Lovecoin: why financial gain has become more important than love
Today, apartment rent is a significant expense item, especially for residents of metropolitan areas. This burden is most acutely felt by young people, whose representatives often find it difficult to support themselves, as they devote time to study or gain experience in low-paying positions. Against this background, the inflationship trend has started in social networks, in which people start or maintain relationships mainly because of economic benefits. According to experts, such unions of convenience can negatively affect the mental state and demographic situation in the country. Izvestia tells us more about what inflationship is and whether a partnership of convenience can notice a familiar romantic relationship.
What is "relationship inflation"?
Inflationship (from English inflation — "inflation" and relationship — "relationship") is a social trend that refers to a situation where people enter into a relationship not for the sake of love or emotional intimacy, but for financial gain. It appeared in the early 2020s against the backdrop of global economic crises caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and rising inflation.
The first mentions of inflationship began to appear in foreign media and social networks, where users shared their stories about how they find partners not for romance, but for solving financial problems together. This trend has become especially popular among millennials and Generation Z, many of whom today face high rental prices, low salaries and lack of financial stability.
According to Igor Malinin, a marketer and founder of The Business Pill advertising holding, inflationship is a manifestation of the global trend towards "sharing" (from English share ― "to share"). "The era of sharing has brought us coworking, coliving, and carsharing. Today, you can even take a taxi not alone, but together with a traveling companion, thereby saving money. In general, this is a natural development of the capitalist economy," the expert said.
The essence of a relationship of convenience lies in a pragmatic approach to life. In conditions of rapidly rising prices and economic instability, it is becoming easier and cheaper to live together than alone. The partners share the costs of rent, utilities, groceries and other household needs, which allows them to save money and feel more secure. There may be several variations in such relationships:
— partners do not have feelings of love for each other, but come together to spend time together and share expenses;
— people specifically accelerate the development of relationships and move in together a short time after they meet in order to ease the financial burden;
— the partners have fallen out of love with each other, but they continue to live together because they are afraid of "not pulling through" life alone.
The inflationship trend is now actively going viral on social media. Users post memes, posts, and videos joking about how "rent eats up your entire salary," and "love is when you pay for the light together." The hashtags inflation and "relationship to account" are gaining thousands of views, and users are discussing in the comments how honest and justified this is. Some share their personal experiences, telling how they found a partner through dating apps, indicating in their profile that they are looking for a "neighbor to split bills." Others admit that they stay in a relationship only because of financial gain, even if the feelings are gone.
Why it's more profitable to live together in 2025
In 2025, a relationship of convenience remains one of the most discussed trends. Economic factors make such connections not just a fashionable phenomenon, but a necessity for many people. The increase in rental rates caused by the Central Bank's high key rate and inflation is pushing people to speed up their relationships in order to reduce bills.
According to Yandex Rent estimates, the median cost of a long-term apartment rental in Russia in 2024 was 30 thousand rubles, which is 20% higher compared to the previous year. By the end of 2024, the cost of housing in Moscow increased by 26%, in Yekaterinburg — by 24%, in St. Petersburg — by 21%.
On average, a tenant spends up to 35-40% of his salary on renting a home. With the increase in the average rental price in 2024, this share has grown to 45% and higher in some cities. In Moscow — up to 48%, in Nizhny Novgorod and St. Petersburg — up to 44%, says Tatyana Podkidysheva, executive Director of NDV Supermarket of Real Estate.
According to Kirill Kulakov, President of the SRO of the Regional Association of Appraisers, Professor of the National Research University of MGSU, at the moment these figures may be even higher.
"The average cost of a rented apartment in Moscow today is 90 thousand rubles. Based on official data, the average salary in the capital is 151 thousand rubles. Thus, a single tenant spends 60% of his income on rental housing," the expert explained.
The cost of renting a studio apartment in St. Petersburg has broken a record, reaching 50 thousand rubles. At the same time, the average salary in the city is 101 thousand rubles. It is easy to calculate that a tenant spends half of his income on solving the housing problem, Kirill Kulakov added.
Given that most young people often do not have a stable high income, even their own maintenance in difficult economic conditions can become difficult. According to practicing psychologist Elmira Minazhetdinova, the growing popularity of arranged relationships is also due to the influence of popular culture.
"Under the influence of social media and consumer culture, material well-being is often extolled, while love and emotional connection are relegated to the background. An attitude is being formed that stability is more important than feelings. The openness of discussion, including on social media, encourages people to share their experiences in order not to feel lonely," the expert explained.
This concept is shared by Lyudmila Gil, a lecturer at the Moscow Institute of Psychology. According to the expert, emotional connection is losing value in an era when many interactions take place online. People get used to the rapid exchange of information and impressions, which reduces the importance of long-term and deep connections. This makes it possible to use relationships as a tool to achieve goals, rather than as a source of mutual support and love.
How the popularity of arranged relationships can affect demographics
Despite the fact that this trend is becoming the new norm for many young couples, it can negatively affect the demographic situation in the country, says Dinara Vasbieva, associate professor at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation. Since inflationship is a relationship based not on feelings, but on mutual benefit, it is difficult for a woman to decide to have a child. Due to the prevailing financial component, such unions can demotivate a couple to marry and start a family. On the other hand, during such a long-term and close relationship, it is quite natural that feelings can arise spontaneously and lead to a future together based on love, the expert added.
According to family psychologist Maria Todorova, inflation as a phenomenon affects middle-class people more, whose income level allows them to maintain basic comfort, but does not provide the desired standard of living. In such couples, marriage can be seen as a financial partnership rather than a traditional union based on feelings. This can lead to unstable relationships, frequent divorces and a decrease in the number of children in the family, the Izvestia interlocutor explained.
"As a result, the birth rate among the middle class may decrease, and among socially vulnerable segments of the population it may remain stable due to a large number of government programs," the expert added.
The pros and cons of a relationship of convenience
Relationships in which material gain becomes the main value can negatively affect the psychological state, says psychologist Nika Bolzan.
"Inflationship in the long run can lead to a feeling of inner emptiness, since such relationships require constant monitoring and maintaining a certain social image in front of a partner," the expert noted.
Emotional security and support in relationships play a key role in ensuring psychological well-being. Their absence can lead to anxiety, increased loneliness, and depressive states. The advantages of a calculated partnership include financial benefits, which give a sense of stability and security. In such a relationship, the rules of the game are clear, which means there will be fewer conflicts. Most likely, the partners will not feel emotionally dependent on each other, so they will be able to part without major shocks if necessary, the expert concluded.
How to build a secure inflationship
It is extremely difficult to maintain harmony in a relationship based on calculation, but it is possible if certain conditions are met, says psychologist Elmira Minazhetdinova. In such a partnership, people need to remember the following:
— partners are honest with each other, it is necessary to implement an open discussion of motives and expectations from the very beginning of the relationship;
— there are clear boundaries in the couple, each partner has rights and obligations that are respected by each of the parties, this will help to avoid exploitation and abuse;
— partners respect each other's feelings and needs, even if there is no emotional intimacy between them;
— the relationship should be beneficial to both partners, not just one;
— partners are open to changes and revision of the relationship in case of a change in circumstances.
According to the expert, in the classical sense, the inflationship trend cannot be called a healthy relationship. As a rule, relationships are built on mutual love, respect, trust and emotional intimacy. However, in certain circumstances, a relationship of convenience may be acceptable if both people are aware of all the risks and consequences of such a union. The main thing is not to deceive yourself and your partner, and not to expect from such a relationship what they cannot give by definition. It is important to remember that replacing emotional intimacy with material benefits is a compromise that can have serious psychological consequences.
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