So where do expatriates find "havens" while looking an apartment to rent in Moscow? Obviously, the families’ first priority is the proximity of special schools and kindergartens. The most popular areas to rent an apartment inside the Garden ring are Patriarchy Ponds, Arbat, Polyanka and Chistye Prudy (with the French Lyceum of the Embassy of France). As for the locations outside the Garden ring – it’s Sokol (with English-American and British schools), Krylatskoye (International School of Moscow) and the apartment rentals in prestigious south-west part of Moscow. The consumer preferences include 3-4 bedrooms, high quality renovation and furnishings and total size of 150 and more sq m. The rate for such apartments for rent starts from $ 7,000. Single young professionals and managers are less demanding, they prefer to rent an apartment in the center of Moscow, in close proximity to their offices, restaurants, night clubs and fitness centers; 1-2-bedroom apartments (often shared) renovated and decorated in European style with the rate of $ 3,000-5,000 per month are in great demand among this category of expatriates who rent apartments in Moscow. The lease contract is usually made for one year with possible prolongation. An expatriate’s average period of renting an apartment in Moscow is considered to be two-three years.
