Moving to Russia from Moldova
What to Expect
Considering a move from Moldova to Russia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Moldova to Russia, you would find that Russia is 1.4% more expensive than Moldova overall. A MDL1,319,485 salary in Moldova would need to be roughly RUB5,762,613 in Russia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Russian.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Moldova and Russia.
What does your salary buy?
MDL1,319,485 → RUB5,762,613
To maintain the same standard of living in Russia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.4% less
Groceries
pay 13.7% more
Transportation
pay 0.7% more
Housing
pay 12.9% less
Childcare
pay 8.9% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 4.1% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Moldova to Russia.
Who's moving to Russia?
Top countries of origin for Russia's foreign-born residents.
- 3,268,263
- 2,558,907
- 1,146,175
- 766,918
- 763,879
- 591,025
- · · ·
-
10.294,152
Moldova
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Russia compared to Moldova.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Moldova performs better than Russia across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Moldova generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Russia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Moldova generally does better on environment, though Russia leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Russia performs significantly better than Moldova across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Russia generally does better on employment & economy, though Moldova leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Moldova generally does better on family life, though Russia leads in infant mortality.
Data: State tax Service, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Moldova 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.
Moldova passport holder visiting Russia
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Russia passport holder visiting Moldova
Visa FreeData: 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 Moldova?
Russia and Moldova are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to Russia?
Budget about RUB1,440,653 for 3 months in Russia (based on a MDL1,319,485 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?
Moldova performs better than Russia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Russia is 6.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.3 in Moldova.
How is healthcare in Russia compared to Moldova?
Moldova generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Russia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 38.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Russia, compared to 32.5 in Moldova. Russia scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Moldova: 71).
What language do they speak in Russia?
The official language in Russia is Russian. In Moldova, the official language is Romanian.
