Rentals in Moscow: Dirty Sheets and Sky-High Prices

Moscow is a city that demands money and doesn«t always give much in return. At least, that»s what visitors, business travelers, and guests of the capital may feel. To spend a few days here on vacation or a business trip, you need to spend a fortune — money that could easily cover a month or more of living in other regions. At the same time, the quality of short-term housing in our expensive capital is far from excellent, rather mediocre. We looked at what rental options are available in Moscow and how much they cost.

Dull and Dreary: Shabby Hotels at High Prices

The first option is hotels and mini-hotels. It«s convenient for business travelers who need to account for expenses to their accounting department. The most budget-friendly are hostels, though you wouldn»t call them cheap. For example, a double room with drab green walls in a hostel on Nakhimovsky Prospekt (10 minutes from the metro). It has a decent rating of 8.9 out of 10, minimal amenities outside the sleeping area, and almost nothing in the room besides a bed and power outlets. It costs 2,048 rubles ($23 at current rates) per night.

If you choose accommodation closer to the center, for 2,145 rubles ($24) per night you can rent a room in a mini-hotel on Taganskaya, though it«s almost a 15-minute walk to the metro station. There»s no window, and all amenities are outside the room.

If you want a room with a window and in the center at a minimum, for 2,250 rubles ($25) per night you can rent a room on Baumanskaya. Again, not within walking distance of the metro — at least 15 minutes on foot. The room looks cramped, amenities are minimal, and the bathroom is shared.

In the very center of Moscow, the cost starts from 2,300 rubles ($26) per night — that«s a capsule hotel on Arbat, and this time it»s close to the metro. Amenities are shared: for example, a kitchen, bathroom, ironing facilities, and washing machine, and you can leave your things in a storage locker.

Among full-fledged hotels, the most budget-friendly we found in Moscow is on Leningradka (Leningradskoye Shosse), closer to Sheremetyevo Airport. It is located in an old mansion, and the interiors have been preserved from the Soviet era. Compared to the previous cramped options, the rooms are spacious, there«s room for a suitcase, and the bathroom is private. The experience looks morally outdated, and they ask for 2,750 rubles ($31) per night for two guests.

Better Only Outside the Moscow Ring Road: Apartments for Daily Rent

Apartment prices start from 1,500 rubles ($17) per night, condition is so-so, reviews are also so-so, and ratings are below the floor. For example, in Kuzminki for this money they offer a one-room apartment with a very tacky tropical design. It looks cheap and gaudy, with stained curtains and floor. The TV, which is even placed on a stool, can hardly be called vintage, and the owners clearly skimped on bedside tables.

Let«s add that Kuzminki and Volgogradsky Prospekt are areas for specific tastes, and the nearest metro is a 15-minute walk from the apartment.

Another daily rental option for the same money looks equally gaudy: a zebra-print bedspread, a grandmother«s bookcase, and a TV from the 2000s. The curtains and floor, however, are a bit nicer than the previous option, and the kitchen looks quite decent.

This option is on Ryazansky Prospekt, not far from the Moscow Ring Road (MKAD), and the nearest metro and MCD-3 (Moscow Central Diameter line 3) are more than a 10-minute walk.

Another option of utter horror is another apartment in Kuzminki. Instead of a proper bed, there«s a fold-out sofa from a very Soviet past. The apartment has very low user ratings; many complain about trash left by previous tenants and the unbelievable price — 3,000–4,000 rubles ($33–$44) instead of 1,500.

And the building itself is not great — a five-story Khrushchev-era structure from the 1960s. The nearest metro is a 15-minute walk away.

Cheap daily rentals are also available in Vykhino-Zhulebino. For 1,500 rubles ($17) they offer a basic apartment with minimal amenities. The bed in the photo looks quite good, the TV is modern, but the crumpled, sloppy curtains and old unfashionable linoleum on the floor spoil the image.

Getting to the metro from this location is also a long way, and user ratings are as low as can be: people complain about a smoky room, dirty sheets with other people«s hair, price mismatch, and cold.

Something more attractive for a minimal budget can only be rented outside the Moscow Ring Road. For example, a cozy studio in a new building in Kommunarka for 1,650 rubles ($18). From the balcony you can see a part of the forest, you can have tea there, and in the kitchen area you can cook something light. The only thing spoiling the overall pleasant picture is a cheap shower curtain in the cramped bathroom.

Cons: strong distance from the metro — a 20-minute walk to the nearest station.

We also learned what is happening with prices for new buildings in Moscow and whether it«s possible to get an apartment with a family mortgage. The authorities are going to increase not only rates but also the family mortgage itself: we reported on who housing will become more affordable for. After drone attacks, Muscovites» preferences when renting housing have changed — read how.