During the New Year holidays, Russians increased their spending on online subscriptions by a factor of eleven compared with the previous year. This finding comes from transaction analyses of Pochta Bank customers, a copy of which is held by socialbites.ca.
Online entertainment dominated the spending trends, with online cinema, online games, and music subscriptions among the most popular services.
The average monthly bill for digital entertainment slipped by about 10 percent, coming in at 479 rubles. At the same time, expenditures on going to the cinema rose by roughly 40 percent, and the average movie ticket rose to 392 rubles, up about 15 percent.
Analysts pointed to the chilly winter and the rapid expansion of digital services as key factors driving the surge in online entertainment at the start of 2024. While digital content spending climbed, outlays on fitness clubs and sports facilities fell by around 20 percent compared with the previous holiday season, though the average purchase amount remained steady at roughly 1,711 rubles.
Additionally, overall spending on museum and exhibition tickets during the holidays declined by about 20 percent, with the average ticket price rising to 457 rubles. For city entertainment options such as parks, skating rinks, carousels, and food stalls, consumers paid the same total as last year, but the average bill increased by about 20 percent to 1,062 rubles.
The report notes that the most popular destinations for Russians during the New Year holidays were heavily influenced by the holiday period and the availability of digital entertainment options. The data also reflect a broader pattern: people balanced physical outings with digital subscriptions, adjusting spending based on weather, convenience, and emerging online services.
Earlier in the season, Russians were asked whether they found time to rest during the New Year holidays, a question that continued to surface in media discussions as families and individuals weighed the costs and benefits of various leisure activities.