Living in Moscow: cost of living, rent and salary
Updated 3 October 2026
In Moscow, a one-bedroom home costs about ₽74,300 (≈ €780) a month. To keep the lifestyle of someone living in London, you need about ₽119,000 (≈ €1,250) net a month. Here is the rent by type of home, the month’s budget line by line, and the sources.
Example: the same life, elsewhere
A single person living in London in a one-bedroom home, with the average spending of a similar household, spends about £3,350 a month. To keep the same life in Moscow, they would need about ₽119,000 (≈ €1,250) net a month locally (−68%), i.e. 3.4 times the Moscow minimum wage.
For a couple with two children in a two-bedroom home (private or international school), it would take about ₽365,000 (≈ €3,850) net a month in Moscow, i.e. 10.6 times the Moscow minimum wage.
Calculated on 3 October 2026 with the official averages of London and the destination’s prices. Yours depends on your city, home and habits: the calculator works it out in a few minutes, no sign-up.
Rent in Moscow
A one-bedroom home in Moscow costs about 124% more than the median of the 8 other cities tracked in the country.
| Type of home | Outside sought-after areas | Outside sought-after areas, in euros |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | ₽61,200 | €650 |
| 1 bedroom | ₽74,300 | €780 |
| 2 bedrooms | ₽107,000 | €1,130 |
| 3-bedroom house | ₽157,000 | €1,650 |
Monthly rent in RUB, outside the most sought-after areas. Studio 28 m², 1 bedroom 45 m², 2 bedrooms 65 m², house 95 m² where rent is known per m². Rosstat, average consumer prices for August 2026: renting a one-room and a two-room flat from a private landlord, per month (August 2026).
A month’s budget in Moscow, line by line
For a single person renting a one-bedroom home and keeping the average habits of a household in London, here is what each line would cost in Moscow.
| Item | London | Moscow | Moscow (RUB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | £2,550 | £670 | ₽74,400 |
| Housing tax | £50 | £0 | ₽0 |
| Electricity, water, gas | £100 | £30 | ₽3,000 |
| Groceries | £200 | £150 | ₽16,300 |
| Restaurants and outings | £110 | £60 | ₽7,110 |
| Transport | £100 | £30 | ₽2,780 |
| Health | £40 | £10 | ₽1,110 |
| Phone and internet | £50 | £20 | ₽1,670 |
| Sport | £60 | £30 | ₽3,000 |
| Clothes | £60 | £40 | ₽4,550 |
| Hairdresser and beauty | £40 | £10 | ₽1,550 |
| Trips back to London | £0 | £30 | ₽3,110 |
| Total per month | £3,350 | £1,070 | ₽119,000 |
Estimate: lines without an answer take the official average of the departure city, then the destination’s prices. The calculator starts from your real amounts.
Visa, healthcare, school, electricity
These rules are the same across the country: find them on the page Living in Russia.
Frequently asked questions
What salary do you need to live in Moscow?
For a single person keeping the same life as in London: about ₽119,000 (≈ €1,250) net a month, i.e. 3.4 times the Moscow minimum wage.
How much is rent in Moscow?
About ₽74,300 (≈ €780) a month for a one-bedroom home and ₽107,000 for a two-bedroom home, according to Rosstat, average consumer prices for August 2026.
Is it expensive to live in Moscow?
In London, a single person spends about £3,350 a month; with the same life in Moscow, it would be about £1,070 (−68%).