Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Volgograd Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Volgograd

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,689 per month in Moscow vs $908 in Volgograd, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,582 per month in Moscow vs $1,512 in Volgograd, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,475 per month in Moscow vs $2,116 in Volgograd, rent included.

Moscow costs about 86% more than Volgograd, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Moscow sits 26% above the global median, while Volgograd is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.95 ₽938

$10.07 ₽730

28.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.0 ₽4,130

$37.61 ₽2,725

51.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.31 ₽457

$5.20 ₽377

21.35%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ₽240

$1.89 ₽137

75.13%

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

$1.40 ₽101

$1.83 ₽132

-23.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₽45.62

$0.73 ₽52.9

-13.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.35 ₽315

$2.55 ₽185

70.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 ₽328

$5.56 ₽403

-18.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 ₽97.6

$1.25 ₽90.3

8.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₽64.3

$0.75 ₽54.6

18.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 ₽122

$1.82 ₽132

-7.69%

Eggs

$1.85 ₽134

$1.72 ₽125

7.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.94 ₽937

$12.06 ₽874

7.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.02 ₽437

$5.58 ₽405

7.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 ₽883

$7.98 ₽578

52.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 ₽140

$1.91 ₽138

1.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 ₽150

$1.69 ₽123

21.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ₽164

$3.11 ₽225

-27.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 ₽293

$2.69 ₽195

50.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 ₽71.3

$0.73 ₽52.9

34.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 ₽57.6

$0.74 ₽53.8

6.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 ₽122

$1.88 ₽136

-10.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₽57.5

$0.61 ₽43.85

29.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₽234

$2.47 ₽179

30.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.88 ₽789

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₽80.7

$0.75 ₽54.0

48.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₽175

$2.50 ₽181

-3.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ₽65.3

$0.42 ₽30.55

114.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.34 ₽2,778

$12.87 ₽932

197.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 ₽182

$2.43 ₽176

3.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 ₽32.46

$0.32 ₽23.43

40.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 ₽574

$6.53 ₽473

21.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₽59.3

$0.83 ₽60.5

-1.20%

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

$37.4K ₽2.7M

$34.9K ₽2.5M

7.38%

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

$36.6K ₽2.7M

$35.4K ₽2.6M

3.30%

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

$150 ₽10.9K

$87.7 ₽6,352

70.83%

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

$8.15 ₽591

$6.94 ₽503

17.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.04 ₽582

$7.50 ₽543

7.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.24 ₽3,423

$16.80 ₽1,217

181.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.36 ₽2,490

$19.11 ₽1,385

79.80%

Cinema Ticket

$6.45 ₽468

$4.52 ₽327

42.70%

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

$698 ₽50.5K

$321 ₽23.2K

117.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ₽1.1M

$6,927 ₽501.9K

112.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.6 ₽6,349

$113 ₽8,170

-22.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 ₽3,823

$32.38 ₽2,346

62.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₽9,461

$127 ₽9,178

3.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 ₽11.6K

$128 ₽9,283

24.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 ₽94.9K

$286 ₽20.7K

357.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 ₽53.6K

$219 ₽15.9K

238.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,942 ₽213.2K

$775 ₽56.2K

279.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,435 ₽104.0K

$504 ₽36.5K

184.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.9K ₽859.3K

$1,601 ₽116.0K

640.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,856 ₽351.8K

$1,237 ₽89.7K

292.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,014 ₽145.9K

$477 ₽34.6K

321.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.39

12.67

92.50%

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

Last update for Moscow: June 6, 2026

Last update for Volgograd: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,310 in Moscow versus $286 in Volgograd. 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 322% 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 Volgograd. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $195 – making Volgograd 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 Volgograd: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow costs about 86% more than Volgograd, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,362 in Volgograd. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 198% less in Volgograd. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $698 per month in Moscow and $321 in Volgograd. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Volgograd, where all-in costs run around $908, than in Moscow at $1,689. In Volgograd it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moscow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Volgograd costs $908 versus $1,689 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 Volgograd. 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.