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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,763 per month in Moscow vs $896 in Shchelkovo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,760 per month in Moscow vs $1,407 in Shchelkovo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,757 per month in Moscow vs $1,918 in Shchelkovo, rent included.

Moscow costs about 97% more than Shchelkovo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Moscow sits 29% above the global median, while Shchelkovo is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.93 ₽1,004

$5.79 ₽487

106.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.6 ₽5,012

$29.30 ₽2,465

103.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 ₽615

$7.77 ₽653

-5.92%

Cappuccino

$3.67 ₽309

$2.77 ₽233

32.49%

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

$1.52 ₽128

$0.89 ₽74.9

70.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₽66.1

$0.57 ₽48.24

38.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.76 ₽401

$0.90 ₽75.5

428.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 ₽400

$1.43 ₽121

232.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 ₽101

$0.95 ₽79.6

26.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ₽82.6

$0.79 ₽66.1

24.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ₽142

$1.15 ₽96.4

46.96%

Eggs

$1.83 ₽154

$1.53 ₽129

19.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.58 ₽1,143

$8.88 ₽747

52.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₽526

$4.83 ₽406

29.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.09 ₽1,185

$11.57 ₽974

21.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 ₽174

$1.55 ₽130

33.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₽152

$1.43 ₽121

26.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ₽163

$1.50 ₽126

29.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 ₽347

$2.52 ₽212

63.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 ₽76.7

$0.69 ₽58.3

31.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₽55.0

$0.39 ₽33.13

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ₽135

$1.37 ₽115

16.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₽73.0

$0.43 ₽35.80

102.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 ₽283

$2.10 ₽177

60.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.70 ₽984

$6.89 ₽580

69.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₽96.3

$0.71 ₽59.5

60.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₽205

$1.48 ₽125

64.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ₽81.0

$0.49 ₽41.04

95.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.24 ₽3,385

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 ₽304

$3.40 ₽286

6.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 ₽60.7

$0.16 ₽13.61

350.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.61 ₽893

$3.42 ₽288

210.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 ₽69.6

$0.76 ₽63.7

9.21%

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

$37.8K ₽3.2M

$34.4K ₽2.9M

9.97%

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

$37.5K ₽3.2M

$46.6K ₽3.9M

-19.49%

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

$183 ₽15.4K

$101 ₽8,527

80.46%

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

$8.74 ₽736

$3.42 ₽288

155.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.74 ₽819

$4.62 ₽389

110.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.95 ₽3,361

$34.45 ₽2,899

15.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.59 ₽3,667

$22.93 ₽1,929

90.10%

Cinema Ticket

$8.45 ₽711

$5.94 ₽500

42.26%

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

$784 ₽65.9K

$176 ₽14.8K

345.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.7K ₽2.2M

$3,491 ₽293.7K

635.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 ₽8,546

$41.33 ₽3,478

145.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 ₽5,172

$23.17 ₽1,949

165.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 ₽12.3K

$138 ₽11.6K

6.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 ₽14.7K

$118 ₽9,934

47.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 ₽122.8K

$446 ₽37.5K

227.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 ₽65.3K

$304 ₽25.6K

155.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,970 ₽249.9K

$786 ₽66.1K

278.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,428 ₽120.1K

$529 ₽44.5K

169.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.5K ₽880.1K

$2,232 ₽187.8K

368.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,624 ₽389.1K

$1,434 ₽120.6K

222.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,756 ₽147.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.52

20.75

-5.93%

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

Last update for Moscow: September 12, 2026

Last update for Shchelkovo: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,459 in Moscow versus $446 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 $60.0 in Moscow versus $29.00 in Shchelkovo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $182 – making Shchelkovo 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 Shchelkovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow costs about 97% more than Shchelkovo, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,645 per month in Moscow and $1,344 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 $60.0 in Moscow and $29.00 in Shchelkovo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% 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 $896, than in Moscow at $1,763. 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 $896 versus $1,763 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.