Russia

RUS

Russia is the world's largest country by land area, spanning eleven time zones and encompassing extraordinary geographic and cultural diversity from the Baltic coast to the Pacific Far East. Moscow and St. Petersburg rank as major European metropolises with world-class arts, architecture, and educational institutions, and Russia's natural resources underpin one of the world's largest economies by purchasing power parity. The country officially restricts dual citizenship, though enforcement varies, and its geopolitical position has significantly affected passport mobility and access to international banking in recent years.

→ If you hold a Russia passport, see the Russia nationality guide

Passport Rank

#48

Visa-Free

119

destinations

Country Details

Capital: Moscow
Currency: Russian Ruble (RUB)
Languages: Russian
Population: 144,000,000
Tax System: Residence Based
Dual Citizenship: Not allowed
Naturalisation: 5 years
Schengen / EU: No
Climate: Continental / Subarctic / Tundra
English Proficiency Rank: #75

Indices

Cost of Living

Safety

Healthcare

Quality of Life

130

Tax Summary

Tax System: Residence Based
Territorial Taxation: No — worldwide income taxed for residents
Naturalisation: 5 years of legal residency
Dual Citizenship: Not allowed

Cost of Living by City

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Monthly cost of living per major city in USD: rent, groceries, utilities, transit pass
City	Rent 1BR centre	Rent outside	Groceries	Utilities	Transit pass
Moscow	$900	$560	$350	$80	$25
St Petersburg	$680	$420	$320	$75	$22

Monthly USD figures. Typical central 1-bedroom rent, grocery basket for one, household utilities, monthly transit pass.

Climate

Moscow

-8°J

-7°F

-1°M

7°A

14°M

18°J

20°J

19°A

13°S

6°O

-1°N

-6°D

Rainfall range: 35–85 mm/month · Daylight 7h (winter) to 17h (summer)

St Petersburg

-7°J

-7°F

-2°M

5°A

12°M

17°J

19°J

18°A

12°S

5°O

-1°N

-5°D

Rainfall range: 30–75 mm/month · Daylight 6h (winter) to 19h (summer)

Naturalisation Details

Residence Years: 5
Language Test: Yes (Russian language test (A2 level minimum) + knowledge of Russian history and constitution)
Civic Test: Yes
Oath Required: Yes
Dual Allowed: Yes
Fee: $50
Processing: ~12 months

Real Estate

Avg price/sqm (capital): $4,200
Transaction taxes: 2%

Foreign buyers: Foreign nationals from "unfriendly" states (EU, US, UK and others on the Russian government list) face significant restrictions on property purchase since the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Russian Presidential Decree 416/2022 requires government commission approval for transactions involving nationals of unfriendly states. Moscow prime areas RUB 350,000-500,000/sqm ($3,500-5,000 at pre-2022 rates, though exchange-rate volatility makes USD equivalents unstable). Capital controls since 2022 block foreign-currency outflows and repatriation of sale proceeds for most foreign nationals is practically blocked. Extreme due diligence required.

International Schools

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International schools by city, curriculum, and annual tuition
School	City	Curriculum	Tuition (USD/yr)
Anglo-American School Moscow (operations suspended since 2022)	Moscow	US + IB	$0–$0

Daily Life Logistics

Internet

80 Mbps median

70% fibre coverage

eSIM: MTS, Beeline, MegaFon, Tele2 Russia

Driving

IDP required

Local licence required after 12 months

Exchange eligible: Drives on the RIGHT. IDP valid for up to 12 months for foreign visitors. Expatriate residents must exchange to Russian driving licence. Bilateral exchange agreements exist with CIS states and some others; Western nationals generally must pass the Russian driving exam.

Pet Relocation

Quarantine: none

Rabies titre required

EU pet passport: not accepted

Safety

GPI Rank

#155

Global Peace Index ranking (lower is safer)

Common Risks

⚠taxi overcharging from Moscow Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo airports — use FIX Taxi or Yandex Taxi app
⚠"art student" scams in Moscow and St Petersburg tourist areas
⚠currency exchange fraud at non-bank kiosks
⚠plainclothes police document checks leading to bribe demands

Examples of areas to avoid: Western nationals face elevated arbitrary detention risk throughout Russia, Chechnya and North Caucasus republics (extreme risk), Areas near Ukraine border (Bryansk, Belgorod, Kursk oblasts)

LGBTQ+ Legal Status

Same-Sex Marriage: Not legal
Civil Partnerships: Not recognised
Anti-Discrimination Law: No
ILGA Rank: #172

Religious Life

Halal Food: Widely available
Kosher Food: Limited
Prayer Facilities: Common

Sample Citizenship Test Questions

Q1. In which year was the current Russian Constitution adopted by referendum?

Answer: 1993

Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs — Russian Citizenship Test

Q2. What is the name of the lower house of the Russian federal parliament?

Answer: Duma

Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs — Russian Citizenship Test

Related Guides

Exit tax: countries that charge you to leave

Country-by-country reference of departure taxes, deemed-disposition rules, and wealth-locking regimes that trigger when tax residency ends.