Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Yakutsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Yakutsk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,648 per month in Moscow vs $1,260 in Yakutsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,603 per month in Moscow vs $1,884 in Yakutsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,557 per month in Moscow vs $2,508 in Yakutsk, rent included.

Moscow costs about 31% more than Yakutsk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Moscow sits 23% above the global median, while Yakutsk is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.91 ₽953

$9.75 ₽719

32.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 ₽4,192

$44.20 ₽3,261

28.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 ₽463

$7.41 ₽547

-15.25%

Cappuccino

$3.16 ₽233

$2.50 ₽185

26.40%

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

$1.38 ₽102

$1.58 ₽117

-12.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₽50.3

$0.73 ₽53.9

-6.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.54 ₽335

$3.88 ₽286

17.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 ₽333

$4.38 ₽323

2.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 ₽97.9

$1.84 ₽136

-27.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₽65.5

$0.71 ₽52.7

25.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 ₽130

$1.60 ₽118

10.00%

Eggs

$1.85 ₽137

$2.49 ₽184

-25.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 ₽952

$13.80 ₽1,018

-6.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.89 ₽435

$8.52 ₽629

-30.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.24 ₽903

$10.61 ₽783

15.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ₽140

$3.12 ₽230

-39.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ₽156

$3.08 ₽227

-31.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₽174

$4.19 ₽310

-43.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 ₽306

$3.66 ₽270

13.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 ₽72.4

$1.09 ₽80.1

-10.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 ₽62.4

$1.82 ₽134

-53.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 ₽127

$1.68 ₽124

2.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₽59.9

$1.08 ₽79.5

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₽229

$2.58 ₽191

20.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.90 ₽804

$9.15 ₽675

19.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ₽80.1

$1.21 ₽89.1

-9.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 ₽175

$2.56 ₽189

-7.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ₽64.4

$0.69 ₽50.6

26.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.26 ₽2,824

$12.73 ₽939

200.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 ₽186

$2.56 ₽189

-1.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 ₽34.89

$1.33 ₽98.5

-64.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 ₽597

$8.82 ₽651

-8.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 ₽59.9

$0.87 ₽64.4

-6.90%

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

$38.1K ₽2.8M

$43.5K ₽3.2M

-12.38%

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

$37.2K ₽2.7M

$32.3K ₽2.4M

14.96%

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

$151 ₽11.1K

$181 ₽13.4K

-16.72%

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

$7.97 ₽588

$5.44 ₽402

46.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.99 ₽590

$10.11 ₽746

-20.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.81 ₽3,454

$46.72 ₽3,447

0.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.68 ₽2,559

$10.02 ₽739

246.11%

Cinema Ticket

$6.26 ₽462

$5.14 ₽379

21.79%

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

$707 ₽52.1K

$142 ₽10.5K

397.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ₽1.1M

$2,492 ₽183.9K

482.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 ₽6,484

$31.86 ₽2,351

175.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 ₽3,935

$19.29 ₽1,423

176.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₽9,631

$62.9 ₽4,642

107.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 ₽11.7K

$63.1 ₽4,654

151.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,317 ₽97.2K

$625 ₽46.1K

110.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$734 ₽54.1K

$430 ₽31.7K

70.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,005 ₽221.7K

$959 ₽70.8K

213.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,393 ₽102.8K

$723 ₽53.4K

92.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.7K ₽865.8K

$3,333 ₽246.0K

251.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,027 ₽370.9K

$2,900 ₽214.0K

73.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,075 ₽153.1K

$1,247 ₽92.0K

66.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.39

8.5

186.94%

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

Last update for Moscow: June 2, 2026

Last update for Yakutsk: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,317 in Moscow versus $625 in Yakutsk. 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 66% 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 $44.00 in Yakutsk. Groceries tell a different story – $247 in Moscow vs $283 in Yakutsk – so Moscow wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Yakutsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow costs about 31% more than Yakutsk, 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 $2,473 per month in Moscow and $1,891 in Yakutsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 201% less in Yakutsk. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $707 per month in Moscow and $142 in Yakutsk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Yakutsk, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Moscow at $1,648. In Yakutsk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moscow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Yakutsk costs $1,260 versus $1,648 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 Yakutsk. 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.