Moving to Russia from Cuba

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Cuba to Russia — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Cuba to Russia, and you’d need to navigate life in Russian. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Moscow averages 48°F vs 84°F in Havana, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Cuba to Russia, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
2,224

people born in Cuba live in Russia · UN DESA

Who's moving to Russia?

Top countries of origin for Russia's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Cuba and Russia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

CU
4.4
RU
6.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

CU
5.4
RU
10.6

Cuba performs better than Russia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

CU
$2,575
RU
$3,204
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

CU
94.3
RU
38.3

Cuba generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Russia leads in adult obesity rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

CU
31.0
RU
39.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CU
1.9t
RU
14.0t

Cuba performs better than Russia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

CU
2.9
RU
24.8
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CU
23.9%
RU
4.1%

Russia performs significantly better than Cuba across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

CU
1.2%
RU
3.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

CU
$12,300
RU
$39,800

Cuba generally does better on employment & economy, though Russia leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

CU
79.6 yrs
RU
72.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CU
4.1
RU
6.4

Cuba performs better than Russia across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Havana Rain: 46.8 in/yr (1189 mm)
84° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

Moscow Rain: 27.2 in/yr (691 mm)
48° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Havana Moscow
Jan–Mar 80°/66°F (26°/19°C) 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) 62°/45°F (17°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 88°/75°F (31°/24°C) 68°/52°F (20°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 82°/70°F (28°/21°C) 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C)
View all months
Month Havana Moscow
Jan 78°/65°F (25.8°/18.6°C) 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C)
Feb 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.6°C) 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C)
Mar 82°/67°F (27.6°/19.7°C) 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C)
Apr 83°/70°F (28.6°/20.9°C) 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C)
May 86°/72°F (29.8°/22.4°C) 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C)
Jun 87°/74°F (30.5°/23.4°C) 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C)
Jul 88°/75°F (31.3°/23.8°C) 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C)
Aug 89°/75°F (31.6°/24.1°C) 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C)
Sep 88°/75°F (31.0°/23.8°C) 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C)
Oct 85°/73°F (29.2°/23.0°C) 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C)
Nov 82°/70°F (27.7°/21.3°C) 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C)
Dec 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.5°C) 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C)

Data: Instituto de Meteorología Instituto de Meteorología, Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Cuba and Russia. To live, work, or study long-term in Russia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Russia's immigration authority.

Cuba passport

Cuba passport holder visiting Russia

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Cuba passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Russia.
Russia passport

Russia passport holder visiting Cuba

Visa Free
Russia passport holders can enter Cuba without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Russia?

With 24.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Russia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Cuba and Russia.

Is Russia safe for expats?

Cuba performs better than Russia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Russia is 6.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.4 in Cuba.

How is healthcare in Russia compared to Cuba?

Cuba generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Russia leads in adult obesity rate. There are 38.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Russia, compared to 94.3 in Cuba. Russia scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Cuba: 83).

What's the weather like in Russia compared to Cuba?

The average high temperature in Moscow is 48°F, compared to 84°F in Havana. Moscow receives around 27.2 in of rainfall per year, while Havana gets 46.8 in.

What language do they speak in Russia?

The official language in Russia is Russian. In Cuba, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

CU RU
Population 11,008,112 142,021,981
Currency Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC) Russian Ruble (RUB)
Languages Spanish Russian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +53 +7
Time zones 1 9
Emergency number 106 112