Moscow Apartments Renting for Millions per Month
In Moscow, there are apartments for rent where the price makes you want to double-check: «Is that per month, not per year?» While some choose between «cheaper and closer to the metro,» others calmly browse listings with price tags of several million rubles, and this is no joke. Our colleagues from MSK1.RU looked into 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
For exactly that amount—2.1 million rubles (approx. $21,000 at current rates)—a two-room apartment near the Third Transport Ring with views of the Moscow River, Stalinist skyscrapers, and forest is offered. It«s simple: 60 square meters, accommodating only a living room-kitchen, a bedroom, and a bathroom. However, the bathroom has luxurious chandeliers, ceiling height is 3.3 meters (approx. 10.8 ft), and the apartment features designer renovation in a new residential complex. Underground parking, though, must be paid separately—it»s not included in the already substantial rent.
Seven-Room Apartment for 2.5 Million
With the price increase comes more space: for 2.5 million rubles (approx. $25,000), a 7-room apartment with an area comparable to a full-sized school gym—over 500 square meters—is available for rent. Here, they«ve included an almost 200-square-meter 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 a 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 (approx. $26,000) per month. The apartment»s area is substantial—233 square meters. 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 historic building in central Moscow. Even the listing«s author had trouble 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—there are staff bedrooms to service the 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 (approx. $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 (approx. $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 suite 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 garage and all utilities.
A Million per Room
For 4 million rubles (approx. $40,000) per month, you can rent an apartment within walking distance of the Kremlin. For this money, there will be only four rooms, but the housing has panoramic windows with views of the Bolshoi Theatre and the Metropol Hotel. The apartment, despite the 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. All three bedrooms have 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 exclusive 6-room housing with an area of 600 square meters in a residential complex in Khamovniki. This apartment has three entrances, so you don«t have to encounter ordinary people.
It features a living room with six-meter ceilings (approx. 19.7 ft), a kitchen, two master bedrooms with bathrooms and walk-in closets, and several more bathrooms «just in case.» Upstairs—there are 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 a buyer, especially in Moscow with its high concentration of wealthy people.
«There is demand for such apartments, and it is stable,» explains MSK1.RU financial expert Tatiana Volkova. «The key point is that there aren»t many objects of this level. Premium real estate is always limited in quantity, and that«s what makes it in demand. Unlike the cheap segment, where dozens of similar offers compete with each other, in the high price range, each apartment is a unique product. Therefore, good properties find a tenant quite quickly.»
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 (approx. $7,000) per month assumes people who respect themselves and their surroundings,» emphasizes the founder of the Top Broker Estate real estate agency in Moscow, Lina Obolenskaya. «Clients expect absolutely perfect renovation, new furniture, and a good location. The payback period for such apartments for owners is usually over 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 customer 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 their lifestyle.
«For this audience, renting is not »expensive,« but »convenient and fast,«» says Konstantin Gladkov, an expert at the OXE Capital real estate agency. «They value service, privacy, security, parking, the right building and environment. The decision is made not because of price, but because of alignment with their 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 hang for a long time—from 3–4 months to a year or more. This is normal, as the transaction cycle here is comparable to selling expensive real estate,» Oleg Leontiev, general director of the Domeo Estate real estate service, told MSK1.RU. «Such objects are often listed for both sale and rent simultaneously: the owner, while looking for a buyer, tries to earn income from renting. Competition in this case is not by price, but by quality and advantages of the location and the apartment itself.»
Tenants never tire of telling what unpleasant surprises rental apartments hide and what they have to face. We also asked realtors whether 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 »granny«s apartment» into modern housing with small investments.
