Most Russians define the middle class as people earning about 90,000 to 100,000 rubles monthly. This view is shared by 55% of respondents in a survey conducted by the Anderida Financial Group and reported by SocialBites.ca.
Another 20% of participants consider middle-class income to be in the 80,000 to 90,000 rubles range, while 15% put the threshold at more than 100,000 rubles per month. A small minority, 2%, believes the middle class should earn more than 500,000 rubles monthly, and 3% indicated incomes under 80,000 rubles.
Approximately 85% of those surveyed agreed that a middle-class individual should own real estate and a vehicle. About 70% also indicated that a passive income source would be a prerequisite, such as an interest-bearing bank deposit. On average, respondents indicated that assets should total between 1 and 5 million rubles.
Further, 91% of participants held the view that a middle-class person should not have more than two active credits at any given time. The survey notes that one of these could be secured loans, such as a mortgage or a car loan. In such cases, the monthly debt repayment should not exceed 20% of the household income.
In total, the survey included about 1,400 Russians aged 25 to 55 who reside in cities across Russia and have a steady source of income.
These findings offer a window into how a sizable share of people perceive the middle class, what financial milestones are valued, and how debt and assets are framed within this segment. While the results reflect the specific sample and regional context of the study, they also illustrate a broader pattern: individuals tend to link middle-class status with stable housing, ownership of a vehicle, and a predictable path to savings and limited leverage. The emphasis on real estate, vehicles, and passive income suggests a preference for tangible assets and risk-managed financial growth over speculative ventures. The distribution of income thresholds and debt limits reveals a cautious approach to lending and personal finance among many respondents, with a common benchmark around a few million rubles in liquid or near-liquid assets and a cap on debt relative to monthly earnings. The framing of these expectations helps explain why financial institutions target mortgages, auto loans, and deposit-based products to this demographic, and it underscores the role of regional economic realities in shaping perceptions of what it means to be middle class. The survey’s methodology, which included a representative national spread of urban dwellers within the specified age range and income stability, provides a snapshot of attitudes rather than a definitive measure of economic status. Nevertheless, the patterns observed align with broader discussions about the middle class in Russia, its aspirations, and the financial behaviors that accompany a perceived middle-income lifestyle. Data from the Anderida Financial Group via SocialBites.ca is cited to contextualize these perceptions and to inform discussions about consumer finance, asset ownership, and the use of credit within the middle-class frame. The indicators track not only income but also the combination of assets, income stability, and prudent debt management believed to accompany a secure middle-class identity. This combination of factors—real estate, motor vehicles, passive income, and controlled borrowing—paints a coherent picture of how economic self-definition is being shaped in contemporary urban Russia. The results also suggest a cultural emphasis on stability and forward planning, values that influence financial decision-making and expectations for future security in daily life. In sum, the study illuminates a popular consensus on what constitutes middle-class living in the current Russian urban context, while acknowledging the variability that naturally exists across different regions and individual circumstances, and it frames these conclusions within the broader conversation about economic status and financial responsibility in modern society.