They went into a gap: the difference in the amount of pensions in the regions exceeded 2.3 times

The difference in the amount of pensions in the regions exceeded 2.3 times, Izvestia found out. The gap between old-age payments for unemployed people from the northern and southern regions has reached a record 27 thousand rubles. The highest payments are in Chukotka (47 thousand), and the lowest are in Kabardino-Balkaria (20 thousand). The reasons are differences in the incomes of northerners and southerners and in regional allowances. Why pension inequality needs to be smoothed out and how it can be done — in the Izvestia article.

Where are the highest and lowest pensions in Russia

At the beginning of 2025, the largest old-age payments to unemployed people were assigned to residents of Chukotka — 47 thousand rubles, and the lowest — to people from Kabardino-Balkaria in the amount of 20 thousand rubles. Thus, the difference was 27 thousand, it follows from the February data of the Social Fund (SFR) at the end of 2024 (Izvestia studied them). And the maximum regional pension turned out to be 2.35 times higher than the minimum. The average old-age pension across the country at the beginning of 2025 is 25 thousand rubles.

The gap between payments has peaked since 2021, when statistics began to be published. In four years, the difference between the maximum and minimum old-age pensions for non-employees has risen from 18,000 to 28,000, or 1.5 times. Compared to 2024 alone, this year's figure has increased by 3 thousand rubles.

For all the time statistics have been maintained, Chukotka has always been the leader in terms of pensions, while Kabardino—Balkaria has lagged behind. The top of the highest payments also included the northern and Far Eastern regions — the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, the Magadan Region, the Kamchatka Territory and the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, according to SFR statistics. Anti-rating, along with Kabardino-Balkaria, was led by other southern republics — Dagestan, Karachay-Cherkessia, Kalmykia and Crimea.

Why are pensioners in the north richer than older people in the south

The main reason for the differentiation of pensions is the difference in salaries in the regions, said Natalia Milchakova, a leading analyst at Freedom Finance Global. Some of the highest are in Chukotka, and the lowest are in the republics of the North Caucasus. Moreover, this gap, depending on the specialty, reaches 5-10 times, the expert specified.

According to the latest data from Rosstat, as of November 2024, the highest average salary was in the Magadan region (193 thousand rubles per month) and in Chukotka (180 thousand), and the lowest was in Ingushetia (39 thousand) and Chechnya (41 thousand). In the CBD, the indicator is 46 thousand. Thus, the difference between salaries in Chukotka and in Kabardino-Balkaria is four times.

— High salaries and pensions in Russia are received by the population of regions rich in minerals (in the north) and where the main cash flows of business are concentrated (Moscow and St. Petersburg). The lowest rates are in densely populated and predominantly agricultural regions (south). It is easy to find work in the northern regions due to the low population density and a large shortage of personnel. But in the south, on the contrary, there are a lot of people and the unemployment rate is traditionally higher," Natalia Milchakova explained.

In addition, rich regions can quickly respond to rising inflation and index public sector salaries, while less prosperous regions do not have the means to do so, the expert added. As a result, people in the northern regions are awarded more pension points, on which the payment primarily depends.

Another reason for the gap is regional surcharges. For those living in areas with unfavorable conditions (for example, in the Far North), there are additional payments to the fixed part of the pension, which are designed to compensate for living and working in a harsh climate, said Yulia Dolzhenkova, professor at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation.

Accruals are increased by special district coefficients, the expert added. Citizens can receive an increased pension if they have sufficient work experience.

— A pensioner who has worked for at least 15 years in the Far North or more than 20 years in equivalent areas is entitled to a northern pension supplement. But provided that the total insurance experience is at least 25 years for men and 20 years for women. In this case, the amount of the fixed part of the payment is multiplied by a factor of 1.5 or 1.3," she said.

At the same time, according to the expert, informal employment is traditionally high in the southern regions, so many receive smaller pensions.

In general, the gap is growing due to the fact that now citizens who have less and less Soviet experience and more and more earned retirement points are leaving for a well-deserved rest, explained Lyudmila Ivanova-Shvets, associate professor of the basic Department of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry "Human Resource Management" at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics. The cost of the pension coefficients themselves also increases annually, and this also affects the difference in payments.

How can pension inequality be reduced

At the same time, the cost of living in the regions of the Far East and the Far North is significantly higher than the national average and especially in the North Caucasus, said Dmitry Zemlyansky, director of the IPEI Research Center for Spatial Analysis and Regional Diagnostics at the Presidential Academy.

— The cost of a consumer basket in the regions of the Far East is 20-60% higher than the national average, and in the North Caucasus it is about 10% lower. The pension gap is fully consistent with estimates of purchasing power parity. If we look at the living wage set by the decisions of the regional authorities for 2025, the difference between Chukotka and Kabardino-Balkaria will be the same — 2.5 times, the expert estimated.

However, Russians rarely migrate to regions with difficult climatic conditions for the sake of high incomes. But perhaps it will start to grow, Natalia Milchakova from Freedom Finance Global believes. According to the survey hh.ru Only 20% of respondents are ready to move to such regions for a salary.

At the same time, some citizens register in the northern regions or Moscow, while living in other regions, in order to receive an increased pension. However, this is not often practiced due to legal restrictions, said Yulia Dolzhenkova from the Financial University. For example, to receive payments in the capital, you must have been registered for at least 10 years.

The pension gap, according to Natalia Milchakova from Freedom Finance Global, will grow. It will help reduce the increase in investments in the development of domestic tourism in the southern regions, the creation of technology parks in such regions, as well as increased subsidies and grants from the state to farmers.

Pension legislation also needs to be improved, Yulia Dolzhenkova believes. The fact is that the self-employed, whose numbers are growing, especially in the south, can only save for retirement voluntarily. As a result, those who have not taken care of their old age become recipients of social benefits that are significantly lower than all others.