You can read everything about the Shared Values Visa program *Decree No.702) , planned the whole move, and still not know the thing you actually want to know: what’s it like to just… live in Russia? How will you get your groceries? How will kids attend school? ?

This is f what happens after you’ve received your residence permit in Russia.

Your Apartment and Your Neighborhood

Most American families land in an apartment, not a house, and that surprises people at first. But Russian apartments in newer buildings are bigger and better built than the word “apartment” suggests back home, and they sit in walkable neighborhoods where you don’t need a car for daily life.

Here’s what catches Americans off guard, in a good way: you walk to almost everything. A typical residential block has a grocery store, a pharmacy, a couple of cafes, a playground, and a clinic within a five-minute walk. Deliveries are absolutely everywhere. Getting groceries to your door in under an hour is completely normal.

If a yard and land are the whole point for you, that exists too: many families buy a house with a plot (a dacha setup) in a regional area. But plan to start in a city apartment while you learn the lay of the land.

Groceries, Food, and the Weekly Grocery Run

Your grocery run won’t feel that foreign. Large supermarket chains have all the usual stuff (produce, meat, dairy, bread, the works), plus great local options that are cheaper and fresher than anything you’d get in the US. A family’s weekly grocery bill runs noticeably lower than in the US.

A few real adjustments:

Some specific American brands won’t be on the shelf. You’ll find equivalents for almost everything, but your exact peanut butter or favorite cereal might take some hunting or an online order.
Eating out is affordable. A family dinner at a casual restaurant costs a fraction of the US equivalent, so families eat out more than they did back home.
Food delivery apps are fast and cheap and become part of normal life quickly.

Getting Around Without a Car

This is the one that shocks Americans the most. In a Russian city you genuinely may not need a car. The public transit is clean, fast, frequent, and cheap. A metro or bus ride is under a dollar.

Add ride-hailing (a cross-town ride runs $3–$9), car-sharing by the minute, and same-day everything-delivery, and a lot of families start thinking about ditching the second car before they even move. If you do want to drive long-term, that’s a process (we cover it in the Russian driver’s license guide), but most families coast on transit for the first year.

Schools and Your Kids

For most families with kids, this is the make-or-break question, so I’ll be straight about it.

Russian public schools are free, academically rigorous (especially in math and the sciences), and structured in a way that many American parents actually prefer. The trade-off is real: instruction is in Russian. Younger kids tend to pick it up fast through immersion, often surprisingly fast. Older kids have a harder path and may need tutoring support for the first year.

Your options:

Public school: free, full immersion, best choice for younger kids.
Private and international schools: available in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and a few large cities; English-track options exist but cost extra money.
Homeschooling: legal and used by some American families, especially in the transition year.

We go deeper in our education in Russia overview, and if you’re moving partway through the year, read Moving to Russia Mid-School-Year before you book flights.

Healthcare in Daily Life

Healthcare is simpler than what you’re used to fighting through in the US. Once your residency is in place, you’re in the state system, and most families layer a private plan on top for English-speaking doctors and no-waiting clinics. A doctor’s visit you pay for out of pocket is cheap enough that you don’t agonize over whether to go. You’re never far from a pharmacy in Russian cities, and most everyday medications are surprisingly cheap compared to the US.

The full breakdown (what’s covered, what to budget) is in the healthcare guide.

Money, Phones, and the Boring Necessities

Phones and internet are cheap and excellent. Unlimited mobile data for a few dollars a month is normal. Start with our Russian SIM card guide.
Banking takes setup. This is the genuinely tricky part. Sanctions mean your US cards and the ability to move large sums don’t work the way they do at home. You’ll need a Russian bank account and a new way of handling your money. We regularly assist our clients with the Banking Setup to be done quickly and smoothly.
Cash and local payment apps cover daily life once you’re set up.

The Honest Part: What’s Hard, and the Real Risks

Daily life is comfortable. The hard parts are real too, and pretending otherwise just loses your trust:

The language. Outside the expat bubble and younger crowds, daily life runs in Russian. You can get by at first with translation apps and patience, but learning the language is what turns “surviving” into “living.” See how much Russian you actually need.
Bureaucracy. Setting up residency, registration, banking, and school enrollment means paperwork and lines. It eases up once you’re established, but the first few months test your patience. You can of course use specialists such as our company to help you with all those little things.
Distance from family back home. Flights are long and routed through a hub. Staying close to aging parents takes planning.

The Community Question: Will We Be Alone?

No. And this surprises most new arrivals. There’s a real and growing community of American and Western families who’ve made the same move, concentrated around Moscow and a few regional pockets, plus faith communities that many families join right away. People who’ve been through the process help the ones just arriving. You definitely won’t be the first family figuring this out.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is daily life really like for an American living in Russia?

Comfortable and walkable, with low daily costs, excellent transit, fast deliveries, and good schools, offset by a language barrier, real bureaucracy in the setup phase, and distance from family back home. Most families describe the rhythm of daily life as calmer and more affordable than in the US.

Do I need a car to live in Russia?

Usually not, especially in a city. Public transit, ride-hailing, and car-sharing cover most needs. Getting a Russian license is a multi-month process, so most families lean on transit at first.

Can my kids go to school in Russia if they don’t speak Russian?

Yes. Public school is free and fully immersive. Younger children adapt quickly, while older children often require a year of tutoring. International and private English-track schools are available in major cities, and homeschooling is also legal.

Will I be able to find American food and products?

Mostly yes. Supermarkets are well stocked with local and imported goods, and there’s an equivalent for almost everything, though a few specific American brands take some hunting or an online order. Do consider that in Russia all GMO products are banned, thus a lot of the American products would be not available for sale due to those limitations.

Is it hard to manage money as an American in Russia?

This is genuinely tricky area. Sanctions affect US cards and large transfers, so you’ll set up Russian banking and change how you move money. Plan this early rather than improvising after you arrive. Turn to us who are specialists in this area.

The Bottom Line on Daily Life in Russia

Strip away the politics and the paperwork and daily life for an American family in Russia is, honestly, pretty good: affordable, walkable, safe-feeling in the everyday sense, with strong schools and a community that’s already there to catch you. The hard parts (the language, the setup bureaucracy and the banking) are worth taking seriously and planning around. Expect some bumps, but the day-to-day is usually the easy part.

Ready to map it to your own family? Apply for the Shared Values Visa at movetorussia.com/request/.