The Standard of Living: Incomes, Wages and Lending in Regions

Aleksandra Burdyak – Senior Research fellow of the Institute for Social Analysis and Forecasting, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Elena Е. Grishina – Head of Department of Labour Markets and Pension System Research, Institute for Social Analysis and Forecasting, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Candidate of Economic Sciences. Е-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

In January-October 2017, households’ real disposable cash income fell by 1.3% as compared to the relevant period of 2016. It is noteworthy that real accrued wages rose by 3.0%, while the real size of assigned pensions, by 3.9%. During the first three quarters of 2017, Rb 6.4 trillion worth of loans was granted to households; in nominal terms this value is equal to the level of 2013–2014. However, with the inflation rate taken into account a downturn in lending (except mortgages) amounted to about 32%, so lending could not make up for a decrease in the standard of living.

Key words: living standard, disposable cash income, wage, household lending, RF regions.