How to rent an apartment in Moscow as a foreigner (2026)

Last updated: 25 October 2026

Short answer: a foreigner rents an apartment in Moscow with a passport and a valid visa or residence permit, under a written lease (Civil Code, article 674), after checking that the person renting is the real owner. Agree in writing who files your migration registration at the address, due within 7 working days of arrival (Federal Law 109-FZ; Moscow State University). A one-room apartment rented for about RUB 71,000 a month on average in September 2026 (Moskovskaya Perspektiva data via RBC Realty, 2 October 2026), plus utilities.

How do you rent a flat in Moscow step by step?

Book a hotel or serviced apartment for your first two weeks. A hotel registers you itself, which gives you time to search.
Choose the area by your daily commute and the distance to the metro.
Search on Cian, Avito or Yandex Realty, or through an agent whose fee you agree in writing.
View the flat in person and check the owner: passport, their own EGRN extract, or a notarised power of attorney.
Ask about registration at the first viewing, and write into the lease who files it.
Sign a written lease, then pay the first month and the deposit to the person named in it, by bank transfer or against a receipt.
On move-in day, sign the inventory, photograph the flat and the meters, and start your registration within 7 working days of arrival.

Each step is explained below.

What do you need before you start?

Have these ready before your first viewing:

Your passport with a valid visa or residence permit, and your migration card from the border.
A Russian phone number if you can: landlords and agents call and message, and most rental apps need one.
Money for the first payment: usually the first month’s rent and a deposit, sometimes an agent’s fee. Cards issued outside Russia do not work in Russia, so plan this in advance (see our guide to cards and payments in Russia).
A place to stay meanwhile. A hotel registers you automatically, which gives you time to search without missing the registration deadline.

Where do you find a flat to rent in Moscow?

Most long-term rentals in Moscow are listed on Russian property sites and apps such as Cian, Avito and Yandex Realty. Listings are in Russian, but the filters (price, rooms, metro station, “no agent fee”) are easy to use with a translation app.

You can also go through a real estate agent. An agent saves time and handles the Russian paperwork, but charges a fee: agree on the amount in writing before the first viewing. Some agencies specialise in expats and prepare bilingual contracts, usually at a higher price.

Choose the area before the flat. The distance to a metro station matters as much as the district: a flat five minutes from the metro outside the centre often beats a central one far from a station. Our guide to Moscow neighbourhoods for expats describes the main areas and their median rents.

How much does rent cost in Moscow in 2026?

Apartment	Moscow average (March 2026)	Typical range (2026)
One-room (studio or 1-bedroom)	RUB 68,000 / month	RUB 40,000–60,000 outside the centre, 60,000–100,000 inside the Garden Ring
Two-room	RUB 81,000 / month	depends on area and renovation
Three-room	RUB 131,500 / month	depends on area and renovation
Utilities	usually on top of the rent: about RUB 5,000–10,000 a month

Sources: KNEWS.MEDIA (average prices, March 2026), Teach in Russia (ranges, 2026), HSE University (utilities). A more recent benchmark, from a different data set: in September 2026 the average one-room flat in Moscow rented for about RUB 71,000 a month and a two-room flat for about RUB 110,200 (Moskovskaya Perspektiva data published by RBC Realty, 2 October 2026). The two sources use different methods, so compare each with itself rather than with the other. Prices move quickly: compare several listings in the same area before you decide. For rent next to food, transport and other monthly costs, see our cost of living in Moscow in 2026.

What does Russian law say about the lease?

A residential lease between a landlord and a tenant is governed by Chapter 35 of the Russian Civil Code. Three rules matter for you:

It must be in writing (Civil Code, article 674). Never accept a verbal deal, even for a few months.
It lasts five years at most. If the lease names no term, it is considered to be for five years (article 683).
Leases under one year are “short-term”. For them, several tenant protections do not apply unless the contract says otherwise, including the priority right to renew and the right to sublet (article 683, paragraph 2). Leases of one year or more create an encumbrance on the property that must be registered with the state (article 674, paragraph 2). This is why many landlords offer leases of 11 months: read the renewal clause carefully.

What should the contract include?

The names and passport details of both parties, and the full address of the flat.
The rent, the payment date and the payment method.
The deposit: its amount, and when and how it is returned.
Who pays utilities and internet.
The notice period for both sides, and what happens if you leave early.
An inventory of the furniture and appliances, signed on move-in day.
The owner’s agreement to your registration at the address, and who files the notice and when.

If you do not read Russian, ask for a bilingual contract or have it translated before you sign. Our guide to Moscow rental contracts goes through the lease clause by clause. For a long lease or a large deposit, a lawyer’s review is worth the cost: lease review is one of the services we are preparing with our partner lawyer in Moscow.

How do you check that the landlord is the owner?

The most common rental fraud is a “landlord” who does not own the flat. Ask to see:

The owner’s passport, and check that the name matches the contract.
A recent extract from the EGRN (the Unified State Register of Real Estate). Since 1 March 2023, an extract ordered by a third party no longer shows the owner’s name, so the simplest way is to ask the owner to show their own extract, which owners can get online through Gosuslugi (the state services portal). Compare the name, the address and the area with the contract.
A notarised power of attorney if someone rents on the owner’s behalf, for example a relative.

Who registers you at a rented flat?

A foreigner living in a rented apartment must be registered at the address within 7 working days of arrival. Who files it depends on your case: as a rule the owner, as your receiving party; but when you sign a residential lease with the owner, the law says that you file it yourself, with a copy of the lease (Federal Law 109-FZ, article 22, part 3.5). It is filed with the migration service, at an MFC (multifunctional public service centre, branded “My Documents”) or online, and the owner must agree either way. Without it you risk a fine, and in serious cases expulsion and an entry ban. You need a new registration after every move and every new entry into Russia.

Some owners refuse to register tenants. Ask the question at the first viewing, and write into the contract that the owner agrees and who files the notice. An owner who says no is a reason to keep looking: without registration, your bank account, SIM card and permits stall. More in our guide to migration registration.

How do you pay rent and the deposit safely?

Most landlords ask for the first month and a deposit, often equal to one month’s rent; an agent’s fee comes on top when there is one.
Pay only to the person named in the contract, and only after signing.
Prefer bank transfers. If you pay in cash, get a signed receipt every time.
Keep every receipt: it is your proof if there is a dispute over the deposit or unpaid rent.

What rental scams should you avoid?

A price far below other listings in the same area.
A “landlord abroad” who asks for a deposit before any viewing.
Pressure to pay today because “others are interested”.
A refusal to show the owner’s documents or to sign a written contract.
A request to pay a “booking fee” to an agent you have not met.

What should you check on move-in day?

Walk through the flat with the owner and fill in the inventory together.
Photograph every room, every defect and the water and electricity meters, with the date.
Test the heating, hot water, appliances and internet.
Agree on how you will report problems and who pays for repairs.

Moving soon? The free Moving to Moscow checklist puts every step in order, from the visa to your first month. The Moscow Relocation Playbook, with a full chapter on renting, is opening soon; you can join the waitlist. Everything else about living in Moscow is on our housing page.

Questions people ask

Can a foreigner rent an apartment in Moscow?

Yes. A foreigner needs a valid passport with a visa or residence permit, and must be registered at the address within 7 working days of arrival: the owner files it, or the tenant does with a copy of the lease (Federal Law 109-FZ, article 22, part 3.5). Agree in the lease who does it.

Why are so many Moscow leases signed for 11 months?

A lease of one year or more creates an encumbrance on the property that must be registered with the state (Civil Code, article 674). A lease under one year avoids this, but some tenant protections, such as the priority right to renew, then do not apply unless the contract says otherwise (article 683).

How much is the deposit for a flat in Moscow?

The deposit is set by the contract, not by law. One month’s rent is common, and an agent’s fee comes on top when there is one. Make sure the contract says when and how the deposit is returned.

How do I check that the landlord owns the flat?

Ask the owner to show their passport and their own EGRN extract (owners can get it online through Gosuslugi), and check that the names and the address match the contract. Since 1 March 2023, an extract ordered by someone else no longer shows the owner’s name (Rosreestr). If someone rents on the owner’s behalf, ask for a notarised power of attorney.

How much does it cost to rent a flat in Moscow?

In September 2026 the average one-room flat in Moscow rented for about RUB 71,000 a month and a two-room flat for about RUB 110,200 (RBC Realty, 2 October 2026). Teach in Russia gives a 2026 range of RUB 40,000–60,000 for a one-room flat outside the centre and RUB 60,000–100,000 inside the Garden Ring. Utilities usually come on top, about RUB 5,000–10,000 a month (HSE University).

Sources

Civil Code of the Russian Federation, Part Two, article 674 (form of a residential lease), edition of 24 June 2025 with changes of 9 June 2026: legalacts.ru (consulted 24 October 2026)
Civil Code of the Russian Federation, Part Two, article 683 (term of a residential lease): legalacts.ru (consulted 24 October 2026)
Gosuslugi, Rosreestr information “New rules for obtaining EGRN data”, 10 March 2023: gosuslugi.ru (consulted 24 October 2026)
Federal Law 109-FZ on migration registration, article 22, part 3.5 (a tenant with a lease files the notice): legalacts.ru (consulted 24 October 2026)
Lomonosov Moscow State University, International Office, “After arrival” (registration within 7 working days): international.msu.ru (consulted 24 October 2026)
KNEWS.MEDIA, “68,000 rubles per month is now the average price for renting a one-room apartment”, 27 March 2026: knews.media (consulted 24 October 2026)
Teach in Russia, “Cost of living in Moscow 2026”: teachinrussia.com (consulted 24 October 2026)
HSE University, “Living costs in Moscow”: hse.ru (consulted 24 October 2026)
RBC Realty, “Rent in Moscow nearly doubled in eight years” (September 2026 averages, “Moskovskaya Perspektiva” data, in Russian), 2 October 2026: realty.rbc.ru (consulted 25 October 2026)
Reuters via PBS NewsHour, “Mastercard, Visa suspend operations in Russia”, March 2022: pbs.org (consulted 24 October 2026)

Information, not legal advice. Rules change often: check with the official source before you act.