Home lever: the leading cities in housing affordability have changed in Russia

Volgograd and Omsk have long remained the Russian million-plus cities with the cheapest apartments on the secondary market, but Chelyabinsk and Voronezh have become leaders this year, market participants told Izvestia. At the same time, the average cost per square meter in October 2025 exceeded 100 thousand rubles. As the key rate decreases, prices in the secondary market will begin to grow more actively, catching up with new buildings, experts predict. About what changes can occur in the secondary market, see the Izvestia article.

For the first time since 2018

The average cost per square meter of secondary housing in all megacities of the country in October exceeded 100 thousand rubles, market participants told Izvestia. At the beginning of the year, in Volgograd and Chelyabinsk, it amounted to 96 thousand rubles and 98.6 thousand rubles, respectively.

The leaders of the average price per square meter accessibility rating have also changed. For a long time, the first lines were occupied by Volgograd and Omsk. Now, according to analysts from the federal company "Floors", Chelyabinsk, Volgograd and Voronezh are in the first place in terms of the availability of the average price per square meter of ready-made housing among the cities of millions. Omsk moved to the fourth place.

"The average cost per square meter of ready—made housing in Russia demonstrates a record low annual trend, with an increase of only 0.7% compared to October last year," said Alexander Ivanov, the company's leading analyst. — This has not been observed since 2018, when the average price decreased by 3.7%, after which prices showed active growth.

Perm, Samara, Krasnoyarsk, Ufa, Krasnodar and Novosibirsk were also among the top ten leaders in housing affordability.

According to the Yandex Real Estate service, in September 2025, there was a moderate price increase in the secondary market of million-plus cities. On average, in 16 megacities, the median cost per square meter of ready-made housing reached 145 thousand rubles. At the same time, the total supply volume for the month decreased by 2.6%.

— In September, the cost of secondary real estate showed an increase of more than 1% only in four million—plus cities - Moscow, St. Petersburg, Samara and Chelyabinsk, — said Evgeny Belokurov, commercial director of the service. — In other cities, the changes were within a percentage, and Ufa recorded a decrease of 1.6%.

According to him, the dynamics is related to a reduction in supply and an increase in consumer activity, formed against the background of the key rate reduction cycle that began in June.

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Resale is cheaper than new housing in all Russian cities with a population of one million, with the exception of Moscow, noted in the analytical center " <url>". The capital's anomaly is explained by the large volume of expensive premium and elite class housing on the secondary market, located mainly in central areas, which is driving up the average cost per square meter.

The market of affordable apartments within old Moscow today is formed in panel houses built in the 70s. These are nine-, 12-, and 14-storey buildings with typical layouts, low ceilings, and small kitchens, said Olga Habner, a partner at Mirrion Real estate agency and a real estate analyst.

— The average cost per square meter here is 180-200 thousand rubles, — the expert noted. — Despite their obsolescence, such areas remain popular due to their well-developed infrastructure, transport accessibility and familiar urban environment. The houses of the 80s and 90s already belong to a later generation of mass construction and are distinguished by improved layout and comfort. Depending on the location, the cost per square meter in such houses varies from 250 to 350 thousand rubles.

The secondary housing market in Russia remains extremely heterogeneous — it is possible to talk about the average price in the country only conditionally, said Diana Nasirova, Product Director of OM Development. By the end of the summer of 2025, the cost per square meter on the secondary market averaged 130-135 thousand rubles, but if you do not take into account the two capitals, this figure will decrease to 95-105 thousand rubles.

"The most affordable housing is in cities with low incomes and worn—out housing stock," she said. — These are, for example, Barnaul, Chita, Tolyatti, Astrakhan, Saratov, where prices range from 70-90 thousand rubles per square meter. In some single-industry towns, housing may cost even less, but such facilities are characterized by extremely low liquidity.

With the average price of a meter on the secondary market of 150 thousand rubles in a dozen cities, the "square" costs more than six times cheaper, that is, less than 25 thousand rubles, added Alexey Popov, head of the Cian analytical center. In this anti-rating, for example, locations with a long-term outflow of population: Dukhovshchyna, Sursk, Komsomolsk, Pytalovo, Manturovo, Solevychegodsk. As well as the settlements where the city-forming enterprises were closed in the 1990s: Kizel, Inta, Vorkuta.

— Or where the general state of the economy, infrastructure and the labor market does not motivate residents to stay in it, for example, Pechora, Bakal, — he noted.

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What will happen to the real estate market

The old panel stock will rise in price slowly: the younger generation of buyers is increasingly choosing new life scenarios and striving for modern environmental quality — large windows, high ceilings, comfortable layouts and landscaped courtyards, Olga Khabner added.

"The main solvent demand is gradually flowing into the new fund, and the most affordable comfortable housing in Moscow remains a renovation product in the range of 300-450 thousand rubles per square meter," she explained.

The secondary market traditionally reacts faster than the primary market to cheaper borrowing, as the share of mortgage transactions is higher here, said Evgeny Belokurov. The pent-up demand accumulated over the spring and early summer is gradually entering the market, which leads to a revival of transactions and a moderate increase in prices in the most sought-after segments.

— In the coming months, we can expect this trend to continue: lower rates and the seasonal factor will support the activity of buyers, and the washing out of budget lots will lead to a gradual upward shift in the median cost of the square, — the expert believes.

According to VSN Group CEO Yana Glazunova, in the event of another reduction in the key rate and, consequently, the mortgage rate, there will be more people willing to purchase a ready-made apartment with a small additional payment in the form of loans.

— I don't think that the price in the secondary market as a whole will change significantly, - the expert believes. — Within six months, with a further reduction in the key rate and due to seasonal demand, prices will begin to rise, and interesting lots will be "washed out" from the market.

Currently, the market is being held back by inflationary processes and a limited supply of liquid housing, experts say.