Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Samara

For one person, living is cheaper in Samara: $765 a month against $1,887 in Moscow, rent and utilities included – about $13,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

90

Cost of Living Index in Moscow
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Moscow Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Samara
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Samara Living Index

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Moscow

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,887

/mo nomad

Samara

🇷🇺 Russia

$765

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Moscow and in Samara

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

A single person spends $1,887 per month in Moscow vs $765 in Samara, rent included.

Moscow $1,887
Samara $765

A couple spends around $2,893 per month in Moscow vs $1,253 in Samara, rent included.

Moscow $2,893
Samara $1,253

A family of three spends $3,899 per month in Moscow vs $1,741 in Samara, rent included.

Moscow $3,899
Samara $1,741

Moscow costs about 147% more than Samara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Moscow sits 39% above the global median, while Samara is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.20 ₽1,018

$8.57 ₽716

42.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 ₽4,952

$43.02 ₽3,591

37.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 ₽589

$5.21 ₽435

35.51%

Cappuccino

$3.90 ₽326

$2.30 ₽192

69.57%

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

$1.70 ₽142

$1.14 ₽94.9

49.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₽71.6

$0.52 ₽43.42

65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 ₽411

$1.77 ₽148

177.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 ₽437

$2.97 ₽248

76.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 ₽103

$1.24 ₽104

-0.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ₽85.2

$1.05 ₽87.7

-2.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 ₽147

$1.62 ₽135

9.26%

Eggs

$1.97 ₽164

$1.53 ₽128

28.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.72 ₽1,229

$12.14 ₽1,013

21.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.97 ₽582

$7.07 ₽590

-1.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.33 ₽1,279

$7.47 ₽624

105.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 ₽179

$3.04 ₽254

-29.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₽150

$1.76 ₽147

2.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 ₽171

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 ₽333

$4.04 ₽337

-1.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 ₽77.6

$0.83 ₽68.9

12.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 ₽59.8

$0.38 ₽31.46

89.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 ₽138

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₽83.6

$0.56 ₽46.44

78.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.61 ₽301

$2.51 ₽210

43.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.11 ₽1,011

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₽103

$1.07 ₽89.5

14.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 ₽220

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 ₽83.6

$0.46 ₽38.41

117.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.43 ₽3,541

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 ₽298

$3.70 ₽309

-3.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 ₽67.7

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.22 ₽1,020

$3.69 ₽308

231.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 ₽78.5

$0.87 ₽72.9

8.05%

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

$43.9K ₽3.7M

$51.7K ₽4.3M

-15.18%

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

$39.5K ₽3.3M

$41.2K ₽3.4M

-3.97%

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

$195 ₽16.2K

$140 ₽11.7K

38.77%

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

$8.83 ₽737

$4.73 ₽395

86.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.13 ₽845

$13.93 ₽1,163

-27.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.77 ₽3,570

$42.07 ₽3,511

1.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.27 ₽3,779

$21.95 ₽1,832

106.24%

Cinema Ticket

$9.48 ₽791

$11.95 ₽997

-20.67%

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

$850 ₽70.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.1K ₽2.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 ₽9,237

$146 ₽12.1K

-23.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.4 ₽5,709

$78.9 ₽6,587

-13.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 ₽12.4K

$158 ₽13.2K

-6.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 ₽15.4K

$86.0 ₽7,176

114.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 ₽123.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$846 ₽70.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,083 ₽257.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,542 ₽128.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.1K ₽844.1K

$2,443 ₽203.9K

313.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,782 ₽399.1K

$1,601 ₽133.6K

198.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,743 ₽145.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.56

25.03

-21.85%

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

Last update for Moscow: October 19, 2026

Last update for Samara: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Moscow

$846 44.8%

Samara

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Moscow

$271 14.3%

Samara

$191 * 25% 29.4% $80

Clothing & Footwear

Moscow

$230 12.2%

Samara

$211 27.5% 8.5% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Moscow

$214 11.3%

Samara

$159 20.8% 25.6% $55

Eating Out

Moscow

$211 11.2%

Samara

$133 17.4% 36.8% $78

Sport & Entertainment

Moscow

$62 3.3%

Samara

$66 8.6% 6.9% $4.2

Getting Around

Moscow

$54 2.9%

Samara

$5.5 * 0.7% 89.8% $49

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Moscow versus $43.00 in Samara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $191 – making Samara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Moscow

🇷🇺 Samara

🕒 Local time

19:18 7:18 PM

20:18 8:18 PM

1 h ahead of Moscow

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,700,000 Capital

1,163,645

💱 Currency

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Moscow Samara 860 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Moscow
Samara

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 Samara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow costs about 147% more than Samara, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,831 per month in Moscow and $1,148 in Samara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,887 in Moscow and $765 in Samara. That's a gap of about 147%.

Groceries cost about 42% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Samara, where all-in costs run around $765, than in Moscow at $1,887. In Samara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moscow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Samara costs $765 versus $1,887 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 Samara. 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.