Beyond Price: Moscow Apartments Costing Millions Monthly

In Moscow, there are apartments for rent where the price makes you want to double-check: «Is that really per month, not per year?» While some choose between «cheaper and closer to the metro,» others casually browse listings priced at several million rubles, and this is no joke. We looked at what exactly lies behind these astronomical sums and, most importantly, whether there is actually a queue for Moscow apartments of this level.

Two-Room Apartment for 2.1 Million

That«s the price for a two-room apartment near the Third Ring Road with views of the Moscow River, Stalinist skyscrapers, and a forest. It»s simple: 60 square meters (646 square feet), which fit only a living room-kitchen, a bedroom, and a bathroom. However, the bathroom has luxurious chandeliers, ceiling height is 3.3 meters (10.8 feet), and the apartment has designer renovation and is in a new residential complex. Underground parking, though, must be paid separately—it«s not included in the already hefty rent of 2.1 million rubles (approximately $21,000 at current rates).

Seven-Room Apartment for 2.5 Million

As the price increases, so does the square footage: for 2.5 million rubles (about $25,000), a 7-room apartment with an area comparable to a full-sized school gym—over 500 square meters (5,382 square feet)—is offered for rent. Here, though, they«ve included an almost 200-square-meter (2,153-square-foot) terrace on the top floor. The apartment is located in a residential complex near the Khimki Reservoir and park. The nearest metro is almost a half-hour walk away, but proximity to transport doesn»t seem critical here.

The apartment has designer renovation, vaguely reminiscent of the early 2000s, a wall-sized TV in the living room, a fireplace, a bathroom with a large window, a Jacuzzi, several bathrooms, and other luxury attributes.

Two-Room Apartment in Moscow City

It«s true that prices in the famous skyscrapers have soared. A two-room apartment in one of the Moscow City towers is rented for 2.6 million rubles (around $26,000) per month. The apartment»s area is not small—233 square meters (2,508 square feet). You won«t be able to examine the interiors in detail—the listing has only two (!) photos, although its authors warn in caps: »Not a fake!«

Multi-Room Apartment for 3 Million

A luxurious three-level penthouse for such money is rented in a historical building in central Moscow. Even the listing«s author had difficulty counting the exact number of rooms: there are several living rooms, bedrooms with private bathrooms and walk-in closets, a kitchen with a dining area under a glass dome, a fireplace, a hammam, a massage room, a gym, and a laundry room. Separately—bedrooms for staff who will service three floors of heavy luxury. The apartment»s design is quite whimsical and resembles an Eastern palace from «1001 Nights.»

However, there are plenty of options for this money—3–4 million rubles (about $30,000–$40,000) per month—on listing sites, so there is a choice.

Many Rooms for 3.7 Million

Another multi-room apartment is rented in Moscow for 3.7 million rubles (approximately $37,000) per month. This is a fairly new residential complex in the very heart of the capital, with views from the 10th floor of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and Moscow City. The apartment has a dining room for ten people, two children«s rooms with their own bathrooms, a guest bedroom, and a master block with a fireplace, sauna, and two walk-in closets. There is a study, a gym, a luggage room, and two view terraces with a barbecue. And yes, for this money, the cost already includes five parking spaces in the underground parking and all payments.

A Million Per Room

For 4 million rubles (around $40,000) per month, you can rent an apartment within walking distance of the Kremlin. There will be only four rooms for this money, but the housing has panoramic windows with views of the Bolshoi Theatre and the Metropol Hotel. The apartment, for a hefty price, has a modern, strict, and laconic interior, reminiscent of a hotel.

There is a living room with a dining area and a full-size kitchen with German appliances, dishes, and a coffee machine. In all three bedrooms—king-size beds and lounge areas, two walk-in closets, four bathrooms. There is also a separate room with a washer and dryer—in case you suddenly have to live like an ordinary person.

Townhouse for 9 Million

Yes, this is the most expensive option currently on the Moscow rental housing market. That much is asked for an exclusive 6-room residence with an area of 600 square meters (6,458 square feet) in a residential complex in Khamovniki. This apartment has three entrances, so as not to encounter ordinary people.

It has a living room with six-meter-high (19.7-foot) ceilings, a kitchen, two master bedrooms with bathrooms and walk-in closets, and several more bathrooms «just in case.» Upstairs—four bedrooms, a study, and bathrooms «with a reserve.» There is also a wine room designed by restaurant specialists so that noble drinks feel no worse here than you do. However, you won«t be able to examine the interiors in detail—the listing»s authors posted only photos of the building.

Is There Demand for Such Apartments?

Listings for rental apartments costing several million rubles per month surprise many, but for the market, this is normal. For any price category, there is its own buyer, especially in Moscow with its high concentration of wealthy people.

«There is demand for such apartments, and it is stable,» explains financial expert Tatiana Volkova to MSK1.RU. «The key point is that there are few properties of this level. Premium real estate is always limited in quantity, and that is what makes it in demand. Unlike the cheap segment, where dozens of similar listings compete with each other, in the high price range, each apartment is a unique product. Therefore, good properties find a tenant quickly enough.»

Experts note that luxury apartments in the premium segment are in demand, although there are actually very few of them on the market.

«The renovation in such an apartment must be new—a price over 700,000 rubles (about $7,000) per month assumes people who respect themselves and their surroundings,» emphasizes Lena Obolenskaya, founder of the Top Broker Estate real estate agency in Moscow. «Clients expect absolutely perfect renovation, new furniture, and a good location. The payback period for such apartments for owners usually exceeds 25 years. If you see that a listing for a luxury apartment has been up for a long time, it»s most likely a fake listing—just to attract clients« attention.»

Who Rents Ultra-Expensive Apartments

The luxury apartment rental market is a special ecosystem. People pay not for square meters, but for a formed premium lifestyle and environment. The main tenants are four groups:

• foreign top managers of large corporations;

• diplomats and high-ranking foreign officials, for whom status and security are important;

• established entrepreneurs;

• bloggers and media personalities, for whom such an apartment is a tool for work (shoots, receptions) and an important attribute of lifestyle.

«For this audience, renting is not »expensive,« but »convenient and fast,«» says Konstantin Gladkov, an expert at the Oke Capital real estate agency. «Service, privacy, security, parking, the right building and environment are important to them. The decision is made not because of price, but because of alignment with lifestyle.»

In the premium segment, no one chases the speed of closing a deal; here, they carefully choose their tenant, not just any tenant.

«Listings at this level can be up for a long time—from 3–4 months to a year or more. This is normal, as the deal cycle here is comparable to selling expensive real estate,» Oleg Leontyev, general director of the Domeo Estate real estate service, told MSK1.RU. «Such properties are often listed for both sale and rent simultaneously: the owner, while looking for a buyer, tries to get income from renting. Competition in this case is not by price, but by quality and advantages of location and the apartment itself.»

In Moscow, one-room rentals are getting more expensive—see what«s offered for substantial money. Renters themselves keep telling about unpleasant surprises hidden in rental apartments and what they have to face. We also asked realtors if it»s worth buying real estate in Moscow. And this text will appeal to landlords, here are simple life hacks on how to turn a «grandma»s apartment« into modern housing with small investments.