Moscow at a Glance

Living in Moscow

Expats living in Moscow had better brace themselves for the Russian climate.

Curious about living in Moscow? Life in Moscow has changed a great deal in recent decades: Once the center of Communist power, it has become a vibrant international city. InterNations tells you all about living in Moscow – from international schools to instructions on how to use a Russian taxi.

Moscow is Russia’s capital city and is located in the European part of the country’s vast territory. Currently, there are more than 11 million people living in Moscow. The city remains the political and economic center of the country, and cultural life in Moscow surpasses that of other Russian cities.

Forbes List 2011 says Moscow has recently surpassed New York as the city with the greatest number of billionaires. Although you don’t need to be a billionaire to afford life in Moscow, it certainly doesn’t come cheap. According to the annual Mercer survey, Moscow has made the top four of the world’s most expensive expatriate cities for ten years. Housing, schooling and medical costs make up the largest chunk of the expat budget for life in Moscow.

The city has a humid continental climate. Living in Moscow, you are likely to experience a true Russian winter – very long and very cold. Summers, on the other hand, are usually quite warm. So you will have enough opportunities during your expat life in Moscow to enjoy the city during the summer months.

Life in Moscow: Education

Among the first steps for expat families starting their life in Moscow is finding a school to send their children to. Most expats living in Moscow enroll their children in one of the city’s international schools. These may have long waiting lists. It is therefore advisable to contact the school as soon as you know that you will be living in Moscow. Also, make sure to have schooling for your children included in your remuneration package by your employer: Tuition fees can be exorbitant.

Some expats prefer to send their kids to local public schools while they are living in Moscow, in order to fully immerse them in the Russian language and daily life. Education in public schools is free of charge and open to all expats living in Moscow. Another advantage of a public school is that it will most likely be very close to your home.

Living in Moscow: International Schools

Generally, private schools are a very uncommon phenomenon in Russia. Those living in Moscow, however, are lucky: Even for an expat hot spot, the city has a wide selection of international schools. Children of expats living in Moscow can often choose between studying according to a foreign national curriculum, the Russian national curriculum or the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. For younger children, many of the private international schools have attached kindergartens and child-care centers, making a family’s expat life in Moscow significantly easier.

International schooling is a major factor contributing to the high cost of life in Moscow. Depending on the school and grade in question, annual tuition fees range from around US $ 7,000 to US $ 13,000. Fees for kindergartens are usually slightly cheaper. Please also see the list below, with the most popular international schools among expats living in Moscow.

In addition to said international schools, many embassies in Moscow organize native-language schooling for children of embassy employees on their own premises. Children of other expats from the respective countries may be admitted as well. Currently, some of the embassies offering this type of schooling include the diplomatic representations of Poland, Bulgaria, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq and Korea.