Moving to Russia from Poland
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Poland to Russia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Poland to Russia, you would find that Russia is 24.7% cheaper than Poland overall. A PLN284,306 salary in Poland would need to be roughly RUB4,802,155 in Russia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Russian.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Poland to Russia.
What does your salary buy?
PLN284,306 → RUB4,802,155
To maintain the same standard of living in Russia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 39.0% less
Groceries
pay 8.2% less
Transportation
pay 35.6% less
Housing
pay 48.6% less
Childcare
pay 7.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 34.3% less
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%).
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Poland to Russia, based on official data.
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
- · · ·
-
17.29,190
Poland
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Poland to Russia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Poland generally does better on safety, though Russia leads in feel safe walking at night.
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
Poland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Russia leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Poland 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 Poland 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
Poland generally does better on employment & economy, though Russia leads in top income tax 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
Poland performs better than Russia across all family life metrics.
Data: Ministry of Finance, Poland, 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 | Warsaw | Moscow |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 38°/26°F (3°/-3°C) | 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/46°F (19°/8°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/53°F (22°/12°C) | 68°/52°F (20°/11°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 44°/33°F (7°/1°C) | 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Warsaw | Moscow |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33°/24°F (0.7°/-4.4°C) | 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C) |
| Feb | 36°/25°F (2.1°/-3.9°C) | 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C) |
| Mar | 44°/30°F (6.9°/-0.9°C) | 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C) |
| Apr | 57°/38°F (13.9°/3.6°C) | 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C) |
| May | 68°/47°F (19.8°/8.6°C) | 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) |
| Jun | 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) | 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C) |
| Jul | 76°/57°F (24.6°/13.7°C) | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C) |
| Aug | 75°/55°F (23.9°/13.0°C) | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C) |
| Sep | 65°/48°F (18.4°/9.0°C) | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C) |
| Oct | 55°/40°F (12.8°/4.7°C) | 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C) |
| Nov | 43°/33°F (5.9°/0.5°C) | 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C) |
| Dec | 35°/26°F (1.6°/-3.1°C) | 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C) |
Data:
Institute of Meteorology and Water Management,
Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Poland 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.
Poland passport holder visiting Russia
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Russia passport holder visiting Poland
Visa RequiredData: 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 Poland?
Yes — Russia is on average about 18% cheaper than Poland. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Russia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly RUB1,200,539 in Russia on a PLN284,306 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Russia?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Russia has 24.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Russia safe for expats?
Poland 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 0.7 in Poland. About 90% of people in Russia feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Russia compared to Poland?
Poland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Russia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 38.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Russia, compared to 33.9 in Poland. Russia scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Poland: 82).
What's the weather like in Russia compared to Poland?
The average high temperature in Moscow is 48°F, compared to 55°F in Warsaw. Moscow receives around 27.2 in of rainfall per year, while Warsaw gets 20.9 in.
What language do they speak in Russia?
The official language in Russia is Russian. In Poland, the official language is Polish.
