Moscow money questions

[Yoshimasa Tsuji]

Hello Ian,
Professors of MGU are said to receive 5,000 roubles a month, which is
obviously the country's hightest. I won't be surprised if they
also received some supplimentary compensations, but I am not sure
about it. Private university professors may have more, but I don't
think they are better off than US counterparts. (data as of end of July).
  Incidentally, professors in the provinces do not receive more than
$230 a month (their overall income is much more as they usually have
second and  third workplaces).
  As to the renting fee for a flat in the centre of Moscow, I would
say it starts from US$1500 a month. Good news is that as foreigners are
evacuating from Moscow expensive flats are going to be cheaper this
autumn while cheapies (not prestigiously located flats, $800 to $1200)
will go up due to increased demand.
  I don't think it makes sense for academics to live in the centre of
Moscow (estate agents may tell you the price starts from US$3,000).
I would rather find something that is reasonably well situated (some
20 minutes from the centre) and has a good security.
  A colleague of mine paid $2,000 a month for a two-room flat that
belonged to a Russian diplomat working at UN without commissions
to the estate agents, and has had himself robbed of everything. Be
carefull.

Good luck,
Tsuji