Should you visit Moscow or Geneva?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Moscow and Geneva. We’ll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget. So, let's dig into it.
Moscow
Moscow is the capital of Russia and is notable for its important role in history. It's a very sprawling city with many museums and fascinating buildings. Ten percent of Russia's population lives in this capital city and it's a financial and political center for the country. The Moskva River weaves its way through the city and you will find most of the city's sights and attractions on the northern side of the river.
Geneva
Geneva is the second largest city in Switzerland and was previously the home for the United Nations Headquarters. The UN is now housed in New York City, but there is still a very strong presence in Geneva. Geneva is not known to be as energetic as some other European cities, but if you search it out, then you're sure to find some interesting places and lively nightlife. It's a very international city, in part because of the heavy UN presence, giving it an interesting feel. It is a French speaking city, and advertisements, signs, and television are all done in French.
Which city is cheaper, Geneva or Moscow?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Moscow is $64, while the average daily cost in Geneva is $166. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Moscow and Geneva in more detail.
Accommodation
For a normal double-occupancy room in Moscow, $80 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Moscow, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is $40, such as in a hostel.
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $230 for a double occupancy room in Geneva.
Food
On average, meal and food prices in Moscow cost around $14 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $5.60.
In Geneva travelers spend around $42 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Moscow $14
Geneva $42
Typical Food prices in Moscow
For Moscow, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Moscow
For Moscow, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Virtual Home Cooking with Russian Family:
$22
-
Moscow Food Tour:
$67
-
An evening at the monastery with dinner:
$80
-
Traditional Russian Cooking Class and Meal in Moscow with a Friendly Local:
$91
-
Private Market Tour and Traditional Russian Cooking Class in Moscow:
$101
-
Food Tour:
$102
-
Traditional Russian Cooking Class and Meal in a Local Home in Moscow:
$117
-
Moscow Metro and Russian Dinner Private tour:
$127
-
Moscow River Cruise with Dinner and Lively Firework with a Private Guide:
$133
-
Private food tour: Russian culinary culture:
$144
-
Moscow Yummy Food tour:
$160
-
Red Square and River Cruise with Dinner Private Tour:
$167
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Geneva
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Geneva.
-
Taste My Swiss City Self-Guided Food Tour:
$77
-
Old Geneva food tour:
$268
Local Transportation
To get around in Moscow, the average visitor spends $6.21 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
The cost of a taxi ride in Geneva is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $7.44 per person, per day, on local transportation in Geneva.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Moscow
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Moscow are as follows:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Moscow
Also for Moscow, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Arrival Private Transfer Moscow Domodedovo DME to Moscow City by Luxury Car:
$124
-
Arrival Private Transfer Moscow Domodedovo DME to Moscow by Luxury Van:
$53
-
Arrival Private Transfer Moscow Train Station to Moscow City by Luxury Van:
$87
-
Arrival Private Transfer Moscow Vnukovo Airport VKO to Moscow City by Luxury Van:
$54
-
Arrival Private Transfer Moscow Vnukovo VKO Airport to Moscow by Luxury Car:
$109
-
Departure Private Transfer Moscow City to Moscow Domodedovo DME by Luxury Car:
$123
-
Departure Private Transfer Moscow City to Moscow Domodedovo DME by Luxury Van:
$59
-
Departure Private Transfer Moscow City to Moscow SVO Airport by Luxury Van:
$54
-
Departure Private Transfer Moscow City to Moscow Train Station by Business Car:
$38
-
Departure Private Transfer Moscow City to Moscow Train Station by Luxury Car:
$87
-
Departure Private Transfer Moscow City to Moscow Train Station by Luxury Van:
$87
-
Departure Private Transfer Moscow SVO Airport to Moscow City by Luxury Car:
$110
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Geneva
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Geneva:
-
VIP Transfer:
$74
-
Transfer to Chamonix:
$448
-
Taxi Transfer Geneva City or Airport ⇔ Zermatt both ways:
$1,178
-
Superior Private Transfer from Geneva Hotels to Geneva Airport:
$47
-
Superior Private Transfer From Geneva City to Lyon City:
$156
-
Private Transfer from Geneva City to Geneva Airport:
$100
-
Private Departure Transfer: Geneva Hotel to Geneva Airport:
$37
-
Private Airport Transfer: from Geneva to Geneva International Airport (GVA):
$39
-
Geneva to Geneva Airport (GVA)- Departure Private Car Transfer:
$68
-
Geneva to Geneva Airport (GVA) - Departure Private Van Transfer:
$41
-
Geneva to Geneva Airport (GVA) - Departure Private Car Transfer:
$68
-
Geneva Private Transfer from Geneva city centre to Geneva Airport:
$208
Is it cheaper to fly into Moscow or Geneva?
Prices for flights to both Geneva and Moscow change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
In Moscow, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $16 per person, per day.
Entertainment and activities in Geneva typically cost an average of $24 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Typical Entertainment prices in Moscow
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Moscow's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Theater Tickets
$16
-
Kremlin Entry (2)
$14
Tours and Activities in Moscow
For Moscow, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
-
Moscow classical tour:
$6.38
-
Admission ticket to Kolomenskoye Historical and Architectural Museum and Reserve:
$7.02
-
Tsaritsyno Museum entrance ticket:
$8.14
-
Admission ticket to the The Museum of Cosmonautics:
$11
-
The Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center Admission Ticket:
$12
-
Admission ticket to the State Museum of GULAG's History, Moscow:
$13
-
The Museum of Victory Admission Ticket:
$13
-
Admission ticket to the Tochka-G Museum of Erotic Art, Moscow:
$14
-
Admission ticket to Gallery of the European and American XIX-XX centuries art:
$14
-
Tretyakov Gallery Admission Ticket:
$16
-
Admission ticket to the New Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow:
$17
-
1-hour scenic Moscow River Cruise:
$18
Tours and Activities in Geneva
Here are a few actual costs in Geneva for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
Annecy Half-Day Tour from Geneva:
$80
-
Annecy Half-Day Trip + Geneva City Tour:
$128
-
Annecy and Geneva private sightseeing tour:
$379
-
Annecy, the Venice of the Alps private tour:
$329
-
Chamonix Day Trip and Geneva city tour:
$178
-
Chamonix Gold private exclusive tour from Geneva:
$619
-
Chamonix Mont Blanc Private Sightseeing Tour:
$379
-
Chamonix Mont Blanc Private Tour from Geneva:
$387
-
Chamonix, Mont-Blanc Day Tour from Geneva:
$107
-
Chocolate and cheese factory private tour in Gruyères:
$394
-
Europa-Park Theme Park Ticket with Transport from Geneva:
$172
-
From Yvoire Castle & Lake Geneva Cruise:
$98
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Moscow spend on average $7.98 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Geneva may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $18 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Sample the Local Flavors in Moscow
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Moscow:
-
Pub Crawl Moscow Guided Tour in Classic Soviet Van:
$79
-
Private Wine Tour in Moscow with History, Architecture and Friendly Local Guide:
$121
Sample the Local Flavors in Geneva
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Geneva:
-
Seneca Lake Wine Tasting & Tour:
$167
-
Farms, Flights: Finger Lakes Brewery Tour:
$180
-
Lavaux Panoramic Wine Tour from Geneva:
$289
-
Winter ski tour: Wine tasting tour in Rhine region:
$746
-
Swiss Wine Tasting at Lavaux Vineyards: Private Trip From Geneva:
$1,097
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Moscow and Geneva, we can see that Geneva is more expensive. And not only is Moscow much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Moscow would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Moscow and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Geneva would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Geneva than you might in Moscow.
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