Cost to Visit Russia

[Alfia & John 10]

Excluding airfare and visa, what was your average cost to visit Russia? In the past, money was no problem, just pay whatever was needed to go to Russia. Now, it is much more of a consideration. I have the plane ticket, will not be flying within Russia so that reduces expenses. We will ride the train from Moscow to Kirov and return, so figure about $300 for those two trips. I will be staying at her place, so food expenses and other related expenses. Of course, there is the cost of gifts, misc expenses, etc.

Anyone have an approx. budget they experience for each trip.

Edited February 5, 2013 by moosescape

[SMR 368]

Excluding airfare and visa, what was your average cost to visit Russia? In the past, money was no problem, just pay whatever was needed to go to Russia. Now, it is much more of a consideration. I have the plane ticket, will not be flying within Russia so that reduces expenses. We will ride the train from Moscow to Kirov and return, so figure about $300 for those two trips. I will be staying at her place, so food expenses and other related expenses. Of course, there is the cost of gifts, misc expenses, etc.

Anyone have an approx. budget they experience for each trip.

Once you take out travel, lodging, and the visa, costs become pretty squishy. I could tell you what I spent on my last trip, but it would be meaningless without details as to what I did. If you plan to sit at her house and eat a diet of kasha and vegetable soup, your costs will be different than if you plan to jet around the city in a taxi, seeing tourists sites, going shopping, seeing shows, and eating at nice restaurants. Obviously most trips are somewhere in the middle, but without details, a cost estimate is not meaningful. Did you have particular products or services that you were trying to price out?

Otherwise, I recommend figuring out how much you want to/can spend and going from there.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Excluding airfare and visa, what was your average cost to visit Russia? In the past, money was no problem, just pay whatever was needed to go to Russia. Now, it is much more of a consideration. I have the plane ticket, will not be flying within Russia so that reduces expenses. We will ride the train from Moscow to Kirov and return, so figure about $300 for those two trips. I will be staying at her place, so food expenses and other related expenses. Of course, there is the cost of gifts, misc expenses, etc.

Anyone have an approx. budget they experience for each trip.

We have always done well enough to figure $150 per day for room and meals (for 2-3 people) We rented apartments, not hotel rooms, and did not eat at expensive restaraunts, but not bad places either. The cost of anything else, entertainment, gifts, etc. is your decision. Basic room and meals $150 per day will do you pretty well. Stay in a flat outside downtown and take the Metro

[Alfia & John 10]

We have always done well enough to figure $150 per day for room and meals (for 2-3 people) We rented apartments, not hotel rooms, and did not eat at expensive restaraunts, but not bad places either. The cost of anything else, entertainment, gifts, etc. is your decision. Basic room and meals $150 per day will do you pretty well. Stay in a flat outside downtown and take the Metro

Great, that is a doable figure, so excluding lodging, about $75/day. I have a place to stay, I have figured out the train expenses both ways, and we do not plan any jet-setting. Just a simple time together, a nice dinner or two on the town, dancing one or two nights and the rest of the time walking, picnic by the river, party with her friends, etc.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Great, that is a doable figure, so excluding lodging, about $75/day. I have a place to stay, I have figured out the train expenses both ways, and we do not plan any jet-setting. Just a simple time together, a nice dinner or two on the town, dancing one or two nights and the rest of the time walking, picnic by the river, party with her friends, etc.

There are a lot of very nice, not fancy but good, restaraunts where two people can get a decent meal for $25-30, (we are not drinkers, so that factors into it) yes you can spend 3 times that amount but there is no need to. Dancing is cheap if you can avoid the drink hustling waitresses (Alla loves to dance!) and things such as theatre tickets are remarkably cheap, museums, botanicl gardens and such are very cheap. Moscow, in particular, is full of interesting museums and parks and monuments. Most are free or very cheap. Public transport is very cheap.

Other than food and lodging your stay can be very inexpensive and yet very interesting