Way to Russia Talk Lounge

sainzalmu · Just Starting Joined: 14 Oct 2008 Posts: 4

Hi all,

I am thinking on the possibilty of moving to Moscow with my company.

Before I make the final decission I would like to get more information about russian salaries.

I am currently living in Amsterdam and it has surprised me that my company has a lot lower salary rates in Moscow. For exactly the same position salaries are almost half in Moscow. For such a expensive city that is quite shocking.

I have also checked some long rental apartments online and prices are quite high, the lowest I have seen is about 1500 usd...

Can someone please give me some more information of what a medium average salary is in Moscow?

And how much does on average people pay for (1 year) rental apartment?

Thanks for helping!

overseas_expat · VIP Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 620 Location: Moscow

I sent you a PM. Very Happy

sainzalmu · Just Starting Joined: 14 Oct 2008 Posts: 4

Hi

Thanks a lot for your PM.

Let me just explain a bit better.

My boyfriend has been reallocated to Moscow and my company has given me the opportunity to go to Moscow too if I want. So it is not really my comapny asking me to move there, but me asking my company to move to Moscow.

As part of my company policy I could move to another country with my current job but that would then mean to become part of the local payroll, this means that my salary would be adjusted to the salary rates of Moscow (manteining my same grade and status).

I work as a Finance Analyst for Distribution Finance, so it is kind of a Finance reporting job. I have been working on my company for 4 years, 3 of them as accountant (not qualified) and 1 as Financial Analist.

I have been told that the equivalent salary to my job is Russia would be around 858K rub.

Do you think the above salary would be sufficient, considering that house is not part of my package?
What is a medium salary for a professional with around 4 years of Finance experience?

Thnaks
Almudena

overseas_expat · VIP Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 620 Location: Moscow

Oh.my.god.

Are you saying that they're going to be paying approximately 858,000 rubles per year? That's well over $200,000 a year, which is.....a lot lot of money.

Even though Moscow is expensive, that is huge. You can definitely live a life of expat goodness in Moscow for that, even paying for your own apartment.

If I had a job offer of that magnitude, I'd be packing right now.

And if you and your boyfriend are both earning that kind of massive salary, together you'd be making more money than all of Vladimir oblast.

Go for it. Take the job.

wow

danbrew · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 5:20 am Post subject:

ummm... 858,000 rubles is $32,745.59. Or $2,728.80 per month. Or $682.20 per week.

overseas_expat · VIP Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 620 Location: Moscow

Did I do the math wrong? Math not my strong point. Confused

Clearly neither is currency conversion.

Just for my learning experience how did you figure that? I was using an approximate value of 25 rubles to the dollar and then clearly went awry somewhere. Awww, and I thought this Dutch financial analysist was going to be lighting her Balkan Sobranies with thousand ruble notes.....

sainzalmu · Just Starting Joined: 14 Oct 2008 Posts: 4

Exactly is about 33K USD (I guess you multiplied ruther than divide...). Would that be a sufficient salary for Russia?
What makes on average a young prefessional with about 3-4 years experience?

Thanks a lot

overseas_expat · VIP Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 620 Location: Moscow

$33,000 is not princely, it's ok.

Figure minimum $1,500 a month for a decent 1 room apartment within a couple of Metro stops of the circle line.

Don't know about Amsterdam, but the Russians have a rather odd way of figuring rooms. Their apartments don't really have dedicated room use like dining room, living room, bedroom. They total up the number of rooms. Kitchen isn't figured in the count.

So if you have a one room apartment you get a kitchen and one other room and a bathroom. For $1,500 you should be able to find a nicer place within reasonable distance of downtown. Look for an apartment with a washer/dryer and a balcony, preferably facing into a courtyard, preferably NOT on the north side of the building (you will not see a drop of sunlight ever). Within a 10 minute walk of of the nearest Metro station. This should be possible for the price.

Access to the Metro is of premium importance. Travel in the winter can be harrowing and the less distance you have to go in the dark, slipping on the ice and snow, the better off you are.

The west and northwest of central Moscow are good. The southeast of Moscow is not. Most everything within 1 to 4 stops of the Metro circle line are great.

sainzalmu · Just Starting Joined: 14 Oct 2008 Posts: 4

Ok, that was definately helpful!

And are taxes a 13% fix rate for all incomes?

Also what about restaurants, bars, cinemas, clothes (normal brands..) are prices also very high?

For what I have read so far seems that 1st need products like food and quite cheap, but other things like going out can be quite expensive..

Thanks again!

overseas_expat · VIP Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 620 Location: Moscow

To continue.....

If both you and your boyfriend can share an apartment and pull in approximately $33,000 each, for about $66,000 a year, I would go.

Although it can wear on you as it is the largest city in Europe and crammed full, Moscow can be an amazing experience. I lived there for 5 years, just left in the spring. I wouldn't trade the experience for anything.

The music is phenomenal. Symphonies too many to count and the quality is amazing. Top of the line ballet and opera for a song in wonderful old buildings which taste and smell of hundreds of years of Russian history. My favorite place in Moscow: The Conservatory. Three concert halls in a mid 19th century building where the finest performances you've ever seen in your life can be had for less than $20. Even $10.

Culture, museums, concert halls of the best quality abound in Moscow. Entrance is usually somewhere between dirt cheap (by western standards) and reasonable. Every night some amazing performance can be found. There is nowhere else in the world like it. The arts flourish in Moscow everywhere. It was the thing that really kept me going all those years.....

Russia is a fascinating place. People from all over central Asia and southern republics. Street life. A melting pot.

Since you will have more than enough income to live comfortably and enjoy the benefits, this job could be a great opportunity. Russia is a very difficult country to get into for foreigners and you will have the benefit of long term stay, decent income, and (presumably) company provided visa support.

I think you should absolutely go.

danbrew · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 5:58 am Post subject: