54.9K

$301 ₽22.6K

142.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,943 ₽221.1K

$763 ₽57.3K

285.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,426 ₽107.1K

$508 ₽38.1K

180.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₽893.0K

$1,994 ₽149.8K

496.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,809 ₽361.2K

$1,530 ₽114.9K

214.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,915 ₽143.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.39

204.88%

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

Last update for Moscow: April 26, 2026

Last update for Obninsk: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,335 in Moscow versus $441 in Obninsk. 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 $57.0 in Moscow versus $59.0 in Obninsk. Groceries tell a different story – $248 in Moscow vs $229 in Obninsk – so Obninsk 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 Obninsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow costs about 47% more than Obninsk, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,456 per month in Moscow and $1,676 in Obninsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Moscow and $59.0 in Obninsk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% 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 $1,117, than in Moscow at $1,637. 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 $1,117 versus $1,637 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.