Moving to Massachusetts from Russia

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Russia to Massachusetts, you would find that Massachusetts is 3.2 times more expensive than Russia overall. A RUB5,482,743 salary in Russia would need to be roughly $144,015 in Massachusetts to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Boston averages 59°F vs 48°F in Moscow, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

RUB5,482,743 $144,015

To maintain the same standard of living in Massachusetts

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 2.8 times more

Groceries

pay 2.7 times more

Transportation

pay 2.2 times more

Housing

pay 5.7 times more

Childcare

pay 5.3 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.1 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 RUB = 0.0137 USD (June 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 Massachusetts cost about 80% more than cities in Russia.

Russia

Massachusetts

Cambridge 85%
Worcester 73%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Massachusetts

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
12,910 ↑ 32% vs 2022

people moved from Russia to United States · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to United States?

Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Massachusetts compared to Russia.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

RU
23.1%
MA
28.8%

Russia performs better than Massachusetts across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

RU
88.0%
MA
91.9%

Massachusetts performs significantly better than Russia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

RU
3.3%
MA
4.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

RU
$39,800
MA
$87,892

Massachusetts generally does better on employment & economy, though Russia leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

RU
72.4 yrs
MA
79.0 yrs

Massachusetts performs significantly better than Russia across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Boston Rain: 43.8 in/yr (1112 mm)
59° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Moscow Boston
Jan–Mar 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C) 40°/26°F (4°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) 66°/50°F (19°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 68°/52°F (20°/11°C) 78°/62°F (25°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C) 51°/38°F (11°/3°C)
View all months
Month Moscow Boston
Jan 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C) 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.4°C)
Feb 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C) 39°/25°F (3.7°/-4.1°C)
Mar 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C) 45°/31°F (7.4°/-0.5°C)
Apr 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C) 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C)
May 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) 66°/50°F (18.9°/9.9°C)
Jun 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C) 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.3°C)
Jul 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C) 81°/65°F (27.4°/18.6°C)
Aug 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C) 80°/65°F (26.4°/18.1°C)
Sep 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C) 72°/57°F (22.4°/14.1°C)
Oct 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C) 61°/47°F (16.3°/8.1°C)
Nov 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C) 51°/38°F (10.8°/3.3°C)
Dec 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C) 41°/28°F (5.1°/-2.1°C)

Data: Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Russia and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.

Russia passport

Russia passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Russia passport holders need a visa to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Russia

Visa Required
United States passport holders need a visa to enter Russia.

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 Massachusetts than Russia?

On average Massachusetts is around 92% pricier than Russia, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Massachusetts?

Budget about $36,004 for 3 months in Massachusetts (based on a RUB5,482,743 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Massachusetts?

From major Massachusetts cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Russia and Massachusetts are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Massachusetts compared to Russia?

Russia performs better than Massachusetts across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Boston is 59°F, compared to 48°F in Moscow. Boston receives around 43.8 in of rainfall per year, while Moscow gets 27.2 in.

What language do they speak in Massachusetts?

The official language in Massachusetts is English. In Russia, the official language is Russian.

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At a Glance

RU
Population 142,021,981 6,547,629
Currency Russian Ruble (RUB) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Russian English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +7 +1
Time zones 9 11
Emergency number 112 911