Russia vs India

Two strong routes. Find the one that fits you.

Your Russian MBBS opens doors in both countries. Here is what each route offers and what it involves, so you can choose with confidence.

At a glance

What each route offers

Russia

You already know the language, the system and daily lifeSix years of study become a head start, not a fresh beginning.
A direct route to practiseA Russian diploma plus accreditation gives the right to practise in Russia. FMGE is not part of this route.
Strong payMoscow doctors average 212,633 ₽ a month (≈ ₹2.4 lakh), official data.
Even more in high-pay regionsUp to 291,916 ₽ a month on average in Chukotka.
Simpler hiring for doctorsDoctors are on Russia’s list of professions employers can hire without a foreign-worker quota.
Affordable everyday livingUp to 20,000 ₽ a month in regional cities and 30,000 ₽ in Moscow, plus rent (STRATWAY budget guide).

India

Build your career close to familyHome, support and familiar surroundings.
Low living costsAbout ₹38,025 a month in Kochi, including rent for a 1-bedroom flat (Numbeo).
Keep more of your salaryNo income tax on yearly income up to ₹12 lakh under the new regime.
Paid specialist trainingPG residents earn stipends up to ₹1,26,927 a month (Delhi median).
Strong specialist earnings₹18–40 lakh a year in private practice in the first years after MD/MS (indicative).

Russia in numbers

Official figures and the rules that apply to you, each with its source.

212,633 ₽Average monthly pay for doctors in Moscow, about ₹2.4 lakhСредняя зарплата врачейRosstat, May 2026
291,916 ₽Average in Chukotka, the highest-paying region, about ₹3.3 lakhЧукотский автономный округRosstat, May 2026
13%Income tax on pay up to 2.4 million ₽ a year, for tax residentsНДФЛTax Code, Article 224
Quota-freeDoctors can be hired without a foreign-worker quotaПрофессии вне квотыMinistry of Labour list
No FMGEYour Russian diploma plus primary accreditation lets you practise in RussiaПервичная аккредитацияFederal Law 323-FZ, Article 69
2 yearsUsual length of specialist residency, often linked to a jobОрдинатураFederal residency standards
20,000 ₽Everyday costs a month in regional cities, 30,000 ₽ in Moscow, plus rentРасходы на жизньSTRATWAY budget guide
6 yearsOf clinical training in Russian already behind you: the language, the system, the patientsЛечебное делоRussian General Medicine degree

Side by side

	Russia	India
Your degree	Recognised as Russian medical education	Recognised once you complete the Indian steps for foreign graduates
Steps to practise	Primary accreditation, then an employer offer and work permit	FMGE, a 12-month paid internship, then State Medical Council registration
Exam	Accreditation: test, practical skills and clinical cases	FMGE: pass mark 150 of 300, ₹4,650 per attempt
Language	Clinical Russian, which you have been building for six years	English
First posts	District therapist or district paediatrician	Medical officer or junior resident
Pay highlights	Moscow average 212,633 ₽ a month (≈ ₹2.4 lakh); national average 121,322 ₽	NHM medical officers ₹50,000–₹55,000; PG stipends up to ₹1,26,927
Living costs, 1-bedroom flat, rent included	Kazan 55,593 ₽; Moscow outskirts 98,765 ₽ (rent from Numbeo; everyday costs from STRATWAY’s budget guide)	Kochi ₹38,025; Bangalore ₹50,298 (Numbeo)
Specialist training	Ordinatura, usually 2 years, often arranged with an employer	Paid MD, MS or DNB residency through NEET PG
Academic and research	Aspirantura with a stipend	Senior residency, then assistant professor posts
Biggest advantages	Familiar country, direct route, strong pay	Family, low costs, paid residency, big specialist market
Good to plan for	Yearly work-permit renewal; employer-linked residency places	FMGE preparation; internship seat allotment by state

Data as of October 2026. Sources on the salaries and licensing pages.

Step by step

Timing depends on your situation, so your written plan sets out a realistic timeline for you.

Route	Your steps	When you start earning	How RMCP helps
Practise in Russia	Primary accreditation → employer offer → work permit and language test	As soon as you are accredited and your permit is issued	Accreditation preparation, clinical Russian, CV and interviews, paperwork
Practise in India	FMGE → provisional registration → 12-month internship → permanent registration	From your internship (paid stipend), then as a registered doctor	Structured FMGE plan, mock tests, registration paperwork
Specialist training	India: NEET PG → MD/MS. Russia: ordinatura → specialist accreditation	India: stipend from day one of residency. Russia: stipend on budget places	Choosing the right specialty and route, applications
Teaching or research	Usually after specialist training	Depends on the post	Mapping entry requirements for your target institution
Another country	Destination-specific recognition and licensing	Depends on the destination	A destination check before you commit

«Чем раньше, тем лучше»

There is no bad time to start. Starting now simply gives you more room to plan well.

Where you are now	What starting now gives you	How we help
Still at university	Time to check your course, collect documents while enrolled and plan finances calmly	Course check, document list, an early study plan
Just graduated	A clear route and the first exam session you can sit	Written plan and a structured preparation timetable
After a gap	A fresh, organised restart	Updated documents and a revised plan
After an exam that didn’t go well	A focused plan built on what you already know	Gap analysis and targeted preparation

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