Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Yekaterinburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Yekaterinburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,683 per month in Moscow vs $1,145 in Yekaterinburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,643 per month in Moscow vs $1,827 in Yekaterinburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,603 per month in Moscow vs $2,509 in Yekaterinburg, rent included.

Moscow costs about 47% more than Yekaterinburg, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Moscow sits 26% above the global median, while Yekaterinburg is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.68 ₽995

$13.30 ₽1,044

-4.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.3 ₽4,495

$51.6 ₽4,047

11.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.42 ₽504

$6.50 ₽510

-1.23%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ₽262

$2.82 ₽221

18.44%

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

$1.39 ₽109

$1.36 ₽107

2.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₽53.1

$0.65 ₽51.3

4.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.42 ₽347

$1.85 ₽145

138.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 ₽345

$2.25 ₽176

95.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ₽99.9

$1.10 ₽86.6

15.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₽69.2

$0.66 ₽51.9

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ₽133

$1.34 ₽105

26.12%

Eggs

$1.92 ₽151

$1.62 ₽127

18.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.38 ₽1,051

$12.54 ₽984

6.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.15 ₽482

$4.68 ₽367

31.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.27 ₽963

$11.78 ₽924

4.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 ₽153

$1.97 ₽155

-1.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 ₽162

$1.93 ₽151

7.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ₽181

$2.45 ₽192

-5.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 ₽329

$2.96 ₽232

41.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 ₽78.3

$0.68 ₽53.2

47.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 ₽67.4

$0.79 ₽61.9

8.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 ₽130

$1.37 ₽107

21.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₽59.2

$0.73 ₽57.0

2.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ₽245

$2.48 ₽195

25.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 ₽1,002

$7.91 ₽621

61.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ₽85.0

$1.15 ₽90.3

-6.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₽184

$2.46 ₽193

-4.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ₽67.9

$0.43 ₽33.96

102.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.34 ₽2,931

$25.23 ₽1,980

48.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 ₽202

$2.49 ₽195

3.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ₽34.61

$0.35 ₽27.55

25.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.05 ₽632

$6.91 ₽542

16.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 ₽63.2

$0.73 ₽57.0

9.59%

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

$37.8K ₽3.0M

$31.4K ₽2.5M

20.50%

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

$36.0K ₽2.8M

$46.7K ₽3.7M

-22.81%

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

$150 ₽11.8K

$130 ₽10.2K

15.45%

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

$8.15 ₽640

$6.91 ₽543

17.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.13 ₽638

$9.22 ₽724

-11.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.80 ₽3,751

$40.12 ₽3,149

19.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.23 ₽2,766

$19.27 ₽1,513

82.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.33 ₽497

$5.56 ₽436

13.85%

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

$694 ₽54.5K

$463 ₽36.4K

49.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ₽1.2M

$8,822 ₽692.4K

68.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.3 ₽6,853

$68.5 ₽5,378

27.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 ₽4,154

$45.70 ₽3,587

15.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 ₽10.4K

$98.8 ₽7,756

33.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 ₽12.8K

$74.0 ₽5,807

121.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 ₽105.6K

$587 ₽46.1K

129.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 ₽59.4K

$386 ₽30.3K

95.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,963 ₽232.5K

$1,117 ₽87.7K

165.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,385 ₽108.7K

$779 ₽61.2K

77.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.0K ₽864.2K

$2,795 ₽219.4K

293.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,689 ₽368.0K

$1,865 ₽146.4K

151.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,779 ₽139.6K

$967 ₽75.9K

83.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.39

16.39

48.81%

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

Last update for Moscow: July 13, 2026

Last update for Yekaterinburg: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,346 in Moscow versus $587 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 84% 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 $52.0 in Yekaterinburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $216 – making Yekaterinburg 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 Yekaterinburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow costs about 47% more than Yekaterinburg, 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 $1,718 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 48% less in Yekaterinburg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $694 per month in Moscow and $463 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 $1,145, than in Moscow at $1,683. 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 $1,145 versus $1,683 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.