Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Murmansk and Moscow

For one person, living is cheaper in Murmansk: $1,095 a month against $1,922 in Moscow, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

53

Cost of Living Index in Murmansk
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Murmansk Living Index
92

Cost of Living Index in Moscow
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Moscow Living Index

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Murmansk

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,095

/mo nomad

Moscow

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,922

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Murmansk and in Moscow

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

A single person spends $1,095 per month in Murmansk vs $1,922 in Moscow, rent included.

Murmansk $1,095
Moscow $1,922

A couple spends around $1,700 per month in Murmansk vs $2,941 in Moscow, rent included.

Murmansk $1,700
Moscow $2,941

A family of three spends $2,305 per month in Murmansk vs $3,960 in Moscow, rent included.

Murmansk $2,305
Moscow $3,960

Murmansk is about 43% cheaper than Moscow, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Murmansk sits 20% below the global median, while Moscow is 41% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.01 ₽888

$12.50 ₽1,008

-11.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.21 ₽3,162

$61.2 ₽4,939

-35.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.55 ₽528

$7.65 ₽617

-14.38%

Cappuccino

$2.92 ₽236

$3.84 ₽309

-23.96%

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

$1.21 ₽97.8

$1.74 ₽140

-30.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₽50.9

$0.85 ₽68.8

-25.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 ₽130

$4.83 ₽390

-66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ₽266

$5.17 ₽417

-36.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 ₽92.6

$1.32 ₽107

-12.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ₽63.7

$1.04 ₽84.0

-24.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 ₽119

$1.77 ₽143

-16.95%

Eggs

$1.59 ₽128

$2.02 ₽163

-21.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.85 ₽956

$15.08 ₽1,216

-21.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.40 ₽436

$6.86 ₽553

-21.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.90 ₽960

$15.29 ₽1,233

-22.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ₽150

$2.14 ₽173

-13.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₽134

$1.83 ₽148

-9.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 ₽139

$2.03 ₽164

-15.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 ₽194

$4.14 ₽334

-42.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 ₽64.3

$0.94 ₽76.0

-14.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ₽48.61

$0.77 ₽62.0

-22.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ₽106

$1.69 ₽137

-22.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₽52.0

$1.01 ₽81.3

-35.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.34 ₽270

$3.71 ₽299

-9.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.64 ₽697

$12.23 ₽986

-29.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ₽87.3

$1.26 ₽102

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₽170

$2.73 ₽220

-22.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 ₽52.1

$0.96 ₽77.4

-32.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.91 ₽2,573

$43.33 ₽3,494

-26.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 ₽209

$3.68 ₽296

-29.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ₽30.55

$0.84 ₽67.6

-54.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 ₽483

$12.33 ₽994

-51.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 ₽66.7

$0.96 ₽77.4

-13.54%

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

$53.2K ₽4.3M

$45.4K ₽3.7M

17.24%

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

$41.0K ₽3.3M

$41.2K ₽3.3M

-0.53%

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

$115 ₽9,294

$199 ₽16.0K

-42.04%

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

$6.73 ₽543

$9.04 ₽729

-25.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.69 ₽701

$10.05 ₽810

-13.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.42 ₽3,018

$44.51 ₽3,589

-15.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.10 ₽1,943

$47.40 ₽3,823

-49.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ₽524

$9.63 ₽777

-32.61%

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

$362 ₽29.2K

$898 ₽72.4K

-59.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,537 ₽527.2K

$29.3K ₽2.4M

-77.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.8 ₽6,838

$117 ₽9,411

-27.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.9 ₽4,344

$69.4 ₽5,595

-22.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₽10.0K

$153 ₽12.3K

-18.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₽8,601

$188 ₽15.1K

-43.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ₽38.9K

$1,533 ₽123.6K

-68.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ₽26.8K

$860 ₽69.4K

-61.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 ₽83.3K

$3,127 ₽252.2K

-66.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$571 ₽46.0K

$1,552 ₽125.1K

-63.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,272 ₽183.2K

$10.5K ₽845.5K

-78.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ₽122.8K

$4,981 ₽401.7K

-69.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,798 ₽145.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.45

19.58

9.55%

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

Last update for Murmansk: October 25, 2026

Last update for Moscow: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Murmansk

$332 30.4%

Moscow

$860 44.7% 159% $528

Groceries & Markets

Murmansk

$211 19.3%

Moscow

$274 14.3% 29.7% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Murmansk

$166 15.2%

Moscow

$237 12.3% 42.5% $71

Eating Out

Murmansk

$165 15.1%

Moscow

$214 11.1% 29.8% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Murmansk

$131 11.9%

Moscow

$218 11.3% 66.8% $87

Sport & Entertainment

Murmansk

$50 4.6%

Moscow

$64 3.3% 26.5% $13

Getting Around

Murmansk

$39 3.6%

Moscow

$55 2.9% 41.2% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Murmansk versus $1,533 in Moscow. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39 in Murmansk versus $61 in Moscow. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $274 – making Murmansk the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Murmansk

🇷🇺 Moscow

🕒 Local time

00:08 12:08 AM

Same time as Murmansk

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

282,851

12,700,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 RUB = 1.24 USD

100 RUB = 1.11 EUR

100 RUB = 1.24 USD

100 RUB = 1.11 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Murmansk Moscow 1,490 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Murmansk
Moscow

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

Murmansk vs Moscow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow costs about 76% more than Murmansk, 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 $1,643 per month in Murmansk and $2,883 in Moscow. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Murmansk, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $1,533 in Moscow.

Public transport costs about 26% less in Murmansk. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $362 per month in Murmansk and $898 in Moscow. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Families tend to lean toward Murmansk – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Murmansk is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 43% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.