Rent in Russia varies significantly by city, with Moscow and St. Petersburg being the most expensive (e.g., 1-bedroom around 30,000-70,000+ RUB in Moscow center) and smaller cities much cheaper (e.g., 1-bedroom 10,000-25,000 RUB outside center), with averages around 27,000-42,000 RUB for 1-3 bedrooms nationally, though prices rose sharply in 2024. Expect much higher costs in prime city locations and lower prices further out or in less populated regions.
While the average yearly salary in Russia sits around 1.24 million rubles (roughly $14,771), it's important to remember this doesn't show the whole picture. In Russia, salaries can vary greatly, with the lowest average being just 26,200 rubles and the highest reaching 463,000 rubles.
What Can You Buy in St. Petersburg for 100 Rubles in 2022?
The minimum wage in Russia will increase by more than 20% from January 1, 2026. This was announced by the Cabinet of Ministers. The minimum wage will be 27.093 thousand rubles. The decision will contribute to an increase in salaries for 4.5 million people.
Full-time employment in Russia is legally defined as 40 hours per week, typically distributed across five working days.
Numbeo's online surveys suggest that monthly living costs in Russia without rent are around 46,769 ₽. According to Rosstat, excluding housing, the average person spends the most on food, transport, and utility bills.
The cheapest countries to buy a house often include nations in Eastern Europe (like Bulgaria, Romania, North Macedonia) and Southeast Asia (like Vietnam, Thailand) for low purchase prices, plus places like Mexico, Ecuador, and Turkey, offering affordability with good lifestyle or investment potential, but prices vary greatly by region and property type within a country, so it depends on your goals (retirement, rental, citizenship).
Not only foreign citizens are allowed to buy properties in Russia, but foreign companies are also allowed to buy real estate for commercial use.
According to the Economist's Big Mac index, which looks at currency strength by comparing the price of the popular McDonald's menu item in countries around the world, the Russian Big Mac in normal times cost about 135 rubles, or just under $2.
A U.S. dollar goes quite far in Russia, buying roughly 80 Russian Rubles (RUB) as of late 2025/early 2026, meaning your money stretches for inexpensive meals (around 350-700 RUB), basic goods, and services, though direct dollar use is restricted; you need to exchange dollars for rubles, which can be done at banks or airports.
Any sum of money over $10,000 brought into the country (including traveller's cheques) must be declared at customs. Individual residents are allowed to export foreign currencies in a lump cash sum up to $10,000. All exported cash assets above $3,000 must be declared.
High-paying jobs in Russia are typically found in IT (software development, cybersecurity), finance, engineering, and medicine, especially for specialists with international experience. Executive roles in multinational companies and certain positions in the energy sector also offer competitive salaries.
In 2021, the average personal wealth of the richest one percent in Russia was valued at over 2.5 million euros. In the same year, the bottom 50 percent of the country's population held an average wealth of 3,300 euros, or just over three percent of the total national wealth.
The #1 highest-paying job is consistently in the medical field, with Surgeons and Anesthesiologists often topping lists globally and in countries like Australia, earning over $400,000 AUD on average due to extensive training and high-pressure responsibilities, though roles like Financial Dealers, CEOs, and specialized Engineers also rank high.
10 of the cheapest and safest places to live in the world
Those who like to move around or travel a lot might find renting a better option, while those wanting to create roots in a single location will find buying a better choice. Think about investing in a property. Buying a home can help you gain value and build equity by making home improvements.
The One-Dollar Homeownership Program is an unprecedented partnership between NACA and cities and towns across the nation to create affordable homeownership for low to moderate income homebuyers in underserved communities. Community residents can purchase a vacant house or lot from the city for only one dollar.
Utility bills in Russia
So, you will pay utility costs of around 8,500 p. per month for an 85-square-meter apartment. These costs include electricity, water, heating, and garbage. Most heating in Russia is centralized, meaning that it is turned on in apartment blocks in the autumn and turned off again in spring.
The cost of living is relatively low and there are some good career opportunities. However, there are people who have to struggle as in any country of the world. Also some parts of Russia are famous for severe climate, that also may present a problem.
The average selling price of bottled water in Russia has steadily increased over the observed period. In October 2024, the price reached 50.4 Russian rubles per liter, having marked a slight growth from the previous month when it was measured at 49.9 Russian rubles per liter.
Jawbone's data scientists crunched data from millions of Jawbone users in about 40 countries and found that people in Russia typically go to bed at 12:51 a.m. But just because Russians tend to go to bed later doesn't mean they get less sleep.
The leading cause of death in Russia is overwhelmingly diseases of the circulatory system, primarily ischemic heart disease and stroke, followed by cancers (especially lung cancer), with significant mortality also from external causes like accidents, alcohol poisoning, and suicide, reflecting high rates of preventable deaths compared to Western Europe. Cardiovascular diseases account for over half of all deaths, a much higher proportion than the European average.
In the Soviet Union, modern Russia, and Hungary, the Friday following a public holiday that falls on Thursday and the Monday before one that falls on Tuesday are transferred to Saturdays to make longer runs of consecutive nonworking days.