Single · Comfortable · $3,000/mo

SamaraOverall winner

Samara is approximately 10% less expensive than Ourem based on cost of living including rent. This makes Samara a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.

Samara has a FIRE Score of 80/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The city's safety index is 55, suggesting moderate safety levels.

Recommended profile: Samara is ideal for GeoArbitragers and remote workers looking to maximize savings.

Side by side

Best in row

Russia

Samara

Do Not Travel
FIRE80

Portugal

Ourem

Normal Precautions
FIRE89
Cost
Cost of living index
34.2
-
One person, excluding rent
Best in row. $530/mo
$1,550/mo
Family of four, excluding rent
Best in row. $1,915/mo
$5,600/mo
Total monthly, rent included
Best in row. $802/mo
$886/mo
Monthly savings
Best in row. $2,198/mo
$2,114/mo
Housing
1BR, city centre
Best in row. $410
$450
1BR, outside centre
Best in row. $300
$350
3BR, city centre
$760
Best in row. $700
3BR, outside centre
$550
$550
Scores
FIRE score
61/100
Best in row. 71/100
Nomad score
Best in row. 30/100
27/100
Retiree score
36/100
Best in row. 77/100
Overall score
55/100
Best in row. 89/100
Safety & infrastructure
Safety index
55
Best in row. 85
Internet speed
Best in row. 85 Mbps
78 Mbps
Walkability score
-
-

Estimates from published local prices. N/A means no figure is published for that city.

About these cities

About Samara

Samara is a genuinely cheap place to live, with a 1-bedroom in the center at $410/mo and a single person's monthly costs outside rent at just $485/mo, which makes the $804/mo average net salary stretch further than it would almost anywhere in the West. The catch is that you are earning in rubles or arriving on a remote income, and the Russia Digital Nomad Visa demands $9,678/mo, a threshold that prices out most freelancers and tells you exactly who Moscow expects to attract. Add limited English proficiency and a safety index of 55/100, and Samara suits self-sufficient expats who want a 1.2-million-person city at a cost of living index of 34/100, not anyone hoping for an easy soft landing.

About Russia

A Level 4 do-not-travel advisory rules this out for virtually everyone, and there is no retirement visa to offset that risk. Only those with existing Russian citizenship ties or family obligations should look past it, given rent as low as $354/mo outside the center. Everyone else should treat the 34.2 overall score as the final word.

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Samara vs Ourem -- Frequently Asked Questions

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