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 $1,707 per month in Moscow vs $1,012 in Rostov-on-Don, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,604 per month in Moscow vs $1,524 in Rostov-on-Don, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,501 per month in Moscow vs $2,036 in Rostov-on-Don, rent included.

Moscow costs about 69% more than Rostov-on-Don, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Moscow sits 24% above the global median, while Rostov-on-Don is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.43 ₽981

$10.24 ₽879

11.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.2 ₽4,912

$34.33 ₽2,947

66.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 ₽598

$5.86 ₽503

18.77%

Cappuccino

$3.47 ₽298

$2.63 ₽226

31.94%

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

$1.53 ₽132

$1.12 ₽96.2

36.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₽66.8

$0.54 ₽46.49

44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.68 ₽401

$2.02 ₽173

131.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 ₽409

$3.08 ₽264

54.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 ₽100

$1.14 ₽98.1

2.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 ₽82.9

$0.67 ₽57.1

44.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 ₽138

$1.36 ₽117

18.38%

Eggs

$1.85 ₽159

$1.28 ₽110

44.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.72 ₽1,092

$11.78 ₽1,011

7.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 ₽534

$4.93 ₽423

26.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ₽1,156

$8.98 ₽771

50.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₽163

$1.34 ₽115

41.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 ₽147

$1.75 ₽150

-2.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ₽167

$1.46 ₽126

32.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 ₽338

$2.61 ₽224

50.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ₽70.6

$0.81 ₽69.8

1.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₽54.6

$0.55 ₽47.44

16.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 ₽135

$1.22 ₽104

28.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₽74.5

$0.61 ₽52.1

42.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 ₽271

$2.85 ₽245

10.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.64 ₽999

$6.63 ₽569

75.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₽99.5

$0.87 ₽74.8

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₽206

$1.98 ₽170

21.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 ₽79.4

$0.52 ₽44.84

76.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.35 ₽3,377

$13.81 ₽1,185

184.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 ₽302

$3.17 ₽272

11.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₽59.0

$0.16 ₽13.48

331.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.93 ₽766

$3.93 ₽337

127.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 ₽73.2

$0.81 ₽69.5

4.94%

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

$36.9K ₽3.2M

$28.9K ₽2.5M

27.38%

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

$38.1K ₽3.3M

$30.7K ₽2.6M

24.25%

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

$180 ₽15.5K

$127 ₽10.9K

41.85%

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

$8.22 ₽705

$8.89 ₽763

-7.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.47 ₽812

$7.72 ₽662

22.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.64 ₽3,144

$29.45 ₽2,528

24.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.52 ₽3,735

$20.11 ₽1,726

116.41%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₽677

$5.05 ₽434

56.24%

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

$738 ₽63.3K

$323 ₽27.7K

128.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.5K ₽1.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.0 ₽8,241

$51.5 ₽4,421

86.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.2 ₽5,084

$43.02 ₽3,692

37.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 ₽11.6K

$87.5 ₽7,510

54.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$169 ₽14.5K

$108 ₽9,288

55.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,393 ₽119.5K

$482 ₽41.3K

189.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$743 ₽63.8K

$326 ₽27.9K

128.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,793 ₽239.7K

$973 ₽83.5K

187.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,397 ₽119.9K

$509 ₽43.7K

174.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.0K ₽861.5K

$2,397 ₽205.7K

318.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,413 ₽378.7K

$1,438 ₽123.4K

206.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,665 ₽142.9K

$790 ₽67.8K

110.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.86

20.14

-1.39%

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

Last update for Moscow: August 31, 2026

Last update for Rostov-on-Don: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,393 in Moscow versus $482 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 111% 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 $34.00 in Rostov-on-Don. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $189 – 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 69% more than Rostov-on-Don, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,561 per month in Moscow and $1,518 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 185% less in Rostov-on-Don. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $738 per month in Moscow and $323 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 $1,012, than in Moscow at $1,707. 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 $1,012 versus $1,707 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.