Living in Russia
The paperwork of staying, what a month actually costs, studying and working, and people already doing it on camera. Numbers carry the date they were checked.
Visas & paperwork
Money & prices
Cost of Living in Russia 2026: Real Numbers from Moscow to the Regions
Real 2026 prices: rent, groceries, restaurants, metro, taxi, utilities, gym and three full monthly budgets — Moscow, St. Petersburg, and a typical region.
Not yet re-checked for 2026Mir Card & Money in Russia 2026: Bank Accounts, SBP, SWIFT, Crypto
The complete 2026 guide for foreigners: opening a Russian bank account, getting an INN, Mir card abroad, SBP instant transfers, what's left of SWIFT, and usi…
Not yet re-checked for 2026Is Russia expensive for foreigners in 2026?
Food, transport and services are cheap by Western European standards; housing in Moscow, electronics and anything imported are not. A single person outside Moscow lives comfortably on far less than in the EU, while a Moscow family with a rented flat lands much closer to European numbers than the supermarket videos suggest.
Not yet re-checked for 2026Everyday life
Living in Russia in 2026: The Complete Honest Guide
Visas, money, rent, internet, VPN, healthcare, language: a no-bullshit 2026 guide to actually living in Russia, written by a Russian who comes and goes betwe…
Not yet re-checked for 2026What surprises foreigners most when they move to Russia?
Almost every foreign resident lands on the same short list: how fast the digital services are, how cheap and frequent public transport is, how quiet the streets feel at night, how far a smile has to be earned, and how little English there is once you leave the centre of a big city.
Not yet re-checked for 2026What is genuinely hard about living in Russia as a foreigner?
Four things come up again and again: paperwork that has to be redone in person and on schedule, banking and payments that cut you off from money held abroad, the language, and the distance from family — flights home are longer, costlier and less frequent than they were.
Not yet re-checked for 2026Is it safe for foreigners in Russia right now?
Everyday street crime is low, and every foreign resident says the same thing about walking home at night in a big city. The risks that matter to a foreigner are different in kind: legal and administrative exposure, no consular help in an emergency for some nationalities, and no working access to money held abroad.
Not yet re-checked for 2026Get it by email
One letter from Vlad when something is actually worth reading.
Not yet re-checked for 2026Language
Say it in Russian
Real phrases people actually use, with pronunciation you can copy out loud.
Not yet re-checked for 2026Russian alphabet
All 33 letters with sound, look-alike traps and what each one really sounds like.
Not yet re-checked for 2026Transliterator
Turn any Latin text into Cyrillic and back, instantly.
Not yet re-checked for 2026Cyrillic keyboard
Type Russian without installing anything, then copy the result.
Not yet re-checked for 2026Your name in Russian
How your name is written and said in Russian, including the friendly short form.
Not yet re-checked for 2026Which Russian city fits you?
Eight questions, one city, and a reason for each answer.
Not yet re-checked for 2026Moscow
Moscow Travel Guide 2026: 7-Day Itinerary, Real Tips
How to actually visit Moscow in 2026: e-visa, eSIM, cash without Visa, the metro, where to stay, what to eat, and a 7-day itinerary that skips the tourist tr…
Not yet re-checked for 2026Moscow, unfiltered
Photos and notes from the city as it looks on a normal day, not on a postcard.
Not yet re-checked for 2026Foreigners living in Moscow: who films it, and what it costs
Most foreign creators in Russia live in Moscow, and that skews everything you see. The metro is beautiful, the deliveries arrive in fifteen minutes, the parks are new, the salaries are the highest in the country — and none of that describes the other 88 regions.
Not yet re-checked for 2026Not what you needed?