<\/p>\n
One of\u00a0the biggest concerns for Russians at\u00a0the start of\u00a0this year is\u00a0the rapid rise in\u00a0the cost of\u00a0basic necessities. Across the country, prices for vegetables, fruit, meat, dairy products, pet food, and other everyday goods have climbed sharply. Meduza asked its Russian readers from different regions how higher prices are reshaping their daily lives \u2014 and what they\u2019re bracing for next. We\u2019ve translated some of\u00a0the most notable responses into English.<\/p>\n
The following first-person accounts have been lightly edited and abridged for length and clarity.Oskar<\/p>\n
Moscow and Obninsk<\/p>\n
I\u2019m a\u00a0student, and it\u2019s genuinely awful. In\u00a02023 (I\u00a0was still in\u00a011th grade then), my\u00a0daily budget was about 600 rubles [about $8]. I\u00a0could buy cottage cheese for breakfast, a\u00a0pack of\u00a0pelmeni, sour cream, butter, and some vegetables. Today my\u00a0budget is\u00a0around 900 rubles [about $12] a\u00a0day, and I\u2019m lucky if\u00a0I\u00a0can afford a\u00a0piece of\u00a0decent meat.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m constantly talking myself out of\u00a0buying things because there\u2019s still something else left at\u00a0home. Eating out is\u00a0a\u00a0luxury. If\u00a0I\u00a0do\u00a0eat out, that means I\u00a0don\u2019t eat anything at\u00a0home that whole day.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve completely given up\u00a0the sweets I\u00a0grew up\u00a0with, and I\u2019ve stopped eating bananas. They used to\u00a0be\u00a0the cheapest fruit. Now I\u00a0can\u2019t afford them anywhere. The only meat I\u00a0can really afford is\u00a0bacon, sausages, chicken (sometimes), or\u00a0a\u00a0pretty fatty piece of\u00a0pork. I\u00a0don\u2019t make blini anymore, because you need several ingredients and they\u2019re gone in\u00a0a\u00a0day. In\u00a0general, I\u00a0try not to\u00a0buy anything that will be\u00a0gone in\u00a0one day \u2014 only things I\u00a0can stretch.<\/p>\n
Socializing is\u00a0expensive. People my\u00a0age like going to\u00a0caf\u00e9s, especially in\u00a0winter, but I\u00a0can\u2019t afford to\u00a0spend 400 rubles [more than $5] on\u00a0a\u00a0coffee, because then I\u00a0won\u2019t have anything to\u00a0eat. Inviting people over is\u00a0impossible too; I\u00a0don\u2019t even have anything to\u00a0offer with\u00a0tea. Going out [to a\u00a0restaurant]? It\u2019s more expensive than a\u00a0caf\u00e9. So\u00a0I\u00a0stay home and eat potatoes.<\/p>\n
Prices will keep rising, and I\u2019ll cry, try to\u00a0earn more, stretch my\u00a0budget, and give up\u00a0something else.<\/p>\n
You\u2019re currently reading Meduza, the world\u2019s largest independent Russian news outlet. Every day, we\u00a0bring you essential coverage from Russia and beyond. Explore our reporting\u00a0here<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0follow us<\/a>\u00a0wherever you get your news.Tamara<\/p>\n Saratov<\/p>\n I\u2019m retired, and my\u00a0pension is\u00a022,000 rubles [$287] a\u00a0month. Luckily, I\u00a0live with my\u00a0son \u2014 he\u00a0covers utilities and helps with groceries\u00a0too. The day before yesterday I\u00a0went to\u00a0the store and bought a\u00a0red bell pepper for a\u00a0salad. It\u00a0was almost 400 rubles per kilo [about $2.37 per pound]; I\u00a0paid 63 rubles [82 cents] for one pepper.<\/p>\n My\u00a0daughter lives in\u00a0France. She converted the price at\u00a0the current exchange rate and said that\u2019s how much red peppers cost in\u00a0their supermarket. A\u00a0400-gram [14-ounce] can of\u00a0green peas costs 90 rubles [$1.17], and about half of\u00a0it\u00a0is\u00a0water. Is\u00a0that normal? Thank God, at\u00a0least Greek yogurt (according to\u00a0my\u00a0daughter) is\u00a0still about half the price here compared to\u00a0France.<\/p>\n Now I\u00a0shop more often, and I\u00a0buy just enough to\u00a0eat.<\/p>\n Marusya<\/p>\n Novosibirsk<\/p>\n Because of\u00a0rising prices, I\u00a0had to\u00a0start working part-time as\u00a0a\u00a0courier \u2014 and I\u00a0have a\u00a0college degree and graduated with honors. Every trip to\u00a0the grocery store feels like a\u00a0punch to\u00a0the wallet, like I\u2019m buying designer clothes instead of\u00a0food. I\u2019m really scared about the future. While I\u2019m young and don\u2019t have kids, I\u2019ll survive. But how are people supposed to\u00a0survive with children, or\u00a0later in\u00a0life, when health problems start?<\/p>\n Tomatoes, cucumbers, juice, dairy products, sausage, cheese, meat, sweets \u2014 everything has gone up\u00a0by\u00a0about 30 percent compared to\u00a0two years ago, and some things even more. Now, when I\u00a0walk into a\u00a0store, I\u00a0look for the cheapest alternatives and spend a\u00a0long time debating whether I\u00a0really need some treat, or\u00a0if\u00a0I\u00a0can just eat buckwheat with a\u00a0sausage and get\u00a0by. I\u00a0weigh every item carefully. I\u00a0plan an\u00a0evening with good home-cooked food the way I\u00a0used to\u00a0plan going out to\u00a0a\u00a0restaurant.<\/p>\n I\u2019m afraid prices will only keep rising. What can I\u00a0do? I\u2019ll try to\u00a0tighten my\u00a0belt and buy cheaper things, and to\u00a0give up\u00a0other pleasures so\u00a0I\u00a0can at\u00a0least afford healthy food like fish or\u00a0meat.<\/p>\n Russians pick up\u00a0the tab The Kremlin\u2019s new tax hike aims to\u00a0plug a\u00a0record deficit and fund the war \u2014 but it\u00a0may not be\u00a0enough<\/a>Russians pick up\u00a0the tab The Kremlin\u2019s new tax hike aims to\u00a0plug a\u00a0record deficit and fund the war \u2014 but it\u00a0may not be\u00a0enough<\/a>Anonymous<\/p>\n St. Petersburg<\/p>\n I\u2019m a\u00a0blind person living in\u00a0St. Petersburg. I\u00a0usually work as\u00a0a\u00a0writer and editor on\u00a0social projects for social media, but right now I\u2019m unemployed. My\u00a0only regular income is\u00a0my\u00a0disability benefit. I\u00a0rent an\u00a0apartment, and I\u00a0have a\u00a0guide dog and two cats.<\/p>\n The way prices have risen is\u00a0just brutal. Everything is\u00a0expensive: food, public transportation, pet supplies, veterinary care. Some things are up\u00a0five percent, others 20 percent. I\u00a0don\u2019t keep exact statistics \u2014 it\u2019s bad enough as\u00a0it\u00a0is. These are recurring expenses, and they\u2019re eating a\u00a0hole in\u00a0me.<\/p>\n Luckily, my\u00a0rent is\u00a0still relatively humane (I\u00a0moved to\u00a0a\u00a0cheaper neighborhood), and so\u00a0are my\u00a0medications. Still, I\u00a0catch myself wondering whether there\u2019s any way to\u00a0save on\u00a0medicine, which feels awful. At\u00a0least I\u00a0don\u2019t need to\u00a0regularly replace my\u00a0assistive equipment. What\u2019s provided for free isn\u2019t really usable, and what you actually have to\u00a0pay for costs a\u00a0fortune.<\/p>\n Lately, I\u2019m constantly searching for discounts and cheaper alternatives. I\u00a0struggle to\u00a0find food for my\u00a0pet with allergies that both works and fits into my\u00a0budget. Over the past year, I\u2019ve almost stopped using taxis. No\u00a0new gadgets, no\u00a0major purchases. New clothes are a\u00a0rare event. No\u00a0paid medical services, even though I\u00a0need them.<\/p>\n I\u2019m hoping to\u00a0find a\u00a0new job and not end up\u00a0living on\u00a0bread and water by\u00a0the end of\u00a0the year. But lately, even long-term planning feels like a\u00a0luxury I\u00a0can\u2019t afford.<\/p>\n Roman<\/p>\n Primorsky Krai<\/p>\n Prices are rising \u2014 that\u2019s a\u00a0fact. Some products have simply disappeared from the shelves. Apparently, they were already being sold on\u00a0razor-thin margins. Dairy products, fish, grains and pasta (except for the very cheapest kinds), bottled water (including mineral water), candy, and coffee have all gone up.<\/p>\n We\u00a0buy the cheapest milk and make fermented dairy products ourselves. We\u00a0only buy cheese when it\u2019s on\u00a0sale, or\u00a0fake. We\u00a0try to\u00a0order coffee online; you can still find decent beans there. If\u00a0the delivery isn\u2019t urgent, it\u00a0comes out about 40 percent cheaper. Same with candy \u2014 we\u00a0mostly buy it\u00a0online now.<\/p>\n Everything will either keep getting more expensive or\u00a0disappear altogether. We\u2019re planning to\u00a0get more chickens (for meat and eggs), maybe a\u00a0goat and a\u00a0pig. We\u2019ll plant more vegetables and expand the greenhouse. I\u2019ll start going fishing not just for fun, but to\u00a0actually have fish to\u00a0eat.<\/p>\n Galina<\/p>\n Irkutsk<\/p>\n Given how much the war costs Russia every single day, the damage sanctions have done to\u00a0the economy, and so\u00a0on, rising prices in\u00a0stores don\u2019t surprise\u00a0me. What surprises me\u00a0are the people who are either so\u00a0naive or\u00a0so\u00a0oblivious to\u00a0what\u2019s happening around them. They\u2019re shocked by\u00a0prices in\u00a0stores, because we\u2019re supposedly a\u00a0\u201cgreat power,\u201d and officials keep reporting constant \u201cgrowth\u201d in\u00a0[all sectors] and how Russia has only grown stronger under sanctions.<\/p>\n Only a\u00a0few people turn on\u00a0their critical thinking and draw logical conclusions. Everyone else finds it\u00a0more comfortable to\u00a0tell themselves that Putin doesn\u2019t know, that these are temporary difficulties, or\u00a0that it\u2019s all the work of\u00a0\u201cenemies.\u201d Some even advise people to\u00a0\u201ctighten their belts\u201d and endure it\u00a0all for \u201cvictory\u2019s\u201d sake: \u201cFor a\u00a0righteous cause and victory over the rotten West, you can gnaw on\u00a0dry bread.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018Life matters more than your wallet\u2019: Meduza takes a\u00a0look at\u00a0the Kremlin\u2019s new media guidelines for spinning Russia\u2019s tax hikes<\/a>\u2018Life matters more than your wallet\u2019: Meduza takes a\u00a0look at\u00a0the Kremlin\u2019s new media guidelines for spinning Russia\u2019s tax hikes<\/a><\/p>\n I\u2019ve switched to\u00a0cheaper alternatives, and that\u2019s clearly affected quality and taste. I\u2019ve stopped buying certain kinds of\u00a0cheese. If\u00a0the whole family goes to\u00a0a\u00a0sushi restaurant, I\u00a0choose cheaper options or\u00a0order just one thing, because a\u00a0bill for three now comes out twice as\u00a0high as\u00a0it\u00a0did a\u00a0year\u00a0ago. This isn\u2019t a\u00a0catastrophe, given what others are dealing with, but these are the changes I\u00a0notice in\u00a0my\u00a0own life. My\u00a0family and I\u00a0work more than before, and can afford much less. I\u00a0won\u2019t even start on\u00a0vacations, appliances, or\u00a0furniture.<\/p>\n I\u00a0think things will get worse in\u00a0the near future. On\u00a0the one hand, I\u00a0worry about my\u00a0family \u2014 whether I\u2019ll be\u00a0able to\u00a0pay for medical care for elderly relatives, what we\u2019ll even\u00a0eat. On\u00a0the other hand, considering how much harm, death, and destruction my\u00a0country brings to\u00a0Ukraine every day (in\u00a0my\u00a0name), these are inevitable consequences. Sometimes I\u00a0even feel a\u00a0grim satisfaction when I\u00a0hear people complaining about prices in\u00a0stores. But will they draw conclusions that affect public support for the war and the authorities? I\u00a0hope so\u00a0\u2014 but I\u2019m not sure.<\/p>\n When I\u00a0went to\u00a0rallies and protests, people mocked me\u00a0and called me\u00a0a\u00a0\u201cWestern agent,\u201d loudly showing off their \u201cpatriotism.\u201d Are they ready to\u00a0go\u00a0hungry for that patriotism? We\u2019ll\u00a0see. If\u00a0tightening our belts is\u00a0what it\u00a0takes for Ukraine\u2019s victory and the collapse of\u00a0the regime, I\u2019m ready.<\/p>\n Natalia<\/p>\n Vladivostok<\/p>\n Lately, just the thought of\u00a0going to\u00a0the grocery store fills me\u00a0with rage. I\u00a0used to\u00a0be\u00a0able to\u00a0afford beef, sour cream, red fish, good chocolate. Now basic ingredients for making vareniki cost about 860 rubles [$11.23] at\u00a0the most popular store in\u00a0the Far East. I\u00a0don\u2019t even look at\u00a0prices for anything more expensive.<\/p>\n For almost a\u00a0year now, I\u2019ve been surviving on\u00a0expired food sold near my\u00a0building. You can buy bread for 60\u201370 rubles [between 78 and 90 cents], a\u00a0bag of\u00a0vegetables for 20 [26 cents], flour for 30 [39 cents], a\u00a0couple of\u00a0kilos of\u00a0meat for 100 [$1.31], sweets at\u00a0reasonable prices, and so\u00a0on. At\u00a0first it\u2019s really unpleasant to\u00a0eat food like that. Then you get used to\u00a0it\u00a0and accept\u00a0it. There\u2019s simply no\u00a0other way to\u00a0eat.<\/p>\n I\u00a0can\u2019t imagine what will happen next or\u00a0how much prices will rise. Every month, things get worse. You find old receipts and start crying. Prices will definitely keep going up\u00a0\u2014 when have prices in\u00a0this country ever gone down? I\u00a0feel like nothing good is\u00a0coming.<\/p>\n Alexander<\/p>\n Sterlitamak<\/p>\n I\u00a0feel like crying and screaming from exhaustion and hopelessness. I\u00a0want a\u00a0normal youth \u2014 not this fucking nightmare. Sorry.<\/p>\n By\u00a0local standards, I\u00a0earn a\u00a0decent income. I\u00a0spend carefully, mostly buying things on\u00a0sale. So\u00a0while price increases are noticeable, they affect my\u00a0nerves more than they create real hardship. I\u00a0won\u2019t go\u00a0hungry.<\/p>\n What worries me\u00a0much more is\u00a0how my\u00a0family [members are] getting by\u00a0\u2014 both the older and the younger ones. My\u00a0grandparents live on\u00a0pensions. My\u00a0parents earn modest wages and have kids to\u00a0support. My\u00a0sister is\u00a0a\u00a0student.<\/p>\n Their incomes aren\u2019t growing \u2014 and where would the money come from in\u00a0small local businesses anyway? Scholarships even less\u00a0so. And of\u00a0course kids want a\u00a0treat sometimes; a\u00a0young woman wants something nice to\u00a0wear. There\u2019s really nowhere left for them to\u00a0cut back \u2014 they never lived in\u00a0luxury to\u00a0begin with.<\/p>\n To\u00a0say that I\u2019m worried about them is\u00a0an\u00a0understatement. I\u00a0was already helping them financially, directly and indirectly, and now I\u2019ll have to\u00a0do\u00a0even more. But my\u00a0money isn\u2019t infinite either, and trying to\u00a0plan a\u00a0budget that includes helping support the whole family is\u00a0deeply depressing \u2014 and I\u00a0already had enough reasons to\u00a0[be depressed] before.<\/p>\n Russia\u2019s oil and gas revenues are shrinking. Meduza explains what that means for the Kremlin\u2019s war chest.<\/a>Russia\u2019s oil and gas revenues are shrinking. Meduza explains what that means for the Kremlin\u2019s war chest.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"One of\u00a0the biggest concerns for Russians at\u00a0the start of\u00a0this year is\u00a0the rapid rise in\u00a0the cost of\u00a0basic necessities. 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