Moscow - Post Report Question and Answers
What are the particular advantages of living in this city?
It is a 35% hardship post with SND for U.S. diplomats which makes the pay very nice. There are some things that are usually great here and some things that wear on you. - Dec 2023
Easy public transportation. - Mar 2019
Great metro to get anywhere; reasonable pricing and everything is available. - Nov 2018
Travel. - Oct 2017
Easy to get around. Not terribly expensive. COLA and differential is great. - Sep 2016
Ability to travel in Europe relatively easily. - May 2016
Experiencing Russia's uniquely rich and complex culture, traveling across the country all the way to Siberia), enjoying Moscow's musical scene and meeting Russian friends. - Sep 2015
It is easy to get around on the metro or by bus. CLO does a lot of trips within the city and outside the city. Cost of living is still a bit high but the ruble is fluctuating and it's not nearly as bad as it had been. So with that said, you can save money if you shop wisely in the city and not spend your money at the commissary. It is expensive to eat out, but that can also be done pretty cheap, it just depends where you go. Summer is mild; it snows into April, then switches to rain in May. - Jun 2015
There really is a lot to do in Moscow from strolling through Gorky Park on a beautiful summer afternoon to touring the countless museums and seeing wonderful theater productions. We were also able to take the bullet train to St. Petersburg over one of the long weekends and took a few short bus tours to small quaint cities within the Ring. - Oct 2014
There's lots to do here - parks, restaurants, museums, theater/concerts, outdoor activities especially in the winter months. - Nov 2013
Metro makes it easy to get around the city. Moscow is a good base for traveling to Europe and Middle East. There are lots of art and cultural events and tons of sight seeing. - Jul 2013
Russian history is fascinating. This country is extremely varied with lots to see. Moscow is a wonderful cultural capital with inexpensive access to world-class ballet, opera and symphonic music. The museums here are wonderful, and it seems that most regional cities have outdoor museums of wooden architecture, which are fascinating. - Jul 2013
Tons of culture and history. It is amazing to just walk around the city center. - Jan 2013
Culture. And if you're coming from multiple 3rd-world postings, it's cleaner and more organized, although a Russian will laugh to hear it. - Mar 2012
Living in a culture so different from US culture, the sights, foods, opportunities to travel - May 2011
Russia offers a historic, great, and rich culture; Moscow has so much to offer in this regard. Further afield, one can visit St. Petersburg, Sergiev Posad, etc. - Jan 2011
You live in one of the major world capitals and a true "big city" in every sense of the word. Every kind of entertainment, restaurant, etc., is available - for a price. - Jul 2010
Cultural events, museums. - May 2010
The culture is extremely interesting, and the museums are phenomenal - if you can understand the language. Otherwise, hire an English-speaking guide. - May 2010
While bad for Russia as a whole, uneven development means that Moscow is the true center of the country; almost everything interesting, fun, exiting, etc. is happening here. - Feb 2010
amazing cultural events; arguably the world's best city for ballet, opera, musicals, plays, orchestral and symphonic concerts, etc. Huge number and selection of restaurants, bars and nightclubs - though the high prices keep away all but the big spenders. Is a good hub for traveling to Egypt, eastern Europe and the Baltics. - Jan 2010
