Moscow is an exceptional city to shop in — whether you are stocking a new apartment, doing your weekly groceries, or hunting for something specific. The combination of well-developed physical retail, world-class online marketplaces, and genuinely affordable everyday prices makes settling in here considerably easier than most expats expect. This guide covers everything from where to buy your groceries to how to furnish an apartment without leaving your sofa.
Everyday Groceries
For day-to-day shopping, Moscow’s supermarket network is extensive and convenient. You will rarely be more than a few minutes walk from a decent option.
Pyaterochka (Пятёрочка) is the most ubiquitous chain in the city — a budget supermarket with locations on virtually every residential street. Fresh produce, dairy, meat, bread, and household basics at low prices. This is where most Muscovites shop daily, and it is where your ruble goes furthest. A full weekly shop for one person typically costs 5,000–7,000 RUB.
Magnit is a close equivalent to Pyaterochka — similarly priced, similarly widespread, and a reliable fallback if there is not a Pyaterochka nearby.
Perekrestok sits a step above in terms of quality and range. Better fresh food sections, a wider international product selection, and a more comfortable shopping experience. Prices are moderately higher but still reasonable by Western standards.
Vkusvill has become one of the most popular chains among health-conscious Muscovites and expats alike. The focus is on natural, minimally processed food — fresh produce, organic dairy, good bread, and clean-label products. Prices are higher than Pyaterochka but the quality is noticeably better, and the stores are pleasant to shop in.
Auchan hypermarkets, typically located on the city outskirts or in large shopping centres, offer the best bulk prices in the city. Worth a trip if you are stocking up on non-perishables or household supplies in volume.
For ESL teachers on a modest salary, Pyaterochka and Magnit for staples combined with occasional Vkusvill visits for quality items is a sensible and affordable approach.
Markets
Moscow’s food markets are worth knowing about, both for quality and experience. Danilovsky Market is the most expat-friendly — a renovated covered market with excellent fresh produce, cheese, meat, fish, and a good selection of prepared food stalls. Prices are higher than supermarkets but the quality is superior, and it doubles as a genuinely enjoyable place to spend a Saturday morning. Dorogomilovsky Market near Kievskaya is larger, more local in character, and one of the best places in the city for fresh fruit, vegetables, and dairy straight from producers.
Shopping Malls
Moscow has no shortage of large shopping centres, ranging from mid-range to high-end. Aviapark, near CSKA metro station, is one of the largest in Europe and covers every retail category imaginable. Metropolis, Afimall, and Vegas are among the other major options. For electronics specifically, DNS and M.Video are the dominant chains — reliable, well-stocked, and significantly cheaper than equivalent retailers in Western Europe.
For clothing, Russian mall retail covers the full range from affordable high street to international brands. Note that some Western brands have reduced their Russian presence since 2022, but the gap has been filled by a mix of Russian labels, Turkish brands, and Chinese retailers — often at very competitive prices.
Online Shopping: Ozon and Wildberries
This is where Moscow’s retail landscape genuinely surprises most expats — and where you will likely end up doing a significant portion of your shopping once you settle in.
Wildberries and Ozon are Russia’s dominant online marketplaces, comparable in scale and convenience to Amazon but, in many respects, more impressive in their logistics. Both stock millions of items across every category — groceries, electronics, clothing, furniture, appliances, books, cosmetics, sporting goods, and everything in between. Prices are frequently lower than physical stores, with constant sales and promotions running throughout the year.
The logistics network is what sets them apart. Both platforms have built a dense network of pick-up points across Moscow — in shopping centres, standalone kiosks, and residential courtyards. In central and inner Moscow, you will typically find several within a five-minute walk of any apartment. Order today, collect tomorrow. Free of charge, no minimum order, no membership required. It is genuinely as convenient as it sounds.
Home delivery is available too, usually for a small fee or free on larger orders, with courier arrival windows that are reliably accurate.
Both platforms have mobile apps with reasonably intuitive interfaces. Registration takes minutes, and payment by international bank card or cash on delivery is accepted. For expats dealing with language barriers in physical stores, or simply lacking the time to navigate unfamiliar streets looking for a specific item, Ozon and Wildberries are transformative. Most expats in Moscow place their first order within the first week and never look back.
For furnishing a new apartment, both platforms are excellent — Wildberries in particular has a strong furniture and home goods selection at prices well below what you would pay in a physical furniture store.
What Things Cost
To give you a realistic sense of everyday prices:
A weekly grocery shop for one person at Pyaterochka: 5,000–7,000 RUB Lunch at a cafe or canteen: 400–600 RUB Coffee at a decent cafe: 200–350 RUB A bottle of decent wine from a supermarket: 500–1,200 RUB Basic gym shoes from Wildberries or Ozon: 1,500–4,000 RUB A mid-range winter coat: 5,000–15,000 RUB Basic furniture (desk, chair, shelving) for a new apartment: 15,000–40,000 RUB sourced from Ozon or Wildberries
Practical Tips
Download the Wildberries and Ozon apps in your first week — you will use them constantly. Both have English-language options in parts of the interface, and product listings increasingly include translated descriptions.
For groceries, Yandex Lavka and Samokat offer rapid grocery delivery — typically within 15 to 30 minutes — directly to your door. Useful for top-ups and essentials when you do not want to make a trip to the supermarket. Delivery costs around 100–200 RUB per order.
If you are setting up a new apartment, prioritise Ozon and Wildberries for furniture and appliances before visiting physical stores — the price difference is often substantial, and the delivery network makes it practical even for larger items.
Cash is still widely used in Moscow, but contactless card payment is accepted virtually everywhere. Apple Pay and Google Pay work across most retail environments.
Moscow rewards those who learn how the city shops. Lean on Pyaterochka for daily groceries, Vkusvill when you want quality, the markets on weekends, and Ozon or Wildberries for practically everything else. Once that rhythm is established, you will find that daily life here is not just manageable — it is genuinely comfortable.