Which country has the best standard of living? Best countries to live in

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has recently presented a ranking of countries in terms of the Better Life Index. Business Insider selected 11 winning countries in each category.

To do this, the OECD compared 34 countries across 11 dimensions of well-being, including work-life balance, financial opportunities, safety, education and condition environment. For this, data from the UN, national bureaus of statistics and Gallup were used.

11. Netherlands

This country has one of the highest literacy rates in the world. The OECD found that students from the Netherlands excel in mathematics, science and written comprehension.

Leiden University, the oldest in Holland. Photo: Wikipedia Commons

10 Iceland

Compared to last year, this country has dropped eight positions in the ranking. Share able-bodied population who are unemployed for a year or more is 0.7% here, while the average for OECD countries is 2.6%.

Reykjavik. Photo: Shutterstock

9. USA

Despite falling four places in the rankings compared to last year, the US has emerged as the leader in housing, income, and wealth. The median household income in the US after taxes was $41,071 a year, the best among OECD members.

Passengers at the train station in New York. Photo: Barn Images/Flickr

8. Finland

Only 4% of employed Finns work overtime, compared to the OECD average of 13%.

Esplanade Park. Photo: Martti Kainulainen/AP

7. New Zealand

In this country, which has risen by two lines in the ranking in a year, a lot of attention is paid to protecting the environment. Greenhouse gas emissions are kept relatively low here, primarily due to the small population.

New Zealand. Photo: Tripadvisor

6. Sweden

Sweden has a very high level of civic engagement. In the recent parliamentary elections, the turnout was 83%.

Ballot papers for last year's elections. Photo: Reuters

5. Canada

This country is one of the leaders in terms of housing affordability. In the 2000s, Toronto and Vancouver redesigned suburban residential zoning, allowing residents to rent out unused rooms (and boosting supply in the rental market).

Suburb of Markham in Toronto. Photo: Wikipedia Commons

4. Switzerland

Switzerland has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the world at 3.1%.

Zurich. Photo: Andreas Zerndl/Shutterstock

3. Denmark

This country for last year up 7 spots on the list. Denmark is one of the leaders in the duration of paid vacation, which averages 5 weeks per year. Danes in full-time employment reported devoting 66% of their time to “personal affairs” (i.e. not working).

Beach in Slettestrand, Denmark. Photo: Stig Nygaard

2. Australia

This country was the leader in the ranking in 2013 and 2014, then in 2015 it took the 4th place, and in this year's ranking it was the second. The OECD found that Australians have a very strong sense of community, with 95% of Australians saying they have someone they can rely on.

Sydney. Photo: Good Free Photos

1. Norway

This country was in the lead in the rating last year as well. The standard of living of Norwegians can only be envied: most have a decent job, many have a good education, and the average life expectancy in Norway is 82 years.

Oslo. Photo: Eule Wind

In which countries do people live better? Where is the best education, medicine? In which countries do people feel safe on the streets? If someone wants to choose another place of permanent residence (permanent residence) for themselves, think about whether it will be better to live there? Take advantage of the Prosperity Index, a popular ranking of countries in terms of living standards, compiled by The Legatum Institute researchers - this is the only ranking in the world that evaluates not only GDP per capita, but also the overall satisfaction with a person's life in a country.

What is ranked?

Traditionally, the standard of living is based solely on macroeconomic indicators such as GDP, or the average level of income per capita (GDP per capita) is taken. However, most people would agree that living standards are much more than just savings. wealth. Above all, a person's standard of living is a sense of security, the joy of everyday life and the prospect of being able to build an even better life in the future, not only for themselves but also for their children. This is what is taken into account in this rating(methods are described in detail on the institute's website - see the link above).

A total of 142 countries are represented in the ranking. The rating is compiled annually based on the results of the previous year, i.е. The 2016 rating was compiled based on the results of 2015. Let me remind you again that the rating evaluates not economic indicators, but how satisfied a person is with his life, living in this country.

Criteria for ranking the standard of living:
- income per capita (including whether a person is satisfied with his income);
- ease of entrepreneurship;
- the effectiveness of state administration (according to citizens);
- quality medical care;
– the quality of education in different countries;
– safety (for example, how safe does a person feel when walking the streets at night);
- freedom of expression;
- social capital as an indicator of the culture of society in the field of relationships between people (in countries with a high social indicator, people can rely on the support of fellow citizens, even strangers; they respect other people's opinions and tolerate the shortcomings of others; people can calmly negotiate and improve their lives together) .

Where is the best place to live?

According to this rating, the happiest people live in. Life is worst in the Central African Republic. Most of all, people are satisfied with their income in. It is easiest to do business in Sweden. Australians are the most satisfied with the quality of education in their country. Quality medical services- in USA. People feel most secure. Freedom of expression is highest in Canada. And the most sympathetic people live in New Zealand.

Russia and other countries in the ranking by standard of living

Russia in the ranking of countries in terms of living standards takes 58th place. In general, the level of satisfaction with life in Russia has increased (from 68th to 58th place). According to polls, citizens have more confidence in the government. Despite the fact that, according to statistics, the level of income has fallen sharply, the Russians believe that their economic life has become no worse than in the last 3 years. Most of all, Russians are satisfied with the quality of education in the country (29th place).

Ukraine is in 70th place. Ukrainians are most dissatisfied with their income and how the country is run, and also consider the standard of living to be insufficient in all respects.

How do people live in other countries? India - 99th place China - 52nd place, Thailand - 48th place, Spain - 24th place, Germany - 14th place, USA - 11th place.

See full list (in English).

What country do you live in? What is the best in your country?

In Europe there are many countries that are distinguished by the highest standard of living, not only on the continent, but throughout the world.

The concept of standard of living includes income, cost of living and purchasing power.

According to data published in Glassdoor's latest report, "Which Countries in Europe Offer The Best Standard of Living?", the UK is at the bottom of the rankings due to the fact that the British spend a lot of money on housing.

"When we are talking about wages, higher wages are not always better. What matters is being able to afford to buy useful things that enrich our lives," said Glassdoor chief economist Andrew Chamberlain in the report.

Below are the 17 countries with the most high level life in Europe.

17. Estonia

Glassdoor notes that in countries such as Estonia, "the cost of living is relatively low, with average wages and purchasing power among the lowest in the region."

15. Portugal

The country is still going through a difficult period due to austerity measures, in exchange for which they receive a bailout package from international lenders. This is not the easiest situation from a financial point of view, as taxes remain very high.

14. Italy

12. Belgium

According to Glassdoor, average salary in Belgium it is €41,000 (£46,380), but most of the salary is spent on rent, so the country is not at the top of the rankings.

11. France

Average salaries in France are relatively modest. In this level, the country ranks 6th from the bottom.

10. UK

In its report, Glassdoor notes that the average annual salary in the country is €41,000 (£31,800, or $46,380), but it has one of the highest levels of living costs. London ranks 3rd for the highest cost of living.

9. Austria

8. Ireland

Wages in the country are highly competitive compared to others European countries, and purchasing power is almost as high as in Switzerland.

7. Norway

"Countries with the highest cost of living in the largest cities do not necessarily provide the highest standard of living, as is the case in Norway," Glassdoor said in a report. The base salary is €61,000, but most of that salary goes to rent and local goods.

6. Finland

Finland occupies a fairly high position in the ranking, as the income of its inhabitants is quite high, but even after spending on food, restaurants, transport, utilities and rent, the population still has a considerable income.

5. Netherlands

Glassdoor analysts note that the average European has a lower cost of living than New Yorkers.

4. Sweden

The cost of local goods and services (including food, transportation, and rental housing) is relatively low when compared to net wages.

3. Germany

As noted in the Glassdoor report, Germany comes in 3rd place in the ranking, despite the low average nominal wages, which are low compared to other countries that took part in the study. This suggests that the purchasing power of the average German resident is at a fairly high level.

2. Denmark

The report notes that "the difference between the level of income and the level of prices matters for determining living standards." Despite the fact that Denmark is in the middle of the rankings in terms of income, the cost of living here is much lower than in other European countries. This means that the inhabitants of the country have a significantly higher net income.

1. Switzerland

The Swiss earn a lot, and they can afford a lot. As noted in the report by Glassdoor, "In Switzerland, the average city dweller can afford to buy twice as much as the equivalent New Yorker."

GDP growth during the crisis, the state of the economy, an increase in the size of the average wages- factors that allowed some countries to maintain leadership positions in terms of the quality of life of the population. At the end of 2016, which countries became more comfortable for life, which left the TOP-10 and which still remain dream countries? About this - in our article!

A good country is a healthy country. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations and World Bank The TOP 10 states with the most healthy population looks like this:

1. Iceland. Its superiority is due to the maximum number of health workers (more than 3.6 per 1 thousand population), the minimum number of people diagnosed with tuberculosis (only 2 per 1 thousand people) and the highest life expectancy in the world (over 72 years for men and 74 for women).
2. Singapore. Minimum number people suffering from obesity (1.8%) and high life expectancy (average - 82 years) allowed this city-state to take a high place in the ranking.
3. Sweden. A small number of tuberculosis patients (only 3 per 1,000 people), coupled with a minimal infant mortality rate, allowed her to take an honorable 2nd place.
4. Germany. More than 11% of the state's GDP goes to healthcare (Germany spends more than 3,500 euros annually on the treatment of citizens).
5. Switzerland. The high place in the rating is due to the large number of doctors (3.6 per 1 thousand people)
6. Andorra. Health care expenditures in Andorra amount to more than 8% of GDP, and the average life expectancy of the population exceeds 82 years.
7. Great Britain. This country is the only state in the West, which owns 95% of medical facilities operating on its territory. More than 9.8% of GDP is spent on healthcare.
8. Finland. In this country, about 300 people a year fall ill with tuberculosis, while 30 thousand people are diagnosed with cancer every year (over 75% of patients are completely cured).
9. Netherlands. The country has a low incidence of tuberculosis (5.4 people per 1 thousand inhabitants) and sufficient life expectancy - more than 81 years.
10. Canada. The Medicare healthcare system is the pride of this North American state, because it guarantees almost free medical care to every inhabitant. Health expenditures account for over 10% of GDP, and the life expectancy of citizens exceeds 80 years.

The worst countries in terms of the health of citizens are African states: Swaziland, Somalia, South Sudan, Chad, the Central African Republic, Mali, etc. The rating is based on data from researchers at the University of Seattle and the Bloomberg news agency.

WHO uses a special indicator to determine the quality of health care - life expectancy at birth. According to the rating of the World Health Organization, Russia ranks 110th in terms of medical care. And although the healthcare system leaves much to be desired, the Russian Federation is ahead of other CIS countries, such as Kazakhstan (111th place), Tajikistan (115th), Armenia (116th), Uzbekistan (117th), Ukraine (151st), losing only to the Republic of Belarus (98th place) .

TOP 10 countries ideal for business

A strong economy is unthinkable without successful business. The Forbes edition in 2016 compiled a list of countries that are most convenient for maintaining entrepreneurial activity. It is noteworthy that out of 10 participants in the rating, 6 are EU countries:

1. Sweden;
2. New Zealand;
3. Hong Kong;
4. Ireland;
5. Great Britain;
6. Denmark;
7. Netherlands;
8. Finland;
9. Norway;
10. Canada.

The American edition has been forming the rating for 11 years, taking into account the level of bureaucracy, taxes, corruption, economic growth, financial and personal freedom of citizens - a total of 11 factors were taken into account. For 7 of them, Sweden was in the top ten, because its economy grew by 4.2 percent at the end of the year with a GDP of 493 billion US dollars. The data for the assessment are obtained from the reports of the World Bank, the World Economic Forum, a non-governmental international organization Anti-Corruption Transparency International, etc.

In terms of the level of economic development, Russia took 40th place, and in terms of the complexity of starting a business, it was in 26th position. In terms of the availability of electricity, the Russian Federation became 30th, in terms of the availability of loans it became 44th, in terms of taxation - 45th, in terms of the complexity of obtaining construction rights, our country became 115th. According to the World Bank, the ideal country for doing business (without considering additional criteria, such as economic growth) is New Zealand, because in it "paying taxes is as easy as writing a check."

The most prosperous countries in the world

Well, where we do not? british non-profit organization The Legatum Institute has published a world ranking study of the most prosperous countries in the world. The most "prosperous" countries are determined taking into account economic and social indicators, business opportunities, the level of education and health care, social capital and personal freedoms of citizens. Experts evaluated 149 countries, giving them scores in the range of 0 - 10 on 89 criteria.

Based on the results of the analysis conducted in 2016, the following rating was compiled:

1. New Zealand (prosperity index - 79.28);
2. Norway (78.66);
3. Finland (78.56);
4. Switzerland (78.10);
5. Canada (77.67);
6. Australia (77.48);
7. Netherlands (77.44);
8. Sweden (77.43);
9. Denmark (77.37);
10. UK (77.18).

The purpose of the study is to study the public welfare of the states of the world on a global scale. The Prosperity Index is a composite indicator that measures the achievements of states in terms of well-being. In this list, Russia occupies 95th position (prosperity index - 54.73). The closest "neighbors" in the rating are Nepal and Moldova (94th and 96th places, respectively). Among the CIS countries, Russia has best performance: 25th in quality of education, 56th in environmental safety, 69th in entrepreneurship.

Russia's achievements are obvious - every year it moves to the top lines of the rating. At the same time, the results should be viewed through the prism of political sentiments: the report of the Legatum Institute repeatedly uses liberal clichés “Putin's Russia”, “Soviet heritage”, “communist past”, etc. When compiling the rating, the British organization uses survey data from the previous year, which does not allow a 100% objective reflection of reality.

Ranking of countries in the world in terms of living standards

The United Nations (UN) publishes a report on the quality of life of the population in various countries world since 1990. The rating is based on the Index human development, or Humanity Development Index (HDI). This index allows you to measure the achievements of states in the field of healthcare, incomes of the population, education, social services, etc.

The report was last published in 2015, and the best countries to live in were distributed in the UN rankings as follows:

1. Norway (0.94);
2. Australia (0.935);
3. Switzerland (0.93);
4. Denmark (0.923);
5. Netherlands (0.922);
6. Germany (0.916);
7. Ireland (0.916);
8. United States of America (0.916);
9. Canada (0.913);
10. New Zealand (0.913).

Russia is among the countries with a high human development index (0.798) on a par with Belarus. Our country is somewhat ahead of Oman, Romania, Uruguay, slightly yielding to Montenegro. The countries with the worst HDI index are located in Africa: Niger, CAR, Eritrea, Chad, Burundi, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Mozambique and Mali.

1. Denmark (201.53);
2. Switzerland (196.44);
3. Australia (196.40);
4. New Zealand (196.09);
5. Germany (189.87);
6. Austria (187);
7. Netherlands (186.46);
8. Spain (184.96);
9. Finland (183.98);
10. United States of America (181.91).

The index was calculated without the use of government data and official reports, so it can be considered subjective and depoliticized. For calculations, a formula was used that takes into account such factors as the purchasing power of the population, the ratio of the cost of real estate to the income of citizens, safety and cost of living, the quality of healthcare, climate, and even the situation on the roads (the less traffic jams, the better).

Russia ranks 55th in this list with a quality of life index of 86.53. It is somewhat ahead of Ukraine and slightly inferior to Egypt and Singapore. Russia showed good results in the field of real estate: the housing affordability index is 13.3 (this is only a little more than that of Austria, France, Estonia, and South Korea). The purchasing power index of Russians is half that of citizens of the leading countries of the list - only 52.6. But the cost of living index in Russia is one of the lowest (35.62). For comparison: in Switzerland it is 125.67, in Norway - 104.26.

The table of indices that determine the position of the listed countries looks like this:

Along with a high standard of living, relative affordability of housing, and high purchasing power of citizens, the leading countries in terms of living standards are also the most expensive to live in. The ranking of the most expensive countries to live in looks like this:

1. Switzerland - 126.03;
2. Norway - 118.59;
3. Venezuela - 111.51;
4. Iceland - 102.14;
5. Denmark - 100.06;
6. Australia - 99.32;
7. New Zealand - 93.71;
8. Singapore - 93.61;
9. Kuwait - 92.97;
10. Great Britain - 92.19.

TOP-10 is based on data from the research company Movehub (UK). Index used (the consumer price Index, or CPI) takes into account the cost of food, utilities, transport, gasoline and entertainment. Interesting fact: the index reflects the ratio of the cost of living in New York (if it is 80, then living in the country is cheaper than in the Big Apple by 20%).

The most affordable countries for life are mainly the countries of Asia and Africa: India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Egypt, Algeria. The states of Europe and North America are still attractive, but quite expensive to live in. The attractiveness is due to the excellent quality of medical and educational services. The best universities in the world are located on their territory: Harvard, Princeton and Yale, Oxford and Cambridge universities.

Many leaders of the listed ratings are countries with excellent ecology. According to according to Forbes, Switzerland, Sweden and Norway are the three cleanest and most favorable countries for living in terms of climate and ecology. There are practically no harmful industries on their territory, and endless green meadows, mountains and the purest natural reservoirs make living and relaxing in them as beneficial to health as possible.

It should be noted that many states are absolute leaders that excelled in all indicators. So, Norway, Iceland and Sweden can be safely called ideal for living, working, and tourism. And which countries, in your opinion, have provided their citizens with optimal living conditions and the highest possible standard of living? personal experience and share your opinions in the comments!

We look forward to your feedback, reposts and comments, thank you.

The vast territory of the Russian Federation stretches from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Ocean. It would be naive to believe that the level of development of all Russian regions is approximately the same. This indicator is determined by geographical, social, economic factors, the predominance of industry or agriculture and so on. And the standard of living of the population of a particular region is a multifaceted concept and is assessed according to various indicators: the level of income and social benefits, the availability of work and the level of its payment, the cost of real estate and its availability, as well as many other parameters. crisis phenomena recent years could not but affect the quality and cost of living in Russia, and the distance between its regions in terms of these indicators has only increased. Inflation and falling energy prices have affected the well-being of almost all Russian citizens, serving as a catalyst for intensifying the process of population migration within the country. Therefore, many Russians ask a completely logical question: “Where in Russia is it good to live?”.

Level and quality of life: what affects their assessment

The assessment of the level and quality of life occurs, as a rule, on the basis of statistical indicators and a comprehensive accounting of other parameters, which include various aspects of the life of an average citizen of the country. Assessing the current state of a particular region, it is possible to predict its development both in the next few years, and with a high degree of probability to make a forecast for a more distant future. The same statement applies to the whole country as a whole.

First, let's deal with the terminology. Today, only the lazy do not talk about the standard of living, its fall or rise. But not everyone clearly understands the meaning that sociologists put into this concept. The standard of living determines the degree to which citizens of a country or residents of a certain region are provided with material goods, their financial and spiritual satisfaction with the volume of goods, services and opportunities that they can use in a given period. The basic indicator is the ratio of real income to the consumer basket.

The concept of quality of life includes non-material factors. In this case, we can talk about the degree of moral satisfaction with life, the state of health, the degree of environmental safety of living in a certain region, psychological comfort and even the degree of bureaucratization of the state apparatus in it. The standard of living is often identified with the level of well-being, but this is not true. Well-being is a broader concept, which includes not only material, but also spiritual benefits.

Indicators of the level of well-being of the population

To assess the level of well-being, the UN has specially developed and approved the main indicators that are used by sociologists and other analysts when assessing this parameter in a particular country or a certain region of it. These indicators include:

• assessment of the birth rate, mortality and average life expectancy of the population;
• sanitary living conditions, as well as a culture of hygiene among the population;
• the amount of food that is consumed by the population of a country or region;
• living conditions: housing, its cost and availability;
• the level of education;
• the degree of development of culture, the presence of cultural values, ancient architecture, museums, monuments;
• the degree of employment of the able-bodied population, as well as working conditions;
• the ratio of real average income and the average level of expenditures of the population;
• consumer price level;
• degree of development of transport infrastructure;
• the state of the recreational system;
• position with the rights and freedoms of citizens.

Despite the versatility of the assessment, experts most often use several basic parameters for a quick analysis of the situation, which are expressed in specific figures: the real income of an average resident and average life expectancy.

For a more detailed assessment, a cut is made for various segments of the population. This concept, in turn, is determined both by the level of material security and social status, as well as belonging to a certain group - workers, peasants, migrants or business representatives, etc.

Why is the standard of living in Russia falling?

On the standard of living and well-being of Russian citizens in this moment the sanctions policy of Western countries, the fall in oil prices, the reduction industrial production, as well as inflationary expectations of the population.

The real income of the average Russian has fallen significantly, many people began to look for the possibility of a better life abroad, leaving for far-abroad countries in the role of labor migrants. The main directions of labor migration were the countries of the European Union, the USA and Canada. There are especially many Russian labor migrants today in Germany and Spain, although there are many of them in other countries of Western Europe and North America.

Standard of living in the Russian Federation: regions

If we talk about the standard of living in Russia, then it can be considered in two aspects: in terms of the standard of living in different regions and cities of the country, as well as in comparison with other countries of the world.

In 2018, studies have not yet been conducted, since their objective results may appear only at the end of the outgoing year.

Subjects of the Russian Federation with the highest standard of living (according to the results of 2017)

On the first line of the rating, predictably, was the golden-domed Moscow. With a very small margin from the official follows the Northern capital - St. Petersburg. The third place was taken by residents of the Moscow region, which was also not unexpected. The fourth place was taken by the Republic of Tatarstan. The fifth line of the rating went to the Belgorod region, the sixth - to the Krasnodar Territory. Also, the top ten further included the Voronezh region, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, Lipetsk and Kaliningrad regions.

If you look at the top ten regions of the country in terms of the standard of living rating, then there have been no special surprises in it for quite a long time. In the latest ranking, the top ten does not include the Sverdlovsk region, which has fallen to position number 11. It is characteristic that the Leningrad region is only in 12th place, although St. Petersburg itself ranks second in the ranking.

The level of well-being of the top ten regions is due to their industrial potential, the presence of high-tech industries and a high level of wages. It is also impossible not to mention the developed service sector and social sphere. The transport infrastructure of most of these regions is much better developed than, say, in Siberia or Transbaikalia, which also cannot be ignored.

Regions with the lowest standard of living

It should also be said about those regions that are located at the bottom of the list. The bottom line of the rating is occupied by the Republic of Tuva, the two previous lines are occupied, respectively, by Ingushetia and the Karachay-Cherkess Republic. Both the group of leaders and the group of outsiders practically retain their main composition for several years.

Standard of living in the Russian Federation: cities

Factors that constantly determine the comfort of life for citizens are also taken into account: the condition of roads, the efficiency of public utilities, the availability of housing, and much more. Of no small importance in assessing the rating of a particular city was the immigration situation that prevailed in it. The results of the study of sociologists were somewhat unexpected for the uninitiated.

Tyumen has risen to the first place of the podium, having overtaken all small and large Russian cities for the second year in a row. The evaluation was carried out according to a variety of criteria. The main advantages of Tyumen, highlighted by both experts and its residents, are education, a well-developed transport infrastructure, as well as the high-quality work of the city's public services. In addition, Tyumen is not unreasonably considered the oil capital of Russia, so there are many jobs here, and highly paid jobs. A significant disadvantage of Tyumen is the unfavorable climate for the average Russian. The vast majority of Tyumen residents expressed complete satisfaction with their earnings and level of prosperity.

The Russian capital was in second place according to a set of criteria. The greatest advantage is the wide representation of all sectors of the national economy, developed infrastructure, the scale and dynamics of the construction and reconstruction of the city. About 70% of Muscovites call their hometown the most livable in the whole country and the most beautiful. At the same time, they are embarrassed by the high cost of living in Moscow, which is one of the most expensive cities in the world. Therefore, life in Moscow is not always affordable for the average Russian who came to the golden-domed, for example, from the Volga region.

The third place in the ranking of Russian cities went to Kazan with a million inhabitants. 96% of city residents expressed their almost complete satisfaction with life in it. Kazanians are pleased with high-quality roads, one of the oldest universities in the country - Kazan University, as well as programs that are constantly being implemented in practice to improve their well-being. The unique Tatar culture and many historical monuments attract many tourists to Kazan from all over Russia and abroad. Income from the tourism business is an impressive amount, which regularly replenishes the city budget.

The fourth place in the ranking of Russian cities went to Krasnodar. This southern city has long been claiming the top lines of the rating. Krasnodar is considered one of the most livable cities in Russia. Every year the number of Russians moving to Krasnodar increases. This is facilitated by high rates of housing construction, the lowest unemployment rate in the country (therefore, there are practically no problems with working in the city), as well as a cozy Black Sea climate, because the Black Sea is only a hundred kilometers away and less than an hour by car on a good road.

In fifth place is the Northern capital of Russia - the beautiful St. Petersburg. Russian Venice is also the cultural capital of Russia. For many decades, the pilgrimage of tourists from all over Russia and many countries of the world has not stopped to the magnificent monuments of the city. Life in St. Petersburg is by no means cheap, but every year the population of the city increases due to Russians and foreigners who have moved here. The rapidly growing population of St. Petersburg does not delight the indigenous people, who are distinguished by a certain conservatism and adherence to established cultural traditions and lifestyles.

The ranking of cities in the Russian Federation in terms of the level and comfort of life closes the top three, consisting of Makhachkala, Omsk and Volgograd. Of course, these cities have their undeniable advantages over the rest. For example, the city of military glory and the center of patriotic education Volgograd has been a symbol of stamina and courage for many decades. But, according to the results of the sociological survey, only a tenth of its population is satisfied with the level of their income today, and the quality of public services undoubtedly requires significant improvement.

The result of the study of the rating of cities and regions of Russia showed completely unexpected results. It turns out that the level of some indicators in different parts of the country may differ several times. This is precisely the problem that the Russian regional and federal authorities will have to solve in the near future. Also, exclusively local factors have a huge impact on the level and comfort of life in the regions, many of which should be leveled by national development programs.

Video: average life expectancy in the regions of Russia

A little about the living conditions of different strata of Russian society

Like any society, Russian society is multilayered. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the declared universal equality disappeared and social differences divided the population into rich and poor, fabulously rich and poor, happy and constantly financially preoccupied. And although psychologists consider happiness a concept that does not depend on material well-being, the level of income significantly affects the quality of life. Russia, like most post-Soviet countries, has not yet completely got rid of the syndrome of Soviet society, in which the society psychologically strives to ensure that there are no rich, not poor.

So, Russian society can be divided into several layers. As a percentage of the total population of the country, the middle class makes up a much smaller share than in developed European countries, where it is the basis of society, reaching 70–80%.

The proletariat, called the hegemon in the days of socialism, today cannot boast of a high standard of living, if we evaluate it by the standards of developed European countries. Specialists in the field of sociology call workers a word consonant with their profession - the social stratum. This is exactly what the bulk of the Russian population is.

There is a huge gap Russian society, in which its richest strata receive hundreds of times more income than the poorest. V developed countries the gap between the very rich and the poor members of society is at most one order of magnitude, that is, ten times different. From year to year social inequality in Russian society is increasing, and not vice versa.

Paradoxically, during the economic crisis of 2008-2009 in Russia, the number of dollar millionaires increased significantly against the background of the fact that the incomes of the majority of the population fell.

Table: income level of different strata of Russian society

How Russian pensioners live

The overwhelming majority of Russian pensioners can hardly be suspected of having an excess of material wealth. Traveling to foreign resorts, buying expensive equipment or cars is practically inaccessible to them. According to the life rating compiled by the international research organization HelpAge International, Russian pensioners are in 65th place in the world in terms of well-being. The level paid to most of them pension provision does not allow not only to accumulate a certain amount for a short period of time, but also not always sufficient to cover the costs of necessary medicines and utility bills.

Of course, pensions are not the same for everyone. But in any case, the level of pension provision is incomparable with the developed European countries and requires a significant increase. More than a fifth of Russian pensioners continue to work after retirement. As we understand, not from a good life. The vast majority of people of retirement age do not fully rely on state assistance and expect to work or earn extra money already in retirement. European or American pensioners would simply be shocked by such a state of affairs.

Immigrants in Russia

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, it was Russia that became of particular interest to migrants from the former post-Soviet republics. This was facilitated by the preserved family ties between family members, scattered by fate across different countries and the possibility of labor migration. Due to its high economic potential, it was Russia that could provide more or less normal earnings for residents of the CIS countries, which were in full swing through the crisis of the 90s.

Labor migrants belong to different strata of Russian society, depending on the income they receive. But it is impossible to attribute them to its secured layers.

The main centers that were of interest to labor migrants were Moscow and the Moscow Region, St. Petersburg, and Tyumen. As a rule, low-skilled jobs with a low level of pay are available to migrants. Many labor migrants try to stay in Russia for a long time. For example, almost every Tajik or Turkmen family has someone working in Russia. As a rule, labor migrants have problems with career growth. An exception can be made only by foreign specialists with a high level of qualification, in demand for Russian market labor. A significant disadvantage for labor migrants is the possibility of working in Russia only within a certain region, if we are talking about legal work. Also in Russia there are certain regional quotas. Therefore, legalization in the country for many migrants may begin far from where they would dream of living in Russia.

The second significant category of migrants are refugees who were forced to move to Russia by political or military upheavals that occurred in their homeland. The process of granting refugee status to forced migrants is a rather lengthy procedure. Not everyone who moved to live in Russia as a forced migrant was able to settle in here, assimilate and adapt to local conditions. Nevertheless, refugee status practically equates forced migrants with Russian citizens, with the exception of some points. They are entitled to social security and other benefits due to Russian citizens.

Russian immigration legislation is constantly undergoing changes. In 2016–2018, innovations appeared in it, concerning, first of all, citizens of the CIS countries. Now, for most of them, the process of legalization in Russia has been greatly simplified and reduced in time. Also, the circle of persons who can apply for Russian citizenship has expanded significantly.

Video: living conditions of migrants in Russia

workers

The representatives of the working class have already been mentioned above. But the description of their situation in Russia still requires detail. The income of workers varies greatly depending on the ownership of the enterprise in which they work. As a rule, the level of payment in private enterprises is somewhat higher than in state-owned ones. Much also depends on the region and its success. For example, the salary of a worker in Tyumen is much higher than the average salary in Russia. And in remote agricultural areas of the country, the situation looks diametrically opposite.

The situation of rural workers

Residents of the Russian village, as a rule, cannot boast of large incomes. Much depends on the region where they live. Economic crisis, undoubtedly affected Agriculture, even despite the ban on the import of many products from abroad, designed to support the domestic agricultural producer. Many rural workers move to the city in search of work, becoming internal labor migrants.

World ranking: why Russia has a low standard of living

Sociological surveys conducted in 2018 by the UN put Russian Federation to 49th place in the world in terms of living standards (out of 189 countries). For comparison: Belarus was in 53rd place, and Ukraine - in 88th. It should be noted that a couple of years ago the country was almost 10 points lower. At the same time, it is difficult to objectively evaluate only economic indicators, since the rating was compiled on the basis of many criteria. Russians are especially satisfied with the perfect education system that exists in Russia, and dissatisfaction is with the situation with freedom of expression. The first three lines of the world ranking are firmly occupied by residents of Norway, Switzerland and Australia.

Video: countries of the former USSR - where to live well

The assessment of the level and quality of life in the regions and cities of Russia is extremely important information for future external and internal migrants. Despite the fact that the assessments of the same regions may differ in many ways, they still give a general picture and understanding of the situation in the area where the move is planned. Or, on the contrary, they determine the place where it is best to move to live. And for those who live in a certain city or region, the standard of living will be able to show their place in the all-Russian rating, largely determining the prospects for the coming years.