Paul Goble
Staunton, Nov. 19 – After falling for the last two years, the difference in the cost of living among Russia’s federal subjects has risen by 12 percent over the last 12 months to reach the highest level ever, according to new data released by Rosstat, the Russian government’s statistical arm.
The three subjects where the cost of living is highest are Chukotka, Moscow and Murmansk Oblast; the three where they are lowest are Saratov, Astrakhan and Oryol oblasts, where the cost of living is between one half and two thirds of the most expensive places (club-rf.ru/news/64068).
These differences reflect extremely large differences in average pay, the high cost of delivering goods to the North and Far East, different levels of competition which serves to keep costs in check, and specific local problems like high rents in Moscow and private gardens in outlying regions which helps reduce the cost of living there.
Keeping these differences in mind is important both in understanding how varied the Russian Federation is, far more varied than just between the capital and the areas beyond the ring road, and also how any changes in income, employment, and the cost of living diverge and hit some regions far harder than others.
No comments:
Post a Comment