Russia is a huge country, the different regions of which can radically differ from each other in climate, natural landscape, social infrastructure, as well as in living standards. It is difficult to compare life in Sochi and life in Yakutsk, incomes in Moscow and Gorno-Altaisk, or the infrastructure of Yekaterinburg or any other millionaire with a small provincial town even in the Urals, even before it. However, there are cities in Russia where life will be as expensive as possible. Comparing the cost of buying and renting housing, utilities, food and other things, specialists form various ratings of the most expensive cities in Russia.
At first glance, it is surprising that Moscow is not a leader in all of these ratings, however, according to Rosstat, the most expensive cities in Russia are those located in the north and east of our country. This happens largely due to the remoteness of these cities from the center and because of the harsh climate in which it is difficult to produce their own food.
Bilibino
Rating "The most expensive cities in Russia" opens this Chukotka town. He breaks all records - this is the most expensive city not only in Russia, but, probably, all over the world! Only 5.5 thousand people live here, to buy products for them is a difficult task, not only because of high prices. In fact, nothing can be grown on the local land, so fruits, vegetables, bread, cereals, dairy products are only imported. Add here the inaccessibility of the region and its remoteness from Central Russia, and it will become clear why bell pepper is even more expensive than meat in season.
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky
This city is regularly ranked among the most expensive cities in Russia due to high food prices. This city is rightly considered one of the most beautiful in Russia, but young people leave it largely due to the high cost. Despite the proximity of the sea, caviar, fish and seafood here are almost as much as in Central Russia, but the most expensive are milk and dairy products. There are no farms or enterprises in the region, therefore all products are imported. Utility prices are also high.
Naryan-Mar
Another distant city with prohibitive prices. The problem here is, in general, the same - the northern region, in which you can’t grow anything and transport it expensively. Everything is complicated by the fact that goods can be delivered to Naryan-Mar only by plane, which is much more expensive than by land. All these costs are laid down in the price of food, clothing, medicine, gasoline and more. And here the fare is constantly increasing, which does not make the lives of local residents cheaper.
Salekhard
The city in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug was included in the rating of expensive cities, partly due to its exorbitantly high tariffs for Internet and mobile communications. They exceed absolutely all tariffs in Russia, nowhere else will you have to pay 2,000 rubles a month for very modest traffic. The prices for food, travel and communal services are not far behind.
Peaceful
A city in the Yakutsk region is one of the most expensive cities in Russia in its north. Despite the presence of diamonds under your feet in the literal sense of the word (the city was formed at the site of the development of a large kimberlite pipe), the real jewels here are fresh vegetables and fruits. Carrying them through the air is very expensive, so none of the locals are surprised at the damaged and wilted apples at 400 rubles per kilogram. The average salary in Mirny is 40 thousand rubles, which, of course, is higher than in many other small northern towns, but still it is too small, given the level of local prices.
Khabarovsk
This is the most expensive city in Russia from all its millionaires. And here Moscow is not in the first place, you will be surprised, and this is a fact - Khabarovsk has become a leader largely due to the high communal costs and the cost of cars (gasoline, maintenance, etc.). Khabarovsk’s roads also cost almost 80 thousand rubles per square meter (for comparison, another millionaire - Novosibirsk - sells apartments “for only 65 thousand rubles. M2) Moreover, this growth began recently, along with the growth of construction in the region.
Moscow
There are also ratings that reveal the most expensive cities in terms of real estate prices in them. And this rating, when asked what is the most expensive city in Russia, confidently answers: "Of course, Moscow!" A square meter of housing, according to the end of 2015, cost an unprecedented amount here - 266 thousand rubles. According to experts, two working spouses with two children will be able to buy an apartment in Moscow in only 20 years, and this is still a good prognosis (or a very small apartment in a non-prestigious area). Sky-high money is in the capital and rental housing, especially with good furniture and close to the metro.
Sochi
Also in the first three leaders in terms of property value are two other capitals - St. Petersburg and the Olympic capital of Sochi. These are the most expensive cities in Russia for real estate prices. Over the past year, many square meters of new housing and infrastructure have been commissioned in these cities. Yekaterinburg and Khabarovsk, cities with good growth rates, are on their heels.
But back to Sochi. This city is worth a special mention, since it literally became one of the three in just a year. According to the end of 2014, Sochi was not among the most expensive cities by any estimates. But the Olympics and the facilities built under it raised the cost per square meter in the city to 75 thousand rubles. And this despite the fact that most residential facilities are either not related to the Olympics, or even began to be built after its completion.
Vladivostok
This beautiful city is also in the ranking of the most expensive real estate, but it is worth noting separately that there is a rating that determines which cities are the most expensive in Russia in terms of tourism. Vladivostok is recognized as one of such cities. It's expensive and long to get here, it's expensive to eat and no less expensive to live. So, for example, you will have to pay 400 rubles for a bed in a hostel, and 2.5 thousand for a whole room in a simple hotel. But all this does not stop Russian and foreign tourists who want to see the extreme point of the Trans-Siberian Railway, photograph a live Amur tiger, try unique Far Eastern cuisine and scuba dive.
