Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Rostov-on-Don Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Rostov-on-Don

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,683 per month in Moscow vs $1,005 in Rostov-on-Don, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,643 per month in Moscow vs $1,542 in Rostov-on-Don, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,603 per month in Moscow vs $2,079 in Rostov-on-Don, rent included.

Moscow costs about 68% more than Rostov-on-Don, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Moscow sits 26% above the global median, while Rostov-on-Don is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.68 ₽996

$11.16 ₽876

13.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.3 ₽4,500

$37.79 ₽2,969

51.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.42 ₽504

$4.97 ₽390

29.18%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ₽262

$2.53 ₽199

32.02%

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

$1.39 ₽109

$1.19 ₽93.1

16.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₽53.2

$0.72 ₽56.9

-5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.42 ₽347

$1.25 ₽97.9

253.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 ₽345

$2.16 ₽170

103.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ₽100.0

$1.02 ₽80.2

24.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₽69.3

$0.55 ₽43.52

60.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ₽133

$1.15 ₽90.6

46.96%

Eggs

$1.92 ₽151

$1.57 ₽123

22.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.38 ₽1,051

$8.24 ₽647

62.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.15 ₽483

$4.86 ₽381

26.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.27 ₽964

$7.61 ₽598

61.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 ₽153

$1.27 ₽99.5

52.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 ₽163

$1.62 ₽127

27.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ₽181

$1.52 ₽119

51.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 ₽330

$2.42 ₽190

73.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 ₽78.4

$0.71 ₽55.8

40.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 ₽67.5

$0.55 ₽43.34

56.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 ₽130

$1.19 ₽93.8

39.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₽59.2

$0.63 ₽49.41

19.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ₽245

$3.20 ₽251

-2.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 ₽1,002

$7.61 ₽598

67.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ₽85.1

$0.89 ₽69.5

21.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₽184

$2.11 ₽165

10.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ₽68.0

$0.51 ₽40.31

70.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.34 ₽2,934

$19.36 ₽1,521

92.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 ₽202

$1.96 ₽154

31.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ₽34.64

$0.33 ₽25.83

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.05 ₽632

$6.65 ₽522

21.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 ₽63.2

$0.77 ₽60.6

3.90%

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

$37.8K ₽3.0M

$25.7K ₽2.0M

47.21%

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

$36.0K ₽2.8M

$39.7K ₽3.1M

-9.14%

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

$150 ₽11.8K

$99.1 ₽7,787

51.05%

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

$8.15 ₽640

$7.17 ₽563

13.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.13 ₽639

$8.05 ₽632

0.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.80 ₽3,755

$41.54 ₽3,263

15.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.23 ₽2,768

$25.69 ₽2,018

37.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.33 ₽498

$5.06 ₽397

25.10%

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

$694 ₽54.5K

$286 ₽22.5K

142.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ₽1.2M

$8,396 ₽659.6K

76.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.3 ₽6,859

$48.48 ₽3,808

80.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 ₽4,158

$60.4 ₽4,743

-12.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 ₽10.4K

$114 ₽8,992

15.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 ₽12.9K

$102 ₽8,000

60.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 ₽105.7K

$490 ₽38.5K

174.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 ₽59.4K

$353 ₽27.7K

114.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,963 ₽232.8K

$928 ₽72.9K

219.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,385 ₽108.8K

$580 ₽45.6K

138.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.0K ₽865.0K

$2,635 ₽207.0K

317.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,689 ₽368.3K

$1,630 ₽128.0K

187.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,779 ₽139.8K

$904 ₽71.0K

96.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.39

16.33

49.36%

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

Last update for Moscow: July 13, 2026

Last update for Rostov-on-Don: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,346 in Moscow versus $490 in Rostov-on-Don. 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 97% 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 $57.0 in Moscow versus $38.00 in Rostov-on-Don. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $172 – making Rostov-on-Don 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 Rostov-on-Don: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow costs about 68% more than Rostov-on-Don, 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 $2,525 per month in Moscow and $1,507 in Rostov-on-Don. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 93% less in Rostov-on-Don. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $694 per month in Moscow and $286 in Rostov-on-Don. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Rostov-on-Don, where all-in costs run around $1,005, than in Moscow at $1,683. In Rostov-on-Don it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moscow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Rostov-on-Don costs $1,005 versus $1,683 in Moscow. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Rostov-on-Don. 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.