Moving to Russia from Israel

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Israel to Russia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Israel to Russia, you would find that Russia is 54.3% cheaper than Israel overall. A ₪227,786 salary in Israel would need to be roughly RUB3,013,183 in Russia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Russian. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Moscow averages 48°F vs 72°F in Jerusalem, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Israel and Russia.

What does your salary buy?

₪227,786 RUB3,013,183

To maintain the same standard of living in Russia

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 65.9% less

Groceries

pay 45.6% less

Transportation

pay 57.0% less

Housing

pay 66.1% less

Childcare

pay 53.6% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 63.3% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 ILS = 25.72 RUB (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in Russia cost about 35% less than cities in Israel.

Israel

Ashqelon 68%
Holon 65%

Russia

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Israel to Russia.

Living there in 2020
3,646

people born in Israel 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

The numbers behind daily life in Russia compared to Israel.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

IL
1.6
RU
6.8
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

IL
80%
RU
90%

Israel generally does better on safety, though Russia leads in feel safe walking at night.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

IL
$4,033
RU
$3,204
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

IL
37.1
RU
38.3

Russia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Israel leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IL
15.0
RU
39.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IL
5.8t
RU
14.0t

Israel 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

IL
29.4
RU
24.8
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IL
132.0%
RU
4.1%

Israel generally does better on infrastructure, though Russia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

IL
3.4%
RU
3.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IL
$48,300
RU
$39,800

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

IL
83.3 yrs
RU
72.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IL
3.6
RU
6.4

Israel generally does better on family life, though Russia leads in literacy rate.

Data: Israel Ministry of Finance Tax Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Jerusalem Rain: 21.1 in/yr (537 mm)
72° / 57°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Jerusalem Moscow
Jan–Mar 58°/46°F (15°/8°C) 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/60°F (25°/15°C) 62°/45°F (17°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/67°F (29°/20°C) 68°/52°F (20°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 68°/55°F (20°/13°C) 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C)
View all months
Month Jerusalem Moscow
Jan 55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C) 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C)
Feb 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C) 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C)
Mar 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C) 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C)
Apr 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C) 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C)
May 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C) 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C)
Jun 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C) 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C)
Jul 86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C) 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C)
Aug 86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C) 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C)
Sep 83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C) 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C)
Oct 78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C) 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C)
Nov 68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C) 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C)
Dec 59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C) 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C)

Data: Israel Meteorological Service Israel Meteorological Service, 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 Israel 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.

Israel passport

Israel passport holder visiting Russia

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

Russia passport holder visiting Israel

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Russia than Israel?

On average Russia is about 49% less expensive than Israel, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Russia?

Budget about RUB753,296 for 3 months in Russia (based on a ₪227,786 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Russia?

Connectivity is usually fine (Russia: 24.8 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Russia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Russia safe for expats?

Israel generally does better on safety, though Russia leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Russia is 6.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.6 in Israel. About 90% of people in Russia feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Russia compared to Israel?

Russia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Israel leads in health coverage index. There are 38.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Russia, compared to 37.1 in Israel. Russia scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Israel: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Moscow is 48°F, compared to 72°F in Jerusalem. Moscow receives around 27.2 in of rainfall per year, while Jerusalem gets 21.1 in.

What language do they speak in Russia?

The official language in Russia is Russian. In Israel, the official languages are Arabic and Hebrew.

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At a Glance

IL RU
Population 8,914,885 142,021,981
Currency Israeli New Sheqel (₪) Russian Ruble (RUB)
Languages Arabic, Hebrew Russian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +972 +7
Time zones 1 9
Emergency number 100 112