Should you visit Moscow or Minsk?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Moscow and Minsk. 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.
Minsk
Minsk is the capital city of Belarus, centrally located. Situated on the Svislac and Niamiha rivers, it is also capital of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and was the capital of the former Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic from 1919-1991. It is a modern city dominated by monumental Stalinist architecture with many of its museums, theaters, and other cultural attractions.
Which city is cheaper, Minsk or Moscow?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Moscow is $61, while the average daily cost in Minsk is $65. 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 Minsk in more detail.
Accommodation
For a normal double-occupancy room in Moscow, $76 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Moscow, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is $38, such as in a hostel.
A hotel room in Minsk is about $64 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
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 Minsk travelers spend around $21 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.
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Food
Meals for one day
Moscow $14
Minsk $21
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
-
An Evening at the Monastery with Dinner:
$85
-
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
-
Traditional French-Russian Dinner in a Local's Home:
$118
-
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
Local Transportation
To get around in Moscow, the average visitor spends $5.94 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 average price of local transportation around Minsk is $12 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
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:
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Ultra - Moscow Private Airport Transfer - City Center to Domodedovo Intl Airport:
$8.71
-
Ultra - Moscow Private Airport Transfer City Centre to Sheremetyevo Airport SVO:
$9.41
-
Moscow Train Stations Private Arrival/Departure Transfer:
$22
-
Private Arrival or Departure Transfer One Way: Moscow Airports to City Center:
$23
-
Private Arrival or Departure Transfer: Moscow Airports to Moscow City Center:
$30
-
Private Airport Transfer: Moscow to Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO):
$30
-
Private Airport Transfer: from Moscow to Vnukovo International Airport (VKO):
$30
-
Moscow DME/SVO/VKO Airports Private Arrival/Departure Transfer:
$32
-
Private transfer from the Moscow center hotel to Sheremetyevo Airport:
$34
-
Moscow to Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport (SVO) - Departure Private Transfer:
$36
-
Departure Private Transfer Moscow City to Moscow Train Station by Business Car:
$38
-
Private Business Transfer from Vnukovo Airport (VKO) to Moscow City Center:
$40
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Minsk
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Minsk:
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VIP Transfer from Minsk Airport (MSQ) to Minsk city center (any address) by Minibus:
$167
-
VIP Minibus airport transfer Minsk with Mercedes V-class:
$169
-
Transfers, One-Day Tours:
$66
-
Transfer up/to Airport Minsk +1h Minsk sightseeing. Intermediate english driver.:
$62
-
Transfer from/to Minsk airport by 2019 Mercedes Sprinter:
$216
-
Transfer from Vitebsk to Minsk Airport or Minsk city (any address):
$167
-
Transfer from Nationl Airport Minsk Business class:
$37
-
Transfer from Minsk to airport. English speaking driver. All car classes.:
$33
-
Transfer from Minsk to National Airport Minsk:
$50
-
Transfer from Minsk city to Minsk International Airport (standart class sedan):
$24
-
Transfer from Minsk airport to Minsk. English speaking driver. All car classes.:
$33
-
Transfer from Minsk International Airport to Minsk (standart class sedan):
$31
Is it cheaper to fly into Moscow or Minsk?
Prices for flights to both Minsk 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 $15 per person, per day.
Minsk's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $20 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
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
$15
-
Kremlin Entry (2)
$13
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
-
Guided Metro Tour by Night:
$14
-
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
Tours and Activities in Minsk
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Minsk are as follows:
-
14 Days Mysterious Transilvania, Ukraine, Belarus & Moldova Small Group Tour:
$4,379
-
2 Castles for 1 private tour from Minsk - Mir and Nesvizh.:
$135
-
2-days: Minsk City Tour + Nesvizh Palace - Mir Castle:
$293
-
2-days: Minsk City Tour - Stalin Line + Nesvizh Palace - Mir Castle:
$434
-
2city in 1day, from Minsk to Lida Castle (city) and the Grodno city Private tour:
$240
-
3-hours Guided Minsk City Tour (Driving & Walking Tour):
$109
-
3-hrs sightseeing tour around Minsk (Private Driving & Walking Tour):
$119
-
4 Castles for 1 private tour from Minsk - Mir, Nesvizh, Kosava and Ružany Palace:
$200
-
4 Castles for 1 private tour from Minsk - Mir, Nesvizh, Novogrudok, Lubchany:
$200
-
5-Day Private Belarus-Ukraine Tour:
$1,742
-
5-Day Small-Group Belarus - Ukraine Tour:
$1,261
-
Authentic Belarusian Experience:
$220
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Moscow spend on average $7.63 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
The average person spends about $14 on alcoholic beverages in Minsk per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Sample the Local Flavors in Moscow
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Moscow:
-
Pub Crawl by Soviet Van:
$76
-
Pub Crawl Moscow Guided Tour in Classic Soviet Van:
$79
-
Private Wine Tour in Moscow with History, Architecture and Friendly Local Guide:
$121
When comparing the travel costs between Moscow and Minsk, we can see that Minsk is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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