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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,689 per month in Moscow vs $1,003 in Tomsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,582 per month in Moscow vs $1,574 in Tomsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,475 per month in Moscow vs $2,144 in Tomsk, rent included.

Moscow costs about 68% more than Tomsk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Moscow sits 26% above the global median, while Tomsk is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.95 ₽938

$6.27 ₽454

106.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.0 ₽4,130

$32.38 ₽2,346

76.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.31 ₽457

$5.87 ₽426

7.50%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ₽240

$2.27 ₽164

45.81%

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

$1.40 ₽101

$0.98 ₽70.7

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₽45.62

$0.46 ₽33.18

36.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.35 ₽315

$1.25 ₽90.7

248.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 ₽328

$2.96 ₽215

53.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 ₽97.6

$1.14 ₽82.8

18.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₽64.3

$0.55 ₽39.73

61.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 ₽122

$1.82 ₽132

-7.69%

Eggs

$1.85 ₽134

$1.66 ₽120

11.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.94 ₽937

$10.84 ₽785

19.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.02 ₽437

$5.51 ₽399

9.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 ₽883

$8.97 ₽650

35.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 ₽140

$2.00 ₽145

-3.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 ₽150

$1.97 ₽143

4.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ₽164

$2.13 ₽154

6.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 ₽293

$3.76 ₽272

7.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 ₽71.3

$0.69 ₽50.1

42.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 ₽57.6

$0.57 ₽41.41

38.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 ₽122

$1.05 ₽76.0

60.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₽57.5

$0.59 ₽42.43

33.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₽234

$2.47 ₽179

30.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.88 ₽789

$7.57 ₽548

43.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₽80.7

$0.85 ₽61.8

30.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₽175

$1.89 ₽137

27.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ₽65.3

$0.39 ₽28.33

130.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.34 ₽2,778

$26.30 ₽1,906

45.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 ₽182

$1.70 ₽123

47.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 ₽32.46

$0.25 ₽18.19

80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 ₽574

$6.15 ₽446

28.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₽59.3

$0.74 ₽53.6

10.81%

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

$37.4K ₽2.7M

$31.1K ₽2.3M

20.28%

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

$36.6K ₽2.7M

$41.5K ₽3.0M

-11.84%

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

$150 ₽10.9K

$114 ₽8,295

30.82%

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

$8.15 ₽591

$5.13 ₽372

58.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.04 ₽582

$8.28 ₽600

-2.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.24 ₽3,423

$63.1 ₽4,571

-25.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.36 ₽2,490

$25.32 ₽1,835

35.70%

Cinema Ticket

$6.45 ₽468

$5.84 ₽423

10.45%

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

$698 ₽50.5K

$76.5 ₽5,545

811.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ₽1.1M

$4,477 ₽324.4K

229.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.6 ₽6,349

$76.3 ₽5,532

14.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 ₽3,823

$34.31 ₽2,486

53.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₽9,461

$133 ₽9,664

-2.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 ₽11.6K

$181 ₽13.1K

-11.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 ₽94.9K

$438 ₽31.7K

199.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 ₽53.6K

$277 ₽20.1K

167.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,942 ₽213.2K

$760 ₽55.1K

287.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,435 ₽104.0K

$518 ₽37.5K

177.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₽859.3K

$2,482 ₽179.8K

377.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,856 ₽351.8K

$1,734 ₽125.6K

180.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,014 ₽145.9K

$1,002 ₽72.6K

101.02%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Tomsk: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,310 in Moscow versus $438 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 101% 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: $246 vs $205 – 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 68% 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 $2,533 per month in Moscow and $1,505 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 46% less in Tomsk. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $698 per month in Moscow and $76.5 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 $1,003, than in Moscow at $1,689. 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 $1,003 versus $1,689 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.