From Dorm to Doorstep: My Housing Journey as a Foreign Student in Moscow
 (1) - Ксения Чуприс.jpg "From Dorm to Doorstep: My Housing Journey as a Foreign Student in Moscow")
When I moved to Moscow as an international student, I knew I would face challenges. But the decision that truly shaped my daily life for three years was something much more practical: where to live.
For my first three years at the Higher School of Economics, I lived in the Level Amurskaya dormitory, sharing a modern apartment-style block with five other students. The space had two bedrooms, a shared coworking/living area, a kitchen, and one bathroom – housing six people total. The rent started at 15,600 ₽ per month and increased to 19,500 ₽ plus utilities by my third year.
This year, everything changed. I moved out and now rent a two-room apartment in Strogino, splitting the 70,000 ₽ monthly rent with a roommate. My share is 35,000 ₽ plus utilities.
Both experiences taught me very different lessons about Moscow, about independence, and about what "home" really means when you're far from your own country.
Three Years in Level Amurskaya: My First Moscow Home
When I first arrived at Level Amurskaya, I was a mix of excitement and uncertainty. I was moving into a flat with five complete strangers, in a new city, in a country where I was still learning the cultural nuances. The dormitory block itself was modern – a 27-floor student complex in the Golyanovo district, with security, office, and nearby shops and cafés.
The apartment we shared had two bedrooms (three people in each), a shared coworking/living area, a compact kitchen, and one bathroom. On paper it sounded straightforward. In reality, it became the backdrop for some of my most memorable student experiences.
What I Valued About Dorm Life
The biggest gift the dorm gave me was instant community. In those first months, when Moscow still felt overwhelming, my roommates became my anchor. Someone was always in the kitchen making pasta or tea, the shared coworking area turned into a 24/7 hub for exam cramming, and the living room became our space for celebrating small victories and consoling each other after tough days.
This constant presence of people from different backgrounds helped me adapt incredibly quickly. The dorm was like a built-in support system – when I was sick, someone brought me soup; when I was confused about bureaucracy, someone explained the process; when I felt homesick, someone else was feeling it too.
Another huge advantage was how much practical stress the dorm removed. I didn’t have to think about buying furniture, installing Wi-Fi, finding a washing machine, or dealing with landlords. The university handled registration (crucial for foreigners), organized cleaning schedules, and provided security. Every month, I knew exactly what I would pay. No sudden “we’re raising your rent tomorrow” messages, no deposit scams, no searching for reliable internet providers.
Financially, it made complete sense. Even when the price rose from 15,600 ₽ to 19,500 ₽ plus utilities, it was still absolutely unbeatable compared to Moscow’s rental market. For that money, I not only got a bed and a desk, but also a ready-made social network, official registration, and a location that was already “approved” by the university for easy commuting to campuses.
The Natural Challenges of Communal Living
Of course, living with five other people in one flat comes with its own rhythm – and its own compromises. Mornings before 9:00 became a strategic operation: six people, one bathroom, and everyone needing to leave at roughly the same time. We had to develop an unspoken schedule, respect each other's time, and occasionally negotiate when someone had an early exam.
The shared spaces meant we were constantly coordinating: who cleans the kitchen on which day, how to handle guests, what volume is acceptable for music or late-night calls. In a multicultural environment, everyone brings their own norms from home – and those norms don’t always align perfectly. I learned to communicate more directly, to set boundaries kindly, and to pick my battles.
Privacy was limited. Even with my own bed in a shared bedroom, I was always aware of other people’s presence. The dorm taught me to be comfortable with less personal space, to find moments of solitude in libraries or parks, and to appreciate the rare times when the flat was empty.
By the middle of my third year, I realised something important: the dorm had been the perfect launchpad, but I was ready for a different kind of space. My academic workload had increased, I was working part-time, and I needed more quiet and control over my environment to focus properly.
Moving to Strogino: My First “Real” Moscow Home
The decision to move out wasn’t sudden. It grew slowly from everyday moments: every missed morning shower, each night when I needed to work but the living room was occupied, every time I wanted to invite a friend over but felt conscious about disturbing roommates.
Strogino came into the picture almost by accident: a friend was also looking to move out, and we found a two-room apartment we could just about afford if we split it. Seventy thousand roubles sounded like a lot compared to the dorm price, but 35,000 ₽ each for a real flat suddenly felt possible.
The first evening in the new place felt surreal. No institutional furniture, no lists of dorm rules on the wall, no one coming in to check anything. Just two rooms, a kitchen, a bathroom – and silence.
What Changed for the Better
The biggest difference apartment life brought was the feeling of agency. For the first time in three years, I could:
- Take a shower without calculating how many people were waiting.
- Decide when to cook, clean or work without silently negotiating these choices with five other people.
My productivity increased almost immediately. With a quiet room and no constant background noise, studying took less time and required less energy. I could schedule online meetings, calls, and deep work sessions without planning them around other people’s habits.
The psychological effect was even stronger. Coming home no longer felt like entering a crowded station. It felt like entering a safe, stable base. I could invite friends over without checking with five people. I could wake up earlier or later, keep my room exactly as tidy (or messy) as I wanted, and develop my own tiny routines: morning coffee in silence, evening walks along the river in Strogino, watching movies without headphones.
The area itself added to this feeling. Strogino is calmer than student dorm districts: the river, parks, fewer crowds. After classes in the busy centre, returning to this quieter neighbourhood feels like a mini escape.
The Real Cost of “Adult” Housing
My housing expenses almost doubled compared to the dorm. From around 19,500 ₽ plus utilities, I moved to about 35,000 ₽ plus utilities and internet. I had to rethink my budget: fewer spontaneous purchases, more planning, a constant awareness that “I can’t just rely on student tariffs anymore”.
Then there was the bureaucratic side of renting. We had to search through endless listings, filter out obvious scams, communicate with landlords, read contracts line by line, ask for registration. As a foreigner, it always feels like you are one extra step away from being taken seriously in such negotiations.
Responsibility also shifted. When a light broke in the dorm, someone from maintenance eventually came to fix it. In the apartment, we have to decide: call the landlord, pay an electrician, or attempt to fix it ourselves. We are the ones who must remember due dates for rent and utilities. If we mess up, there is no accommodating dorm manager to smooth things over.
And then there is a quieter challenge: the risk of isolation. In the dorm, social life happens whether you want it or not. In an apartment, you can easily slip into routines where you see just your roommate and people at university. Some evenings the silence that feels so healing after a busy day can also feel… a little too deep.
So Which Is Better for an International Student in Moscow?
If I had to summarise my experience, I wouldn’t say that dorm life is “worse” and apartment life is “better”. They are just right for different stages.
For me, the dorm was perfect for:
- The moment I first arrived in Moscow.
- When I needed structure, support, guaranteed registration and a ready-made social circle.
- When my budget was very tight and the idea of negotiating with landlords in another language felt terrifying.
The apartment became the right choice when:
- My academic workload increased and I needed real concentration.
- I started working more and needed a calm, stable environment for remote tasks.
- I felt emotionally tired from living in “collective mode” 24/7 and ready to take on more adult responsibilities.
Looking back, I am glad I had both experiences. The dorm taught me to live with others, to adapt quickly, to negotiate and to survive on a student budget. The apartment is teaching me how to live with myself: to take responsibility, to create comfort from scratch, and to treat Moscow not just as a place where I study, but as a place where I truly live.
Shared by
Kseniya Chuprys
