Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Vladikavkaz Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Vladikavkaz

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,689 per month in Moscow vs $992 in Vladikavkaz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,582 per month in Moscow vs $1,516 in Vladikavkaz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,475 per month in Moscow vs $2,040 in Vladikavkaz, rent included.

Moscow costs about 70% more than Vladikavkaz, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.95 ₽938

$9.71 ₽704

33.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.0 ₽4,130

$37.57 ₽2,722

51.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.31 ₽457

$5.65 ₽409

11.68%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ₽240

$1.11 ₽80.2

198.20%

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

$1.40 ₽101

$0.97 ₽70.1

44.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₽45.62

$0.42 ₽30.76

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.35 ₽315

$1.67 ₽121

160.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 ₽328

$2.47 ₽179

83.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 ₽97.6

$1.05 ₽75.8

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₽64.3

$0.66 ₽47.83

34.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 ₽122

$1.38 ₽100

21.74%

Eggs

$1.85 ₽134

$1.48 ₽107

25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.94 ₽937

$10.73 ₽778

20.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.02 ₽437

$5.11 ₽370

17.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 ₽883

$8.94 ₽648

36.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 ₽140

$1.79 ₽130

8.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 ₽150

$1.90 ₽137

8.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ₽164

$1.93 ₽140

17.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 ₽293

$4.49 ₽325

-10.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 ₽71.3

$0.86 ₽62.6

13.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 ₽57.6

$0.71 ₽51.7

11.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 ₽122

$1.36 ₽98.5

24.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₽57.5

$0.67 ₽48.69

17.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₽234

$2.93 ₽212

10.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.88 ₽789

$10.75 ₽779

1.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₽80.7

$1.01 ₽73.1

9.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₽175

$1.95 ₽141

23.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ₽65.3

$0.42 ₽30.60

114.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.34 ₽2,778

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 ₽182

$1.30 ₽94.6

93.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 ₽32.46

$0.24 ₽17.46

87.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 ₽574

$6.39 ₽463

24.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₽59.3

$0.76 ₽54.8

7.89%

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

$37.4K ₽2.7M

$33.9K ₽2.5M

10.51%

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

$36.6K ₽2.7M

$36.2K ₽2.6M

0.99%

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

$150 ₽10.9K

$108 ₽7,856

38.12%

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

$8.15 ₽591

$5.92 ₽429

37.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.04 ₽582

$7.90 ₽572

1.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.24 ₽3,423

$38.54 ₽2,793

22.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.36 ₽2,490

$12.62 ₽915

172.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.45 ₽468

$6.51 ₽472

-0.92%

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

$698 ₽50.5K

$325 ₽23.5K

114.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ₽1.1M

$6,969 ₽505.0K

111.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.6 ₽6,349

$70.3 ₽5,097

24.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 ₽3,823

$44.20 ₽3,203

19.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₽9,461

$116 ₽8,392

12.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 ₽11.6K

$107 ₽7,731

49.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 ₽94.9K

$420 ₽30.5K

211.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 ₽53.6K

$332 ₽24.0K

123.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,942 ₽213.2K

$736 ₽53.4K

299.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,435 ₽104.0K

$557 ₽40.3K

157.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₽859.3K

$1,569 ₽113.7K

655.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,856 ₽351.8K

$1,999 ₽144.8K

142.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,014 ₽145.9K

$445 ₽32.3K

352.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.39

14.33

70.20%

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

Last update for Moscow: June 6, 2026

Last update for Vladikavkaz: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,310 in Moscow versus $420 in Vladikavkaz. 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 352% 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 Vladikavkaz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $212 – making Vladikavkaz 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 Vladikavkaz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow costs about 70% more than Vladikavkaz, 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 $1,487 in Vladikavkaz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 16% 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 Vladikavkaz, where all-in costs run around $992, than in Moscow at $1,689. In Vladikavkaz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moscow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Vladikavkaz costs $992 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 Vladikavkaz. 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.