Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Shchelkovo Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Shchelkovo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,637 per month in Moscow vs $1,160 in Shchelkovo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,608 per month in Moscow vs $1,785 in Shchelkovo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,579 per month in Moscow vs $2,411 in Shchelkovo, rent included.

Moscow costs about 41% more than Shchelkovo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Moscow sits 22% above the global median, while Shchelkovo is 13% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.72 ₽953

$12.49 ₽936

1.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.1 ₽4,276

$58.6 ₽4,393

-2.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.39 ₽479

$6.18 ₽463

3.40%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ₽248

$3.15 ₽236

5.08%

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

$1.43 ₽107

$1.44 ₽108

-0.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₽47.16

$0.62 ₽46.35

1.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 ₽327

$1.41 ₽106

209.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 ₽326

$4.47 ₽335

-2.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 ₽99.1

$1.33 ₽99.3

-0.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₽66.6

$0.85 ₽63.5

4.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 ₽125

$1.74 ₽130

-4.02%

Eggs

$1.84 ₽138

$1.91 ₽143

-3.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.39 ₽1,003

$12.97 ₽972

3.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.95 ₽446

$6.07 ₽455

-1.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.26 ₽919

$12.25 ₽918

0.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 ₽146

$1.97 ₽147

-1.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ₽160

$2.03 ₽152

4.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₽177

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 ₽312

$4.04 ₽303

3.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 ₽77.4

$1.03 ₽77.1

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 ₽62.6

$0.81 ₽60.3

3.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 ₽127

$1.63 ₽122

3.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₽59.6

$0.74 ₽55.8

6.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₽244

$3.25 ₽243

Wine (Bottle)

$10.66 ₽799

$8.10 ₽607

31.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ₽84.0

$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 ₽68.0

$0.50 ₽37.21

82.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.03 ₽2,850

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 ₽189

$2.48 ₽186

1.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ₽33.34

$0.45 ₽33.59

-2.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ₽618

$8.26 ₽619

-0.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 ₽55.9

$0.81 ₽61.0

-7.41%

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

$37.9K ₽2.8M

$38.7K ₽2.9M

-1.93%

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

$37.3K ₽2.8M

$36.6K ₽2.7M

2.05%

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

$153 ₽11.4K

$150 ₽11.2K

1.69%

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

$8.16 ₽612

$7.83 ₽587

4.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.20 ₽614

$8.10 ₽607

1.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.39 ₽3,476

$34.86 ₽2,612

33.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.02 ₽2,549

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 ₽469

$6.41 ₽480

-2.50%

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

$686 ₽51.4K

$323 ₽24.2K

112.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ₽1.1M

$6,919 ₽518.5K

114.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.0 ₽6,591

$87.0 ₽6,518

1.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 ₽3,976

$53.7 ₽4,020

-1.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₽9,715

$131 ₽9,805

-0.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 ₽12.2K

0.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 ₽100.0K

$443 ₽33.2K

201.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$732 ₽54.8K

$303 ₽22.7K

141.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,943 ₽220.5K

$772 ₽57.8K

281.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,426 ₽106.8K

$511 ₽38.3K

179.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₽890.9K

$1,944 ₽145.7K

511.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,809 ₽360.4K

$1,603 ₽120.1K

199.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,915 ₽143.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.39

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

Last update for Moscow: April 26, 2026

Last update for Shchelkovo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,335 in Moscow versus $443 in Shchelkovo. 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 in Moscow versus $59 in Shchelkovo. Groceries tell a different story – $248 in Moscow vs $240 in Shchelkovo – so Shchelkovo 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 Shchelkovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow costs about 41% more than Shchelkovo, 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 $1,740 in Shchelkovo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shchelkovo, 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 Shchelkovo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Shchelkovo, where all-in costs run around $1,160, than in Moscow at $1,637. In Shchelkovo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moscow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Shchelkovo costs $1,160 versus $1,637 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 Shchelkovo. 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.