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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,763 per month in Moscow vs $1,015 in Vladikavkaz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,760 per month in Moscow vs $1,578 in Vladikavkaz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,757 per month in Moscow vs $2,142 in Vladikavkaz, rent included.

Moscow costs about 74% more than Vladikavkaz, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Moscow sits 29% above the global median, while Vladikavkaz is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.93 ₽1,008

$9.53 ₽805

25.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.6 ₽5,033

$33.51 ₽2,831

77.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 ₽617

$5.76 ₽487

26.91%

Cappuccino

$3.67 ₽310

$2.74 ₽231

33.94%

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

$1.52 ₽128

$1.13 ₽95.6

34.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₽66.3

$0.64 ₽53.8

23.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.76 ₽403

$1.96 ₽165

142.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 ₽401

$2.96 ₽250

60.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 ₽101

$1.14 ₽96.7

5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ₽82.9

$0.70 ₽59.3

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ₽143

$1.47 ₽125

14.97%

Eggs

$1.83 ₽155

$1.46 ₽123

25.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.58 ₽1,148

$12.30 ₽1,039

10.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₽528

$4.38 ₽370

42.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.09 ₽1,190

$10.24 ₽865

37.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 ₽175

$1.48 ₽125

39.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₽153

$1.99 ₽168

-9.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ₽164

$1.78 ₽150

8.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 ₽349

$3.03 ₽256

36.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 ₽77.0

$0.69 ₽58.3

31.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₽55.2

$0.57 ₽48.34

14.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ₽136

$1.24 ₽105

29.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₽73.3

$0.75 ₽63.3

16.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 ₽284

$3.13 ₽265

7.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.70 ₽989

$8.79 ₽743

33.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₽96.7

$1.02 ₽86.1

11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₽206

$1.69 ₽143

44.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ₽81.3

$0.50 ₽42.55

92.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.24 ₽3,400

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 ₽305

$2.34 ₽197

54.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 ₽61.0

$0.37 ₽31.06

94.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.61 ₽897

$5.79 ₽489

83.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 ₽69.9

$0.79 ₽66.5

5.06%

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

$37.8K ₽3.2M

$34.9K ₽2.9M

8.39%

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

$37.5K ₽3.2M

$33.6K ₽2.8M

11.61%

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

$183 ₽15.5K

$126 ₽10.6K

45.47%

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

$8.74 ₽739

$6.60 ₽557

32.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.74 ₽823

$8.68 ₽733

12.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.95 ₽3,375

$32.21 ₽2,722

24.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.59 ₽3,683

$26.21 ₽2,215

66.31%

Cinema Ticket

$8.45 ₽714

$5.95 ₽503

42.02%

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

$784 ₽66.2K

$299 ₽25.3K

162.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.7K ₽2.2M

$6,392 ₽540.1K

301.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 ₽8,582

$62.8 ₽5,307

61.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 ₽5,194

$43.79 ₽3,700

40.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 ₽12.4K

$120 ₽10.1K

22.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 ₽14.7K

$110 ₽9,313

58.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 ₽123.3K

$405 ₽34.2K

260.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 ₽65.6K

$304 ₽25.7K

155.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,970 ₽251.0K

$757 ₽64.0K

292.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,428 ₽120.6K

$590 ₽49.9K

141.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.5K ₽883.8K

$2,497 ₽211.0K

318.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,624 ₽390.7K

$1,325 ₽111.9K

249.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,756 ₽148.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.52

-7.05%

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

Last update for Moscow: September 12, 2026

Last update for Vladikavkaz: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,459 in Moscow versus $405 in Vladikavkaz. 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 $34.00 in Vladikavkaz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $205 – 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 74% more than Vladikavkaz, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,522 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 $60.0 in Moscow and $34.00 in Vladikavkaz. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% 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 $1,015, than in Moscow at $1,763. 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 $1,015 versus $1,763 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.