Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Yekaterinburg

For one person, living is cheaper in Yekaterinburg: $1,381 a month against $1,887 in Moscow, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

90

Cost of Living Index in Moscow
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Moscow Living Index
67

Cost of Living Index in Yekaterinburg
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Yekaterinburg Living Index

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Moscow

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,887

/mo nomad

Yekaterinburg

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,381

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Moscow and in Yekaterinburg

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Moscow and in Yekaterinburg actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,887 per month in Moscow vs $1,381 in Yekaterinburg, rent included.

Moscow $1,887
Yekaterinburg $1,381

A couple spends around $2,893 per month in Moscow vs $2,264 in Yekaterinburg, rent included.

Moscow $2,893
Yekaterinburg $2,264

A family of three spends $3,899 per month in Moscow vs $3,147 in Yekaterinburg, rent included.

Moscow $3,899
Yekaterinburg $3,147

Moscow costs about 37% more than Yekaterinburg, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Moscow and Yekaterinburg sit above the global median – Moscow by 39%, Yekaterinburg by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.20 ₽1,018

$13.05 ₽1,089

-6.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 ₽4,952

$49.53 ₽4,134

19.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 ₽589

$6.55 ₽547

7.79%

Cappuccino

$3.90 ₽326

$2.44 ₽203

59.84%

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

$1.70 ₽142

$1.26 ₽105

34.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₽71.6

$0.42 ₽34.81

104.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 ₽411

$2.26 ₽189

117.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 ₽437

$2.95 ₽246

77.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 ₽103

$1.21 ₽101

1.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ₽85.2

$0.67 ₽56.3

52.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 ₽147

$1.22 ₽102

45.08%

Eggs

$1.97 ₽164

$1.72 ₽143

14.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.72 ₽1,229

$11.19 ₽934

31.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.97 ₽582

$5.42 ₽452

28.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.33 ₽1,279

$13.20 ₽1,102

16.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 ₽179

$2.06 ₽172

4.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₽150

$1.79 ₽149

0.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 ₽171

$1.53 ₽128

33.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 ₽333

$2.79 ₽233

43.01%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 ₽77.6

$0.68 ₽56.6

36.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 ₽59.8

$0.61 ₽50.6

18.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 ₽138

$1.53 ₽127

7.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₽83.6

$0.88 ₽73.1

13.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.61 ₽301

$3.47 ₽290

4.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.11 ₽1,011

$7.10 ₽593

70.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₽103

$1.40 ₽117

-12.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 ₽220

$2.60 ₽217

1.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 ₽83.6

$0.49 ₽40.54

104.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.43 ₽3,541

$18.23 ₽1,521

132.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 ₽298

$4.35 ₽363

-17.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 ₽67.7

$0.21 ₽17.48

285.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.22 ₽1,020

$4.32 ₽360

182.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 ₽78.5

$0.87 ₽73.0

8.05%

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

$43.9K ₽3.7M

$53.4K ₽4.5M

-17.86%

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

$39.5K ₽3.3M

$38.6K ₽3.2M

2.53%

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

$195 ₽16.2K

$118 ₽9,855

64.88%

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

$8.83 ₽737

$6.18 ₽516

42.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.13 ₽845

$12.19 ₽1,017

-16.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.77 ₽3,570

$43.59 ₽3,638

-1.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.27 ₽3,779

$35.69 ₽2,979

26.84%

Cinema Ticket

$9.48 ₽791

$7.44 ₽621

27.42%

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

$850 ₽70.9K

$346 ₽28.9K

145.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.1K ₽2.4M

$3,748 ₽312.8K

675.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 ₽9,237

$134 ₽11.2K

-17.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.4 ₽5,709

$103 ₽8,615

-33.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 ₽12.4K

$241 ₽20.1K

-38.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 ₽15.4K

$176 ₽14.7K

4.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 ₽123.5K

$788 ₽65.8K

87.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$846 ₽70.6K

$470 ₽39.3K

79.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,083 ₽257.3K

$1,308 ₽109.1K

135.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,542 ₽128.7K

$1,026 ₽85.6K

50.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.1K ₽844.1K

$2,589 ₽216.0K

290.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,782 ₽399.1K

$1,715 ₽143.1K

178.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,743 ₽145.4K

$923 ₽77.1K

88.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.56

22.22

-11.97%

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

Last update for Moscow: October 19, 2026

Last update for Yekaterinburg: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Moscow

$846 44.8%

Yekaterinburg

$470 34.1% 44.4% $376

Groceries & Markets

Moscow

$271 14.3%

Yekaterinburg

$218 15.8% 19.4% $52

Clothing & Footwear

Moscow

$230 12.2%

Yekaterinburg

$294 21.3% 27.9% $64

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Moscow

$214 11.3%

Yekaterinburg

$136 9.9% 36.1% $77

Eating Out

Moscow

$211 11.2%

Yekaterinburg

$177 12.8% 16% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Moscow

$62 3.3%

Yekaterinburg

$58 4.2% 5.3% $3.3

Getting Around

Moscow

$54 2.9%

Yekaterinburg

$26 1.9% 52.7% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,480 in Moscow versus $788 in Yekaterinburg. 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 89% 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 $59.0 in Moscow versus $50.0 in Yekaterinburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $218 – making Yekaterinburg the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Moscow

🇷🇺 Yekaterinburg

🕒 Local time

16:31 4:31 PM

18:31 6:31 PM

2 h ahead of Moscow

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,700,000 Capital

1,495,066

💱 Currency

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Moscow Yekaterinburg 1,420 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Moscow
Yekaterinburg

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Yekaterinburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow costs about 37% more than Yekaterinburg, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,831 per month in Moscow and $2,071 in Yekaterinburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 133% less in Yekaterinburg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $850 per month in Moscow and $346 in Yekaterinburg. 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 Yekaterinburg, where all-in costs run around $1,381, than in Moscow at $1,887. In Yekaterinburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moscow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Yekaterinburg costs $1,381 versus $1,887 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 Yekaterinburg. 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.