Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulan Ude and Moscow

For one person, living is cheaper in Ulan Ude: $1,094 a month against $1,833 in Moscow, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

53

Cost of Living Index in Ulan Ude
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Ulan Ude Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Moscow
Learn more

Moscow Living Index

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Ulan Ude

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,094

/mo nomad

Moscow

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,833

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ulan Ude 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 Ulan Ude and in Moscow actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,094 per month in Ulan Ude vs $1,833 in Moscow, rent included.

Ulan Ude $1,094
Moscow $1,833

A couple spends around $1,704 per month in Ulan Ude vs $2,835 in Moscow, rent included.

Ulan Ude $1,704
Moscow $2,835

A family of three spends $2,314 per month in Ulan Ude vs $3,837 in Moscow, rent included.

Ulan Ude $2,314
Moscow $3,837

Ulan Ude is about 40% cheaper than Moscow, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Ulan Ude sits 19% below the global median, while Moscow is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.05 ₽589

$12.01 ₽1,002

-41.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.40 ₽3,956

$59.8 ₽4,987

-20.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 ₽583

$6.97 ₽582

0.14%

Cappuccino

$3.59 ₽300

$3.90 ₽326

-7.95%

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

$1.77 ₽148

$1.67 ₽140

5.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₽146

$0.88 ₽73.1

98.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 ₽299

$4.88 ₽408

-26.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 ₽486

$5.50 ₽459

5.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 ₽120

$1.27 ₽106

13.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 ₽64.9

$1.02 ₽85.1

-23.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ₽112

$1.67 ₽139

-19.76%

Eggs

$2.11 ₽176

$1.92 ₽161

9.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.17 ₽1,015

$14.46 ₽1,207

-15.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.39 ₽533

$6.69 ₽558

-4.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.98 ₽1,083

$15.11 ₽1,261

-14.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 ₽177

$2.04 ₽170

3.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 ₽156

$1.86 ₽155

0.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 ₽146

$2.02 ₽169

-13.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 ₽230

$4.06 ₽338

-32.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 ₽56.4

$0.92 ₽76.9

-26.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 ₽66.1

$0.75 ₽62.5

5.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 ₽175

$1.63 ₽136

28.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₽56.0

$0.91 ₽76.0

-26.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 ₽245

$3.42 ₽286

-14.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.37 ₽532

$11.97 ₽999

-46.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 ₽125

$1.20 ₽100

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₽100

$2.64 ₽221

-54.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₽38.55

$0.91 ₽75.7

-49.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.23 ₽2,022

$41.33 ₽3,449

-41.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ₽107

$3.60 ₽300

-64.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ₽14.16

$0.85 ₽71.1

-80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.36 ₽614

$12.10 ₽1,010

-39.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 ₽70.4

$0.87 ₽72.8

-3.45%

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

$47.2K ₽3.9M

$39.3K ₽3.3M

20.16%

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

$35.0K ₽2.9M

$38.5K ₽3.2M

-9.01%

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

$90.6 ₽7,558

$191 ₽16.0K

-52.70%

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

$4.84 ₽404

$8.65 ₽722

-44.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.58 ₽633

$10.19 ₽850

-25.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.71 ₽1,979

$42.73 ₽3,566

-44.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.45 ₽3,960

$44.45 ₽3,710

6.75%

Cinema Ticket

$7.09 ₽592

$9.50 ₽793

-25.37%

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

$817 ₽68.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.7K ₽2.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.7 ₽6,067

$110 ₽9,172

-33.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.73 ₽2,481

$67.9 ₽5,664

-56.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₽9,870

$146 ₽12.2K

-19.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₽10.1K

$184 ₽15.4K

-34.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$514 ₽42.9K

$1,499 ₽125.1K

-65.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 ₽31.5K

$804 ₽67.1K

-53.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₽65.0K

$3,068 ₽256.0K

-74.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$591 ₽49.3K

$1,501 ₽125.3K

-60.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,092 ₽174.6K

$10.2K ₽855.4K

-79.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,557 ₽129.9K

$4,709 ₽393.0K

-66.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$899 ₽75.0K

$1,715 ₽143.1K

-47.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.67

19.56

10.79%

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

Last update for Ulan Ude: October 10, 2026

Last update for Moscow: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ulan Ude

$378 34.5%

Moscow

$804 43.9% 113% $426

Groceries & Markets

Ulan Ude

$229 20.9%

Moscow

$266 14.5% 16.3% $37

Eating Out

Ulan Ude

$164 15%

Moscow

$209 11.4% 27.6% $45

Clothing & Footwear

Ulan Ude

$154 14.1%

Moscow

$229 12.5% 48.5% $75

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ulan Ude

$103 9.4%

Moscow

$210 11.5% 104% $107

Sport & Entertainment

Ulan Ude

$38 3.5%

Moscow

$62 3.4% 62.8% $24

Getting Around

Ulan Ude

$28 2.6%

Moscow

$53 2.9% 87.3% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $514 in Ulan Ude versus $1,499 in Moscow. 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 91% 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 $47.00 in Ulan Ude versus $60.0 in Moscow. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $229 vs $266 – making Ulan Ude the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Ulan Ude

🇷🇺 Moscow

🕒 Local time

12:50 12:50 PM

07:50 7:50 AM

5 h behind Ulan Ude

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

436,138

12,700,000 Capital

💱 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

On the map

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Between locations

Ulan Ude Moscow 4,420 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Ulan Ude
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

Ulan Ude vs Moscow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow costs about 68% more than Ulan Ude, 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 $1,640 per month in Ulan Ude and $2,749 in Moscow. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 71% less in Ulan Ude. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ulan Ude, where all-in costs run around $1,094, than in Moscow at $1,833. In Ulan Ude it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moscow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ulan Ude costs $1,094 versus $1,833 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 Ulan Ude. 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.