Moving to Russia from Nigeria
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Nigeria to Russia — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Nigeria to Russia, you would find that Russia is 88.0% more expensive than Nigeria overall. A NGN103,376,008 salary in Nigeria would need to be roughly RUB6,578,393 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 91°F in Abuja, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Nigeria to Russia.
What does your salary buy?
NGN103,376,008 → RUB6,578,393
To maintain the same standard of living in Russia
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 2.2 times more
Groceries
pay 9.4% less
Transportation
pay 12.3% less
Housing
pay 19.2% more
Childcare
pay 4.5 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 31.8% 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?
Real numbers on people moving from Nigeria to Russia, and how the trend has changed.
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
- · · ·
-
49.794
Nigeria
Key Indicator Comparison
How Nigeria and Russia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Russia performs significantly better than Nigeria 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
Nigeria 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
Nigeria 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 Nigeria 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 Nigeria 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
Russia performs significantly better than Nigeria across all family life metrics.
Data: Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigeria, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Abuja | Moscow |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 97°/74°F (36°/23°C) | 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 91°/69°F (33°/21°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/66°F (29°/19°C) | 68°/52°F (20°/11°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 93°/64°F (34°/18°C) | 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Abuja | Moscow |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 94°/69°F (34.7°/20.4°C) | 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C) |
| Feb | 98°/78°F (36.8°/25.5°C) | 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C) |
| Mar | 98°/76°F (36.9°/24.3°C) | 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C) |
| Apr | 96°/76°F (35.6°/24.7°C) | 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C) |
| May | 91°/67°F (32.7°/19.5°C) | 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) |
| Jun | 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) | 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C) |
| Jul | 84°/71°F (29.1°/21.9°C) | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C) |
| Aug | 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C) | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C) |
| Sep | 86°/64°F (30.0°/17.5°C) | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C) |
| Oct | 90°/71°F (32.0°/21.4°C) | 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C) |
| Nov | 94°/60°F (34.4°/15.7°C) | 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C) |
| Dec | 94°/60°F (34.6°/15.5°C) | 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C) |
Data:
Nigerian Meteorological Agency,
Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Nigeria 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.
Nigeria passport holder visiting Russia
Visa Required
Russia passport holder visiting Nigeria
Visa Online (e-Visa)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 Nigeria?
Day-to-day costs in Russia run about 12% higher than Nigeria on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Russia?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a NGN103,376,008 comparable salary, that's around RUB1,644,598 in Russia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
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 Nigeria and Russia.
Is Russia safe for expats?
Russia performs significantly better than Nigeria across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Russia is 6.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 21.7 in Nigeria. About 90% of people in Russia feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Russia compared to Nigeria?
Nigeria 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 3.9 in Nigeria. Russia scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Nigeria: 38).
What's the weather like in Russia compared to Nigeria?
The average high temperature in Moscow is 48°F, compared to 91°F in Abuja. Moscow receives around 27.2 in of rainfall per year, while Abuja gets 48.1 in.
What language do they speak in Russia?
The official language in Russia is Russian. In Nigeria, the official language is English.
