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Moscow
#93 of 124
Europe

Moscow

Russia

Salary & Cost of Living

View purchasing power ranking

How do salaries and expenses in Moscow compare to San Francisco?

Purchasing Power Comparison

An engineer in Moscow is 56% worse off vs in San Francisco

This shows how far a software engineer's salary goes in Moscow compared to San Francisco, taking into account both salary differences and cost of living.

Median Salary
$41,741
-$231K (-85%) vs San Francisco
Based on 2632 data points from levels.fyi
Net Salary
$36,189
-$136K (-79%) vs San Francisco
Tax Rate: 13%

Community Insights

New

Moving to Moscow as a software engineer today is a contrarian play. The city remains a highly developed metropolis with excellent amenities, low taxes, and a desperate need for tech talent due to the 'brain drain.' However, this comes at the cost of severe isolation from the Western financial and logistical systems. While the net salary goes a long way locally due to the cost of living differences, the inability to easily transfer wealth abroad or travel freely is a dealbreaker for many. Life inside the 'bubble' is often described as comfortable and convenient, but the walls of that bubble are thick.

Resident Sentiment

Current residents, particularly expats who stayed, describe a 'parallel reality.' Day-to-day life is surprisingly normal, safe, and convenient, with restaurants and theaters full. However, there is an underlying current of anxiety regarding the future. Many tech workers feel 'golden handcuffs'—earning good money in a bubble but feeling professionally isolated from the global tech community. Transplants often express frustration with banking sanctions but praise the resilience and quality of local digital services.

The Good

Living Environment

Weather•Safety•Pollution•Events

A quick look at climate, safety, pollution, and tech community compared to San Francisco.

Rankings

Tax Rate

Top 6%

#8

of 124 cities

13%

Current value (lower is better)

Safety Index

Middle of the pack

#43

of 124 cities

64.8/100

Current value

Cost of Living

Middle of the pack

#48

of 124 cities

43/100

Current value (lower is better)

Housing Affordability

View affordability ranking

How affordable is housing for a software engineer in Moscow compared to San Francisco?

Avg. Property Price
$7,714 / m²
23% cheaper than San Francisco
View detailed property prices on Numbeo

Salary Converter

Enter your annual gross salary (before taxes) to see what you would need to earn in Moscow to maintain the same standard of living.

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Do you have kids?

Cost of Living
52% cheaper than San Francisco
View detailed cost breakdown on Numbeo

Top Paying Companies in Moscow

Avito logo
Avito
X5 Retail Group logo
X5 Retail Group
Wildberries logo
Wildberries
  • High demand for skilled developers: The exodus of IT specialists since 2022 has created a labor shortage, leading to rapid career advancement and negotiating power for those who stay or arrive.
  • Low income tax: The flat 13% tax rate for residents (or 13-15% for HQS visa holders) is significantly lower than in most Western tech hubs, allowing for higher net retention of salary.
  • World-class digital services: Residents frequently praise the banking apps (e.g., Tinkoff, Sber), delivery services (Yandex), and government portals (Gosuslugi), often citing them as superior to European equivalents.
  • Public transportation: The Moscow Metro is consistently rated as one of the best, cleanest, and most reliable systems in the world, making car ownership optional.
  • 24/7 City Life: A vibrant urban lifestyle with round-the-clock restaurants, supermarkets, and services that beats the limited operating hours found in many EU cities.

The Bad

  • Financial isolation: Western cards (Visa/Mastercard) do not work, and SWIFT transfers are difficult or impossible; moving money in or out of the country is a major logistical headache.
  • Internet censorship: Access to many Western sites and services (Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, some news sites) is blocked, requiring a reliable and often paid VPN to maintain digital normalcy.
  • Geopolitical instability: The ongoing conflict creates an atmosphere of uncertainty, with concerns about mobilization (mostly for citizens, but creating general anxiety) and sudden legislative changes.
  • Travel difficulties: Direct flights to Europe and North America are non-existent; travel requires expensive and long layovers through hubs like Istanbul or Dubai.
  • Tech stack limitations: Sanctions deny access to certain enterprise software, cloud services (AWS/Azure restrictions), and hardware, forcing reliance on domestic alternatives or pirated software.

The Verdict

You'll love it if...

Risk-tolerant opportunists or those with existing cultural/linguistic ties to the region. If you are from a 'friendly' nation (non-Western) or are looking to capitalize on the vacuum of senior talent left by emigrating Russians, you can secure high-level positions quickly. It also suits those who prioritize low taxes and a 24/7 big-city lifestyle over political freedom or global connectivity.

Skip it if...

Junior developers looking for global mentorship or those who rely on a Western banking ecosystem. Individuals who are LGBTQ+ should avoid moving due to increasingly restrictive laws. Similarly, if you plan to save money to buy property back in the West, the currency controls and exchange rate volatility make this a poor financial strategy.

Updated 11/29/2025

Weather3.1/10-64% vs San Francisco
Safety65+64%
Pollution55+11%
Events0-100%
3.1/10TechCities weather score vs 8.7/10 in San Francisco

0–10 composite (higher is better) combining temperature comfort, sunshine hours, rainy-day count, and humid days. See methodology for weighting and data sources.

Weather snapshot

Average High
9°C(vs 19°C in San Francisco)
Average Low
2°C(vs 12°C in San Francisco)
Sunshine Hours
1,901h/yr-1161h/yr(-38%)
Hottest Month High
24°C(vs 22°C in San Francisco)
Coldest Month Low
-10°C(vs 8°C in San Francisco)
Rainy Days
67/yr+19/yr(+38%)

Community & Quality

Moscow community pulse

Moscow has 0 Luma events listed.

100% fewer events than San Francisco.

Pollution Score

Middle of the pack

#78

of 124 cities

54.8/100

Current value (lower is better)

Net Income

Bottom 31%

#87

of 124 cities

$36,189/yr

Current value

Purchasing Power

Bottom 26%

#93

of 124 cities

Comfortable Weather

Bottom 24%

#96

of 124 cities

31/100 weather score

Current value

Community Events

Bottom 21%

#99

of 124 cities

0 events on luma

Current value

Home Affordability

Bottom 13%

#109

of 124 cities

≈17.1 yrs to buy 80m²

Current value

SWE Affordability
17.1 years
12.4 years longer than San Francisco
Muggy Days
3/yr(same as San Francisco)
Cloud Cover
61%(vs 34% in San Francisco)