Moving to India from Russia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Russia to India — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Russia to India, you would find that India is 64.1% cheaper than Russia overall. A RUB6,400,000 salary in Russia would need to be roughly ₹2,610,000 in India to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English, Hindi and Tamil. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Delhi averages 88°F vs 48°F in Moscow, making it significantly warmer.
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 Russia to India.
What does your salary buy?
RUB6,400,000 → ₹2,610,000
To maintain the same standard of living in India
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 69.0% less
Groceries
pay 51.9% less
Transportation
pay 39.5% less
Housing
pay 73.2% less
Childcare
pay 85.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 40.8% 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%).
On average, cities in India cost about 55% less than cities in Russia.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Russia to India, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Russia to India.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Russia generally does better on safety, though India leads in homicide rate.
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
India 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
Russia generally does better on environment, though India leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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 better than India 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 performs better than India across all employment & economy metrics.
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 better than India across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Federal Tax Service of Russia (2016), Ministry of Finance, Government of India (2016), The World Factbook (2011). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Moscow | Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C) | 76°/52°F (25°/11°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 101°/78°F (38°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 68°/52°F (20°/11°C) | 93°/79°F (34°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C) | 82°/56°F (28°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Moscow | Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C) | 69°/46°F (20.8°/7.8°C) |
| Feb | 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C) | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.3°C) |
| Mar | 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C) | 85°/60°F (29.6°/15.4°C) |
| Apr | 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C) | 97°/71°F (36.0°/21.5°C) |
| May | 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) | 104°/79°F (39.8°/26.2°C) |
| Jun | 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C) | 103°/83°F (39.4°/28.3°C) |
| Jul | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C) | 95°/81°F (35.2°/27.0°C) |
| Aug | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C) | 92°/79°F (33.6°/26.2°C) |
| Sep | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C) | 93°/76°F (34.0°/24.7°C) |
| Oct | 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C) | 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.4°C) |
| Nov | 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C) | 82°/55°F (28.0°/12.8°C) |
| Dec | 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C) | 73°/47°F (22.7°/8.4°C) |
Data:
Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring,
India Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Russia and India. To live, work, or study long-term in India, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check India's immigration authority.
Russia passport holder visiting India
Visa Online (e-Visa)
India passport holder visiting Russia
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 India than Russia?
Yes — India is on average about 64% cheaper than Russia. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to India?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ₹652,500 in India on a RUB6,400,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from India?
Internet is rarely the blocker — India has 3.1 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 India safe for expats?
Russia generally does better on safety, though India leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in India is 2.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.8 in Russia.
How is healthcare in India compared to Russia?
India generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Russia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 7.2 doctors per 10,000 people in India, compared to 51.1 in Russia. India scores 63 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Russia: 79).
What's the weather like in India compared to Russia?
The average high temperature in Delhi is 88°F, compared to 48°F in Moscow. Delhi receives around 28.2 in of rainfall per year, while Moscow gets 27.2 in.
What language do they speak in India?
The official languages in India are English, Hindi and Tamil. In Russia, the official language is Russian.
