Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vladikavkaz and Moscow

For one person, living is cheaper in Vladikavkaz: $1,091 a month against $1,843 in Moscow, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Vladikavkaz, Russia
Moscow, Russia
Vladikavkaz
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,091
/mo nomad
Moscow
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,843
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,091 per month in Vladikavkaz vs $1,843 in Moscow, rent included.

  • Vladikavkaz $1,091
  • Moscow $1,843

A couple spends around $1,710 per month in Vladikavkaz vs $2,822 in Moscow, rent included.

  • Vladikavkaz $1,710
  • Moscow $2,822

A family of three spends $2,330 per month in Vladikavkaz vs $3,801 in Moscow, rent included.

  • Vladikavkaz $2,330
  • Moscow $3,801

Vladikavkaz is about 41% cheaper than Moscow, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vladikavkaz
Moscow
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.31 ₽1,083
$12.14 ₽988
9.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.64 ₽2,899
$62.2 ₽5,057
-42.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.13 ₽499
$7.31 ₽595
-16.14%
Cappuccino
$2.93 ₽238
$3.72 ₽303
-21.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.16 ₽94.1
$1.67 ₽136
-30.54%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 ₽44.80
$0.83 ₽67.2
-33.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.04 ₽166
$5.03 ₽409
-59.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 ₽247
$4.84 ₽394
-37.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vladikavkaz
Moscow
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 ₽94.6
$1.24 ₽101
-6.45%
White Bread (500g)
$0.74 ₽60.0
$1.00 ₽81.0
-26.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.32 ₽107
$1.71 ₽139
-22.81%
Eggs
$1.85 ₽150
$1.90 ₽155
-2.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.31 ₽1,001
$14.34 ₽1,167
-14.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.63 ₽377
$6.65 ₽541
-30.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.55 ₽858
$14.53 ₽1,182
-27.39%
Apples (1kg)
$1.85 ₽150
$2.07 ₽169
-10.63%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₽131
$1.89 ₽154
-14.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.91 ₽155
$1.91 ₽156
-
Tomato (1kg)
$3.38 ₽275
$3.96 ₽322
-14.65%
Potato (1kg)
$0.95 ₽77.5
$0.93 ₽75.5
2.15%
Onion (1kg)
$0.71 ₽57.8
$0.70 ₽57.1
1.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.20 ₽97.7
$1.64 ₽133
-26.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 ₽55.7
$0.92 ₽74.6
-26.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.06 ₽249
$3.50 ₽285
-12.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.64 ₽784
$12.25 ₽996
-21.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 ₽97.0
$1.18 ₽95.9
0.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 ₽188
$2.54 ₽206
-9.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Vladikavkaz
Moscow
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.53 ₽42.87
$0.95 ₽77.0
-44.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.36 ₽2,226
$42.83 ₽3,484
-36.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ₽197
$3.60 ₽293
-32.78%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.32 ₽26.19
$0.76 ₽62.2
-57.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.95 ₽484
$11.20 ₽911
-46.87%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.86 ₽69.8
$0.90 ₽73.0
-4.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$52.5K ₽4.3M
$42.9K ₽3.5M
22.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.6K ₽3.5M
$40.0K ₽3.3M
8.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vladikavkaz
Moscow
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$141 ₽11.4K
$177 ₽14.4K
-20.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.32 ₽514
$8.76 ₽713
-27.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.82 ₽636
$9.72 ₽791
-19.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vladikavkaz
Moscow
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.84 ₽3,241
$42.21 ₽3,434
-5.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.41 ₽2,230
$46.14 ₽3,753
-40.59%
Cinema Ticket
$6.44 ₽524
$9.50 ₽773
-32.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vladikavkaz
Moscow
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$349 ₽28.4K
$869 ₽70.7K
-59.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,773 ₽469.6K
$30.2K ₽2.5M
-80.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vladikavkaz
Moscow
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.7 ₽7,624
$106 ₽8,644
-11.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.7 ₽4,533
$67.5 ₽5,494
-17.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$133 ₽10.9K
$144 ₽11.7K
-7.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 ₽8,623
$179 ₽14.5K
-40.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vladikavkaz
Moscow
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$445 ₽36.2K
$1,481 ₽120.5K
-69.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$278 ₽22.6K
$837 ₽68.1K
-66.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$903 ₽73.4K
$3,018 ₽245.5K
-70.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$529 ₽43.0K
$1,487 ₽121.0K
-64.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,084 ₽169.5K
$9,639 ₽784.2K
-78.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,523 ₽123.9K
$4,728 ₽384.6K
-67.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vladikavkaz
Moscow
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,804 ₽146.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
21.33
19.36
10.18%

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

Last update for Vladikavkaz: November 1, 2026

Last update for Moscow: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Vladikavkaz
$278
Moscow
$837 201% $559
Groceries & Markets
Vladikavkaz
$214
Moscow
$263 23% $49
Eating Out
Vladikavkaz
$183
Moscow
$208 13.9% $25
Clothing & Footwear
Vladikavkaz
$175
Moscow
$223 27.7% $48
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vladikavkaz
$155
Moscow
$196 26.5% $41
Sport & Entertainment
Vladikavkaz
$53
Moscow
$61 16.1% $8.5
Getting Around
Vladikavkaz
$34
Moscow
$54 61.3% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $445 in Vladikavkaz versus $1,481 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 $36 in Vladikavkaz versus $62 in Moscow. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $214 vs $263 – making Vladikavkaz the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇷🇺 Vladikavkaz
🇷🇺 Moscow
🕒 Local time
07:36 7:36 AM
07:36 7:36 AM
Same time as Vladikavkaz
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
301,543
12,700,000 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to RUB – Russian Ruble Converter

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 81.35 RUB (100 RUB = 1.23 USD). 1 EUR = 90.98 RUB (100 RUB = 1.1 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Vladikavkaz Moscow 1,500 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Vladikavkaz
  • 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
Vladikavkaz vs Moscow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Vladikavkaz or Moscow?
Moscow costs about 69% more than Vladikavkaz, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Vladikavkaz and in Moscow?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,636 per month in Vladikavkaz and $2,764 in Moscow. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Vladikavkaz or Moscow?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Vladikavkaz, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $445 there versus $1,481 in Moscow.
How expensive is transport in Vladikavkaz compared to Moscow?
Public transport costs about 36% less in Vladikavkaz. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Vladikavkaz and in Moscow?
Kindergarten costs $349 per month in Vladikavkaz and $869 in Moscow. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Vladikavkaz or in Moscow?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Vladikavkaz, where all-in costs run around $1,091, than in Moscow at $1,843. In Vladikavkaz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moscow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Vladikavkaz – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
For expats, Vladikavkaz is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 41% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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