Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Ulan Ude Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Ulan Ude

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,648 per month in Moscow vs $976 in Ulan Ude, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,603 per month in Moscow vs $1,502 in Ulan Ude, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,557 per month in Moscow vs $2,029 in Ulan Ude, rent included.

Moscow costs about 69% more than Ulan Ude, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Moscow sits 23% above the global median, while Ulan Ude is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.91 ₽943

$9.76 ₽712

32.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 ₽4,146

$37.64 ₽2,747

50.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 ₽458

$5.88 ₽429

6.80%

Cappuccino

$3.16 ₽231

$2.29 ₽167

37.99%

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

$1.38 ₽101

$1.19 ₽87.2

15.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₽49.71

$0.52 ₽37.76

30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.54 ₽331

$1.35 ₽98.9

236.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 ₽329

$2.61 ₽190

72.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 ₽96.8

$1.15 ₽83.7

15.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₽64.8

$0.44 ₽32.07

102.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 ₽129

$1.39 ₽101

26.62%

Eggs

$1.85 ₽135

$1.79 ₽131

3.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 ₽942

$10.97 ₽801

17.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.89 ₽430

$4.82 ₽352

22.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.24 ₽893

$8.72 ₽636

40.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ₽138

$1.80 ₽132

5.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ₽154

$1.80 ₽131

17.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₽172

$1.89 ₽138

24.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 ₽303

$2.77 ₽202

49.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 ₽71.6

$0.85 ₽62.0

15.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 ₽61.8

$0.71 ₽51.7

19.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 ₽125

$1.42 ₽104

21.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₽59.3

$0.70 ₽51.3

15.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₽227

$2.93 ₽214

5.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.90 ₽795

$7.11 ₽519

53.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ₽79.3

$1.03 ₽74.9

5.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 ₽173

$1.94 ₽142

22.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ₽63.7

$0.53 ₽39.03

64.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.26 ₽2,793

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 ₽184

$1.92 ₽140

31.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 ₽34.51

$0.32 ₽23.59

46.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 ₽591

$6.49 ₽474

24.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 ₽59.2

$0.79 ₽57.9

2.53%

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

$38.1K ₽2.8M

$34.7K ₽2.5M

9.87%

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

$37.2K ₽2.7M

$35.2K ₽2.6M

5.44%

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

$151 ₽11.0K

$109 ₽7,921

39.06%

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

$7.97 ₽582

$6.09 ₽445

30.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.99 ₽583

$7.67 ₽560

4.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.81 ₽3,416

$36.08 ₽2,634

29.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.68 ₽2,531

Cinema Ticket

$6.26 ₽457

$5.13 ₽375

22.03%

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

$707 ₽51.6K

$324 ₽23.7K

117.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ₽1.1M

$6,896 ₽503.3K

110.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 ₽6,414

$71.2 ₽5,199

23.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 ₽3,892

$44.84 ₽3,273

18.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₽9,527

$115 ₽8,389

13.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 ₽11.6K

$106 ₽7,729

49.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,317 ₽96.1K

$439 ₽32.1K

199.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$734 ₽53.5K

$310 ₽22.6K

136.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,005 ₽219.3K

$754 ₽55.0K

298.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,393 ₽101.7K

$511 ₽37.3K

172.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.7K ₽856.4K

$2,532 ₽184.8K

363.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,027 ₽366.9K

$1,966 ₽143.5K

155.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,075 ₽151.5K

$703 ₽51.3K

195.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.39

18.33

33.06%

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

Last update for Moscow: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ulan Ude: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,317 in Moscow versus $439 in Ulan Ude. 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 195% 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 $38.00 in Ulan Ude. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $194 – making Ulan Ude 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 Ulan Ude: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow costs about 69% more than Ulan Ude, 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 $2,473 per month in Moscow and $1,463 in Ulan Ude. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ulan Ude, 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 $38.00 in Ulan Ude. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% 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 Ulan Ude, where all-in costs run around $976, than in Moscow at $1,648. In Ulan Ude it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moscow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ulan Ude costs $976 versus $1,648 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 Ulan Ude. 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.