Nazran, the former capital of Ingushetia, is recognized by Rosstat as the city with the lowest cost-of-living index in Russia – goods and services here are 25% cheaper than the statistical average.
Expats in Russia will find the cost of living to be reasonable. In Mercer's Cost of Living survey for 2021, Moscow was ranked 62nd out of 209 cities, while St Petersburg was ranked 119th. Although Russia cannot be regarded as a cheap country to live in, as a whole, it is more affordable than many western countries.
Rental costs in Russia
According to Numbeo, a one-bedroom flat in the center of Moscow costs 50,000 p. to 100,000 p. Meanwhile, outside the city center, prices are, on average, 40,000 p. For a three-bedroom apartment in Moscow city center, you can expect to pay about 145,000 or 75,000 on the outskirts.
How much does it cost to rent an apartment in Russia? The average monthly prices country-wide are 11,750 RUB ($186) for a single (studio) apartment, 15,423 RUB ($245) for 1-bedroom and 21,670 RUB ($344) for 2 bedroom apartments.
Not only foreign citizens are allowed to buy properties in Russia, but foreign companies are also allowed to buy real estate for commercial use.
Since 1996, Russia's constitution has provided citizens and residents with the right to free healthcare. This is provided by the state through the Federal Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund (also called the OMI or Obligatory Medical Insurance). It is funded through payroll and employer contributions.
Coffee: 65 - ₽ 150 ( US$ 2.10).
Moscow has, by far, the largest expat community in Russia. Many foreigners work in numerous international companies in the Russian capital. However, Moscow's most central and expat-friendly areas carry a high cost of living in comparison to many other places in Russia.
1. Nizhny Novgorod. The number of inhabitants is 1.252 thousand people.
The current minimum wage in Russia is RUB16,242.00 per month in 2023. It became valid on January 1, 2023. The amounts are in Russian Ruble.
Generally, Russia is a safe country for expats. However, both the US Department of State and the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office advise against travel to the North Caucasus region or to the Crimea, due to ongoing political unrest in these areas.
As of 2021, 2,500 USD (about 190,000 Rubles) is more than enough to live comfortably everywhere in Russia, although in Moscow you will spend much more renting an apartment. Most working people in Russia (not in Moscow or St. Petersburg) earn in the range of about 20,000-40,000 Rubles per month.
In addition, in terms of safe living conditions, Russia lags behind the US significantly. According to 2022 estimates, there are 580,466 homeless people in the US, compared to 64,000 in the case of Russia.
Australia's public health system, known as Medicare (not to be confused with America's Medicare program), provides essential hospital treatment, doctors appointments, and medicine for free – or for a substantially reduced cost. It's funded by a form of income tax.
Permanent Residence: Foreign citizens intending to permanently reside in Russia can obtain a permanent residence permit (vid na zhitelstvo) valid for five years that may be extended an unlimited number of times. Foreigners may apply for it at the local FMS based on their at least one-year residence in Russia.
According to the Russian Immigration Law, in order to gain permanent residency, one must first apply for a temporary residence permit. The last type of visa will be issued after the foreign citizen has lived in Russia for two years.
You can also start a new business to qualify for citizenship by investment. The criteria for entrepreneurs is straightforward: generate 10 million rubles in taxable revenue each year for three years into a Russian company formation which creates at least 10 jobs. In 2020, that would have been a little over US$150,000.
Go for a four-pack of yogurt (about 25 rubles per cup), a loaf of bread (20 rubles), or bottled water (15 - 100 rubles).
The average price of a new car in Russia decreased to 2.3 million rubles. The average cost of a new car in Russia over the summer fell to 2.3 million rubles. This is reported by RIA Novosti with reference to a study of the service "SberAuto".