Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Tomsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Tomsk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,637 per month in Moscow vs $1,037 in Tomsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,608 per month in Moscow vs $1,606 in Tomsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,579 per month in Moscow vs $2,176 in Tomsk, rent included.

Moscow costs about 58% more than Tomsk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Moscow sits 22% above the global median, while Tomsk is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.72 ₽955

$6.45 ₽485

97.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.1 ₽4,286

$31.79 ₽2,388

79.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.39 ₽480

$5.62 ₽422

13.70%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ₽249

$2.27 ₽170

45.81%

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

$1.43 ₽108

$1.02 ₽76.8

40.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₽47.27

$0.43 ₽32.23

46.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 ₽328

$1.24 ₽93.3

251.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 ₽327

$3.14 ₽236

38.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 ₽99.3

$1.11 ₽83.1

18.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₽66.8

$0.58 ₽43.45

53.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 ₽126

$1.85 ₽139

-9.73%

Eggs

$1.84 ₽138

$1.72 ₽129

6.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.39 ₽1,006

$10.96 ₽823

22.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.95 ₽447

$5.50 ₽413

8.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.26 ₽921

$8.97 ₽674

36.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 ₽146

$2.05 ₽154

-4.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ₽160

$1.98 ₽149

7.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₽177

$2.15 ₽161

9.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 ₽313

$3.77 ₽283

10.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 ₽77.6

$0.70 ₽52.6

47.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 ₽62.8

$0.54 ₽40.19

55.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 ₽127

$1.06 ₽79.5

59.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₽59.7

$0.61 ₽46.02

29.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₽244

$2.58 ₽193

25.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.66 ₽801

$7.90 ₽593

34.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ₽84.2

$0.93 ₽70.2

20.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₽173

$1.83 ₽137

26.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ₽68.2

$0.39 ₽29.62

133.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.03 ₽2,857

$26.15 ₽1,964

45.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 ₽189

$1.68 ₽126

50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ₽33.42

$0.25 ₽18.85

76.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ₽620

$6.07 ₽456

35.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 ₽56.0

$0.69 ₽51.6

8.70%

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

$37.9K ₽2.8M

$31.6K ₽2.4M

20.02%

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

$37.3K ₽2.8M

$40.4K ₽3.0M

-7.67%

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

$153 ₽11.5K

$114 ₽8,556

33.91%

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

$8.16 ₽613

$5.09 ₽382

60.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.20 ₽616

$8.11 ₽609

1.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.39 ₽3,484

$61.1 ₽4,588

-24.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.02 ₽2,555

$25.54 ₽1,918

33.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 ₽470

$5.55 ₽417

12.61%

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

$686 ₽51.5K

$75.0 ₽5,633

814.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ₽1.1M

$4,392 ₽329.9K

237.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.0 ₽6,607

$74.7 ₽5,611

17.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 ₽3,985

$34.43 ₽2,586

54.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₽9,739

$135 ₽10.1K

-3.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 ₽12.3K

$185 ₽13.9K

-11.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 ₽100.3K

$445 ₽33.4K

200.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$732 ₽54.9K

$278 ₽20.9K

163.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,943 ₽221.1K

$753 ₽56.5K

291.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,426 ₽107.1K

$500 ₽37.6K

184.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₽893.0K

$2,153 ₽161.7K

452.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,809 ₽361.2K

$1,504 ₽113.0K

219.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,915 ₽143.9K

$804 ₽60.4K

138.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.39

22.08

10.46%

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

Last update for Moscow: April 26, 2026

Last update for Tomsk: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,335 in Moscow versus $445 in Tomsk. 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 138% 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 $32.00 in Tomsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $248 vs $207 – making Tomsk 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 Tomsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow costs about 58% more than Tomsk, 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 $2,456 per month in Moscow and $1,555 in Tomsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 45% less in Tomsk. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $686 per month in Moscow and $75.0 in Tomsk. 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 Tomsk, where all-in costs run around $1,037, than in Moscow at $1,637. In Tomsk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moscow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tomsk costs $1,037 versus $1,637 in Moscow. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Tomsk. 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.