The concept of “salary” was recognized as old-fashioned
The average salary in Russia, according to the latest data from Rosstat (for October 2021), amounted to 54,649 rubles. What kind of life you can afford for this amount depends on the region of residence – for Moscow or St. Petersburg, this money seems very modest, but for the Lipetsk or Oryol region – significant. Meanwhile, in response to the question of how much income is needed in order to consider oneself a rich person, many Russians agree: this is 100 thousand rubles. The MK correspondent discussed with a financial consultant how such claims correspond to reality.
“I would consider myself rich with a salary of 100 thousand a month,” wrote one of the users of the social network. And immediately provoked a lively discussion. Most respondents agreed with him: yes, 100 thousand rubles is the very Russian border of wealth.
“My school friend gets 120 thousand. It seems to me that she is rich, she lives well, ”says another participant in the discussion.
An interesting fact: the same figure also sounds in conversations about the search for the desired life partner. In forums dedicated to marriage and relationships, women often mention that they would like to meet a man with an income of less than 100 thousand rubles. Men want… the same.
“A rich woman who earns $100,000 or more can afford to be picky about her partner. The rest need to curb their appetites, ”said another user of the social network.
Meanwhile, financial consultant Viktor Gritsai, in a conversation with an MK correspondent, noted that when talking about “wealth”, it is necessary to focus not on the monthly income of an employee in employment, but on the capital that a person has.
– If we talk about monthly income, about salary, then these 100 thousand rubles are a certain psychological threshold for most Russians. Indeed, it is this figure that can most often be heard in discussions and discussions of the financial situation. And to hear, of course, from those whose income is less. There is no real justification or calculations behind this amount, it is pure psychology. In the same way, you can name the amount of 200, 300 or 500 thousand, – Gritsai explains. – However, I want to emphasize that it is wrong to measure well-being by the level of wages. Much more important is capital, the amount that a person is able to save or invest. Taking into account the challenges of today, a person is considered financially prosperous who, in the event of a job loss, can live on his savings for at least six months without reducing the level of consumption. The exact amount is not important.
The financial consultant also emphasized that the concept of salary in itself is blurred in the modern world – many become self-employed (freelancers) and receive income from several sources at once, someone keeps their own business, someone adds interest from investments to their budget …
– We should not forget about alimony, pensions and other social payments, about the money that real estate owners receive when they rent it out. The modern world dictates its own rules. So the question “How much do you get?” betrays a person with an old-fashioned mindset – someone who is used to living paycheck to paycheck. Well, the one who lives on a salary cannot be considered rich in any way, – added Gritsai.
Earlier, financial analysts noted that, by the standards of 2021-2022, those who have an income of 150-200 thousand rubles per person per month will be considered to have “above average” incomes.
Meanwhile, according to researchers, in the past 5 years, the gap between rich and poor Russians has been growing rapidly: in regions with low incomes, they have declined even more, and in most regions with high incomes, they have grown more strongly. Chukotka became the leader in the growth of prosperity, and the Tambov region became an outsider.