Support The Moscow Times!

Russians Need 175,000 Rubles a Month to Feel Happy, Poll Shows

Denis Abramov / Vedomosti

Russians believe they need an income of at least 175,000 rubles ($2,725) a month to feel happy, according to poll results published by the Izvestia daily Friday.

The cost of happiness is higher in Moscow, where an average resident needs at least 193,000 rubles a month to feel happy, the poll by the Superjob employment website indicated, Izvestia reported.

Men feel they need more money than women to be happy, with the average threshold of a Russian man's happiness starting with a monthly paycheck of 193,000 rubles, while women were content with 158,000 rubles, the poll indicated.

Russians view as “rich” anybody who earns 450,000 rubles or more per month, while the poverty threshold starts at 15,000 rubles or less per month, the poll indicated, Izvestia reported.

No margin of error for the poll was provided.

The average monthly salary in Russia stood at 34,000 rubles, according to official government data for April this year, Ekho Moskvy radio reported. Only 2.8 percent of the country's residents earn between 100,000 rubles and 250,000 rubles a month, Izvestia reported.

This story has been corrected to clarify that 2.8 percent of the population earns between 100,000 rubles and 250,000 rubles a month. A previous version incorrectly stated that fewer than 2.8 percent earn more than 175,000 a year.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more