Study reveals how much most Russians need to be able to live comfortably

Almost half of Russians (47 percent) believe that a monthly amount of 40-70 thousand rubles ($550-950) would be sufficient for a normal quality of life, including savings, The Vedomosti newspaper wrote with reference to opinion polls conducted by Rosgosstrakh insurance company. 

The amount of income below 40,000 rubles ($550) per month would be enough for 21.4 percent of respondents.

• As many as 19.6 percent of respondents said that they would be happy with 70-100 thousand rubles ($970-1,400) a month, whereas 6.9 percent said that they would be satisfied with 100-150 thousand rubles ($1,400-2,100) a month.
• As many as 5.2 percent say that they would need to get up to 150,000 rubles a month to be able to save some money and enjoy a desired quality of life. 

Financial expectations were the highest among residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg. The study also showed that men were more likely to strive for a higher income than women. Russians aged 30-49 mostly opt for an income from 70 to 100 thousand rubles.

In late September, the analytical center of Synergy University published a survey, in which about 67 percent of Russians admitted that they suffered from a shortage of monthly income that they would need for a comfortable life. 

In 2022, the minimum wage in Russia will amount to 13,617 rubles (about $200), which is 6.4 percent higher than in 2021.