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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,683 per month in Moscow vs $1,215 in Yakutsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,643 per month in Moscow vs $1,861 in Yakutsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,603 per month in Moscow vs $2,506 in Yakutsk, rent included.

Moscow costs about 39% more than Yakutsk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Moscow sits 26% above the global median, while Yakutsk is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.68 ₽996

$9.78 ₽769

29.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.3 ₽4,500

$44.10 ₽3,464

29.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.42 ₽504

$7.46 ₽586

-13.94%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ₽262

$2.59 ₽204

28.96%

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

$1.39 ₽109

$1.60 ₽125

-13.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₽53.2

$0.74 ₽58.1

-8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.42 ₽347

$3.87 ₽304

14.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 ₽345

$4.35 ₽342

0.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ₽100.0

$1.83 ₽144

-30.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₽69.3

$0.71 ₽55.5

23.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ₽133

$1.53 ₽120

10.46%

Eggs

$1.92 ₽151

$2.53 ₽199

-24.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.38 ₽1,051

$14.07 ₽1,105

-4.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.15 ₽483

$8.49 ₽667

-27.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.27 ₽964

$10.42 ₽818

17.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 ₽153

$3.08 ₽242

-37.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 ₽163

$3.26 ₽256

-36.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ₽181

$4.34 ₽341

-46.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 ₽330

$3.63 ₽285

15.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 ₽78.4

$1.14 ₽89.7

-12.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 ₽67.5

$1.75 ₽137

-50.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 ₽130

$1.69 ₽132

-1.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₽59.2

$1.07 ₽84.4

-29.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ₽245

$2.50 ₽196

24.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 ₽1,002

$9.25 ₽726

37.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ₽85.1

$1.25 ₽98.1

-13.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₽184

$2.53 ₽199

-7.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ₽68.0

$0.68 ₽53.4

27.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.34 ₽2,934

$12.54 ₽985

197.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 ₽202

$2.55 ₽200

0.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ₽34.64

$1.40 ₽110

-68.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.05 ₽632

$8.74 ₽687

-7.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 ₽63.2

$0.88 ₽69.4

-9.09%

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

$37.8K ₽3.0M

$43.8K ₽3.4M

-13.67%

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

$36.0K ₽2.8M

$32.0K ₽2.5M

12.54%

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

$150 ₽11.8K

$180 ₽14.2K

-16.90%

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

$8.15 ₽640

$5.49 ₽432

48.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.13 ₽639

$10.13 ₽795

-19.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.80 ₽3,755

$48.35 ₽3,798

-1.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.23 ₽2,768

$10.22 ₽803

244.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.33 ₽498

$5.02 ₽394

26.10%

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

$694 ₽54.5K

$141 ₽11.1K

391.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ₽1.2M

$2,528 ₽198.6K

487.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.3 ₽6,859

$31.81 ₽2,499

174.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 ₽4,158

$18.73 ₽1,471

182.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 ₽10.4K

$63.0 ₽4,950

109.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 ₽12.9K

$64.1 ₽5,035

155.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 ₽105.7K

$643 ₽50.5K

109.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 ₽59.4K

$440 ₽34.5K

72.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,963 ₽232.8K

$935 ₽73.5K

216.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,385 ₽108.8K

$710 ₽55.7K

95.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.0K ₽865.0K

$3,239 ₽254.5K

239.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,689 ₽368.3K

$2,731 ₽214.6K

71.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,779 ₽139.8K

$1,156 ₽90.8K

53.90%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Yakutsk: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,346 in Moscow versus $643 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 54% 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 – $252 in Moscow vs $284 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 39% 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 $2,525 per month in Moscow and $1,823 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 198% less in Yakutsk. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $694 per month in Moscow and $141 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 $1,215, than in Moscow at $1,683. 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 $1,215 versus $1,683 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.