Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Yoshkar-Ola Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Yoshkar-Ola

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,638 per month in Moscow vs $963 in Yoshkar-Ola, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,596 per month in Moscow vs $1,429 in Yoshkar-Ola, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,554 per month in Moscow vs $1,895 in Yoshkar-Ola, rent included.

Moscow costs about 70% more than Yoshkar-Ola, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Moscow sits 23% above the global median, while Yoshkar-Ola is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.79 ₽1,018

$11.45 ₽911

11.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.5 ₽4,579

$24.90 ₽1,982

131.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 ₽499

$5.11 ₽407

22.90%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ₽263

$1.26 ₽100

162.70%

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

$1.42 ₽113

$0.72 ₽57.2

97.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₽53.4

$0.43 ₽34.13

55.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.32 ₽344

$1.00 ₽79.3

332.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 ₽362

$3.23 ₽257

40.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 ₽102

$1.06 ₽84.0

21.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 ₽71.3

$0.61 ₽48.30

47.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ₽135

$1.36 ₽109

24.26%

Eggs

$1.87 ₽149

$1.59 ₽126

17.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 ₽1,033

$10.22 ₽813

27.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.99 ₽477

$4.93 ₽392

21.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.95 ₽951

$8.68 ₽691

37.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ₽148

$1.80 ₽143

3.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 ₽163

$1.72 ₽137

19.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ₽183

$1.93 ₽153

18.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 ₽319

$2.47 ₽197

62.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 ₽81.9

$0.70 ₽56.1

47.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 ₽64.3

$0.70 ₽55.9

15.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 ₽135

$1.19 ₽95.1

42.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₽63.3

$0.72 ₽57.2

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₽247

$2.94 ₽234

5.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 ₽1,011

$8.88 ₽707

43.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ₽89.3

$1.17 ₽93.5

-4.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ₽194

$2.08 ₽166

16.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ₽68.6

$0.43 ₽33.86

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.82 ₽3,010

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.49 ₽198

$1.87 ₽149

33.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ₽35.37

$0.16 ₽12.63

175.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 ₽631

$7.44 ₽593

6.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₽65.1

$0.73 ₽58.1

12.33%

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

$37.4K ₽3.0M

$41.3K ₽3.3M

-9.52%

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

$36.2K ₽2.9M

$31.2K ₽2.5M

15.96%

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

$151 ₽12.0K

$111 ₽8,811

36.12%

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

$8.00 ₽636

$5.72 ₽455

39.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.82 ₽623

$7.30 ₽581

7.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.92 ₽3,734

$36.41 ₽2,898

28.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.41 ₽2,739

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 ₽493

$5.83 ₽464

6.17%

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

$697 ₽55.5K

$338 ₽26.9K

106.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ₽1.2M

$3,937 ₽313.4K

273.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 ₽7,069

$82.0 ₽6,525

8.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.0 ₽4,214

$74.8 ₽5,955

-29.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 ₽10.7K

$146 ₽11.6K

-8.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 ₽12.9K

$113 ₽9,009

42.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,344 ₽107.0K

$317 ₽25.2K

323.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$738 ₽58.7K

$256 ₽20.4K

188.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 ₽236.0K

$506 ₽40.3K

485.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,434 ₽114.1K

$383 ₽30.5K

274.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ₽861.9K

$1,281 ₽101.9K

745.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,627 ₽368.3K

$1,202 ₽95.7K

284.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,794 ₽142.8K

$522 ₽41.5K

243.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.39

12.5

95.12%

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

Last update for Moscow: July 28, 2026

Last update for Yoshkar-Ola: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,344 in Moscow versus $317 in Yoshkar-Ola. 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 244% 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 $58.0 in Moscow versus $25.00 in Yoshkar-Ola. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $194 – making Yoshkar-Ola 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 Yoshkar-Ola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow costs about 70% more than Yoshkar-Ola, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,458 per month in Moscow and $1,445 in Yoshkar-Ola. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Moscow and $25.00 in Yoshkar-Ola. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Moscow, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Yoshkar-Ola, where all-in costs run around $963, than in Moscow at $1,638. In Yoshkar-Ola it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moscow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Yoshkar-Ola costs $963 versus $1,638 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 Yoshkar-Ola. 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.