How Russia compares across key indices
Cost of Living
31 vs NYC
100 = NYC
Safety Index
25/100
Healthcare
57/100
Quality of Life
80/200
How far your money goes in Russia
Cost of Living
31
100 = NYC baseline
Rent Index
24
100 = NYC rent
Groceries
31
100 = NYC groceries
Restaurant Prices
33
100 = NYC dining
How safe residents feel in Russia - based on surveys of people living there
Safety Index
25/100
Crime Index
80/100
Lower is better
0 point drop from day to night
Russia has 1,000 modeled cities; this view starts with 40 curated or popular options. Monthly costs for a single person range from $693 in Stavropol to $856 in Moscow. Stavropol leads on safety, scoring 24/100. Saratov ranks highest for quality of life at 85/200.
Stavropol
$693/mo
Stavropol
24/100
Saratov
85/200
Moscow
73/100
| City | Monthly Cost | Safety | Quality of Life | Healthcare | Pollution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moscow | $856 | 17/100 | 83/200 | 73/100 | 36 |
| Saint Petersburg | $774 | 19/100 | 83/200 | 68/100 | 33 |
| Novosibirsk | $736 | 22/100 | 84/200 | 64/100 | 28 |
| Nizhniy Novgorod | $728 | 22/100 | 85/200 | 63/100 | 27 |
| Kazan | $728 | 22/100 | 85/200 | 63/100 | 27 |
| Chelyabinsk | $727 | 22/100 | 85/200 | 63/100 | 27 |
| Omsk | $726 | 22/100 | 85/200 | 63/100 | 27 |
| Samara | $725 | 22/100 | 85/200 | 63/100 | 27 |
| Rostov-on-Don | $725 | 22/100 | 85/200 | 63/100 | 27 |
| Ufa | $725 | 22/100 | 85/200 | 63/100 | 27 |
| Krasnoyarsk | $723 | 22/100 | 85/200 | 63/100 | 27 |
| Perm | $720 | 23/100 | 85/200 | 63/100 | 26 |
| Krasnodar | $717 | 23/100 | 85/200 | 62/100 | 26 |
| Saratov | $715 | 23/100 | 85/200 | 62/100 | 26 |
| Tyumen | $712 | 23/100 | 85/200 | 62/100 | 25 |
| Tolyatti | $709 | 23/100 | 85/200 | 62/100 | 25 |
| Izhevsk | $706 | 23/100 | 85/200 | 61/100 | 25 |
| Barnaul | $705 | 24/100 | 85/200 | 61/100 | 25 |
| Ulyanovsk | $705 | 24/100 | 85/200 | 61/100 | 24 |
| Irkutsk | $705 | 24/100 | 85/200 | 61/100 | 24 |
| Khabarovsk | $704 | 24/100 | 85/200 | 61/100 | 24 |
| Vladivostok | $704 | 24/100 | 85/200 | 61/100 | 24 |
| Makhachkala | $703 | 24/100 | 85/200 | 61/100 | 24 |
| Khabarovsk Vtoroy | $702 | 24/100 | 85/200 | 61/100 | 24 |
| Tomsk | $702 | 24/100 | 85/200 | 61/100 | 24 |
| Orenburg | $702 | 24/100 | 85/200 | 61/100 | 24 |
| Kemerovo | $701 | 24/100 | 85/200 | 61/100 | 24 |
| Novokuznetsk | $700 | 24/100 | 85/200 | 61/100 | 24 |
| Ryazan’ | $700 | 24/100 | 85/200 | 61/100 | 24 |
| Astrakhan | $700 | 24/100 | 85/200 | 61/100 | 24 |
| Penza | $699 | 24/100 | 85/200 | 61/100 | 24 |
| Naberezhnyye Chelny | $698 | 24/100 | 85/200 | 60/100 | 24 |
| Lipetsk | $698 | 24/100 | 85/200 | 60/100 | 24 |
| Kirov | $698 | 24/100 | 85/200 | 60/100 | 24 |
| Kalininskiy | $698 | 24/100 | 85/200 | 60/100 | 24 |
| Cheboksary | $697 | 24/100 | 85/200 | 60/100 | 24 |
| Tula | $696 | 24/100 | 85/200 | 60/100 | 23 |
| Kaliningrad | $696 | 24/100 | 85/200 | 60/100 | 23 |
| Kursk | $694 | 24/100 | 85/200 | 60/100 | 23 |
| Stavropol | $693 | 24/100 | 85/200 | 60/100 | 23 |
Freedom Abroad estimates are modeled for a single person including rent. Pollution: lower score = cleaner air. Click column headers to sort.
Compare Cities Side by Side
Detailed comparison of cost of living, safety, and quality of life
Verified school profiles for families comparing language model, grade range, credentials, and admissions next steps in Russia. Tuition appears only when published in verified public sources.
3
Verified records
1
Cities covered
1
Credential signals
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
Primary, Middle school, High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
Primary, Middle school, High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Moscow
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
Primary, Middle school, High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
School records are maintained from direct school pages, public credential directories, public registry claims, and carefully labeled directory/community sources. Admissions, seat availability, and tuition can change quickly, so Freedom Abroad treats unpublished costs as “Contact school” instead of estimating.
Healthcare system overview for Russia
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Air quality, water, and environmental conditions in Russia
Pollution Index
23/100
Lower is better
PM2.5
11.3ug/m3
Good
Based on 0 survey responses. Perception scores are 0–100 where higher is better unless noted.
Common questions about living in Russia, answered with data
Russia has a cost of living index of 31 relative to New York City (100). It is significantly cheaper than the US. Monthly costs for a single person start around $644 in Solikamsk and reach $856 in Moscow.
Solikamsk is the most affordable city in Russia in Freedom Abroad estimates, with estimated monthly costs of $644 for a single person including rent. Glazov is the next most affordable at $644/mo.
Russia has a safety index of 25/100, making it worth researching carefully before committing for expats and travellers. Among cities with data, Saransk scores highest on safety at 25/100.
Saratov ranks highest for quality of life in Russia, scoring 85/200 in Freedom Abroad's modeled quality-of-life estimate. Monthly costs there run around $715/mo for a single person. For budget-conscious expats, Solikamsk offers the lowest monthly costs at $644/mo.
Russia scores 57/100 in Freedom Abroad's modeled healthcare estimate, making it adequate by global standards. This estimate reflects open public indicators for health outcomes and system capacity.
Yes. Russia's cost of living is roughly 69% lower than New York City and generally cheaper than most major US cities. Rent specifically is around 76% cheaper. This makes it a popular destination for remote workers looking to stretch their dollar.
Russia has a pollution index of 23/100 (lower = cleaner). This is relatively clean by global standards, making it appealing for those prioritising air quality and outdoor lifestyle.
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Cost of living, safety, school, and quality-of-life figures on this page are Freedom Abroad estimates or verified public records modeled from open sources. Data sources
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