How to actually pay for things in Russia in 2026
The single most common dead end for foreigners: the card in your pocket does not work. This page is the practical answer — what to bring, what to open, and how money gets in and out — with the date each fact was checked.
Checked: 2026-09-25
Foreign Visa and Mastercard are declined everywhere inside Russia, and Apple Pay and Google Pay are unavailable. What works: cash in euros or dollars exchanged at a bank, a MIR card opened with a Russian bank account, SBP transfers by phone number, and — as a backup only — a UnionPay card issued in Kazakhstan, Armenia or Kyrgyzstan.
The short version · Checked 2026-09-25
- Foreign Visa / Mastercard: Declined at terminals and ATMs since March 2022; they work again the moment you leave.
- Cash: Euros or dollars, exchanged at a bank or official exchange office — the airport kiosk gives a worse rate.
- MIR card: Needs a Russian account and an INN tax number; the INN is free and issued the same day or within 5 working days.
- SBP by phone number: Free up to 100,000 RUB a month between Russian banks; cafés, taxis and kiosks take SBP QR codes.
- UnionPay: Accepted in most terminals, but coverage is not universal — never your only payment method.
Before you fly
- Bring cash in euros or dollars. Clean, undamaged notes are exchanged without argument; torn or heavily marked notes are often refused.
- Cash above the equivalent of USD 10,000 has to be declared at customs on arrival — declaring it is routine, hiding it is not.
- Exchange in the city, not at the airport kiosk: the terminal rate is consistently worse.
- Arriving with €1,500–€2,000 comfortably covers the first two weeks for one person.
Paying day to day
- Cash is accepted everywhere, including taxis and markets.
- A MIR card works like any normal card: contactless, online, transport.
- SBP QR codes are the local equivalent of tapping a phone — restaurants, taxis and kiosks all display them.
- Apple Pay and Google Pay do not work. Locals use MIR Pay, SBP QR or face payment in the Moscow metro.
- A UnionPay card from Kazakhstan, Armenia or Kyrgyzstan works in most terminals, but treat it as a second option, never the only one.
Opening a Russian account and a MIR card
- What you need: a valid passport, the migration card you receive at the border, a Russian phone number, and an INN tax number.
- The INN is issued by any Federal Tax Service office with your passport and migration card — free, same day or within 5 working days. Some banks request it for you.
- T-Bank is app-driven with an English interface; Raiffeisenbank is the easiest choice if money arrives from Europe.
Getting money in and out
- Sber, VTB, Sovcombank, Otkritie, Promsvyazbank, Novikombank and VEB are cut off from SWIFT — transfers to them fail.
- SWIFT through a non-sanctioned bank still works, most often Raiffeisenbank for money from Europe. Expect compliance questions and slower processing.
- USDT is the common bridge: P2P desks match rubles sent over SBP with a seller, transfers are instant and all-in fees are typically 1–2%.
Moscow, London, New York: the same nine prices
The same nine everyday purchases in three cities, each in its own currency and each with the source it came from. No conversion, no index, no averaging — compare the numbers yourself.
Checked: 2026-09-24
| Item | Moscow (RUB) | London (GBP) | New York (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
Single metro ride How the figure was taken: Moscow: Troika pay-as-you-go from 2 January 2026. London: Zone 1 peak pay-as-you-go from March 2026. New York: OMNY base fare from 4 January 2026. | 75 ₽source | £3.10source | $3.00source |
Monthly unlimited transport pass How the figure was taken: New York no longer sells a 30-day pass: the MetroCard was retired and unlimited travel is now the rolling $35 weekly OMNY cap, so a month is a calculation (35 × 30 ÷ 7). | 3 460 ₽source | £171.70source | $150source |
One-bedroom flat, outside the centre How the figure was taken: Numbeo crowd-sourced averages, monthly rent. | 62 583 ₽source | £1 746.67source | $2 853source |
One-bedroom flat, city centre How the figure was taken: Numbeo crowd-sourced averages, monthly rent. | 118 714 ₽source | £2 287.50source | $4 368.38source |
Cappuccino How the figure was taken: Numbeo, regular size. | 292 ₽source | £3.98source | $5.60source |
Lunch in an inexpensive café How the figure was taken: There is no comparable "business lunch" line across the three cities, so this is Numbeo's meal at an inexpensive restaurant. A Moscow weekday business lunch is usually cheaper than this figure. | 1 000 ₽source | £20source | $25source |
Mobile plan, per month How the figure was taken: Numbeo's plan with calls and 10 GB or more of data. Plan sizes are not identical between countries. | 699 ₽source | £12.12source | $65.22source |
Home internet, per month How the figure was taken: Numbeo, unlimited connection of 60 Mbit/s or more. | 745 ₽source | £32.48source | $70.05source |
Basic utilities, flat of about 50 m² How the figure was taken: Numbeo publishes utilities for an 85 m² flat (14 928 ₽ / £292.42 / $200.17); these figures are scaled to 50 m² (× 0.588). Electricity, heating, cooling, water and rubbish. | 8 782 ₽source | £172source | $118source |
Free pocket guide
The 2026 Russia Survival Pocket Guide
Money, SIM cards, apps and everyday prices in one printable sheet. Every line is dated and sourced. Leave your email and it arrives with the newsletter — or read it right here.
- Payments in 2026: what is declined, what works, and the cash to bring
- SIM cards, eSIM and the apps people actually use
- Price sheet: Moscow, London and New York, each in its own currency
- Visas and arrival paperwork, with the source for every rule
Frequently asked questions
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Written by Vlad Lario
Russian in Lisbon. I read both sides and write down what differs.
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