Flattery on the wall: the share of micro-apartments has sharply decreased in Russia
Over the past six months, the number of small cars in large Russian cities has dropped to a record — their share in the new-build market now stands at only 8.6%, housing aggregators and analysts told Izvestia. Such apartments are practically not being built in Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov-on-Don and Moscow. At the same time, the area restriction is valid only in the capital and the Moscow region. Studios are still a fairly popular format, but limited squaring can negatively affect a person's psychological state and affect family relationships, experts say. Whether small apartments will disappear from the market is in the Izvestia article.
What is the reason for the decrease
In 2025, the share of micro-housing supply (with an area of 28 square meters or less) in large Russian cities decreased to 8.6%, analysts told Izvestia. In 2018, the share of such apartments reached 17% of the total.
— The trend towards reducing the volume of small-scale buildings in Russia began in the second half of 2024, after housing with an area of less than 28 square meters. m was banned from building in Moscow. At the beginning of 2025, a similar ban was introduced in the Moscow Region, and other regions promised to follow the example of the capital in the future," the <url> analytical center told the publication.
The largest reduction in the share of microstudies in the new building market occurred in Nizhny Novgorod, Moscow, Ufa, Rostov-on-Don, Yekaterinburg, Krasnodar. The share of small-sized housing also decreased in Novosibirsk, Perm, St. Petersburg, Tyumen, Krasnoyarsk, Samara and Voronezh. Volgograd, Chelyabinsk, Kazan and Omsk demonstrated positive dynamics.
—St. Petersburg has been and remains the leader in the share of small-sized apartments in the total supply of housing on the primary market, where they make up a quarter of the entire exposition," explained the chief analyst-editor of Movement.<url>" by Yan Gravshin. — Those cities that are currently showing positive dynamics are cities where microstudies, in principle, were few, no more than 3%, they increased to 4-6%.
According to Yandex Real Estate, the number of such apartments decreased by 1.6% compared to last year.
— Studios are still a popular format. Their cost, on average, in all million-plus cities by the end of October 2025 increased by 0.7% compared to September and amounted to 5.9 million rubles, they said.
Alexey Popov, chief analyst at Cyan, also confirmed the decline.
— At the beginning of the year, they accounted for 9.9% of all apartments sold in new buildings, — he said. — Relative to the historical maximum, which was recorded in the summer of 2023, the indicator has already lost five percentage points.
At the same time, the total square footage of purchased housing decreased slightly, he noted.
"In the third quarter of 2025, it amounted to 46.7 square meters, whereas a year ago it was 48.5 square meters," the expert added.
According to Dom.RF", currently the share of apartments with an area of less than 28 sq. m. Housing accounts for 11% of the total volume of new buildings, housing with an area of 28-44 square meters accounts for 39%. In Moscow, the number of such facilities on the primary market decreased by 8.8% over the year, and in Russia as a whole — by 5.5%, added Irina Pashkovskaya, head of the analytics center of the federal company "Floors".
— In the secondary market, there is also a decrease in the share of such apartments for sale, but not as significantly as in new buildings, — said the expert. — In the capital, it decreased by only 0.1%, and in Russia as a whole by 0.3%.
In Moscow, three studios with an area of 19.8–22.26 square meters were among the most affordable small lots, Metrium told Izvestia. Their cost varies from 7.4 to 7.8 million rubles.
Why micro-housing is popular
The studio format attracts both young buyers who are looking for their first home, and investors who expect high demand when renting compact apartments, Yandex Real Estate noted.
"Interest in them remains at a high level — about 13% of views among new buildings," they explained.
There are several factors reducing the supply of small-sized housing for sale, Irina Pashkovskaya said.
— First of all, this is a restriction on its construction in the capital region, which was announced as a pilot project with the prospect of its expansion to other megacities of the country. As a result, developers began to reduce the share of such apartments in their promising projects," the expert said.
At the same time, she recalled that any restrictions always lead to increased interest from buyers, and the risks of supply reduction provoked more stable demand.
"It was fueled by the low availability of mortgages, which is why some of those who need their own housing were forced to moderate their appetites and take an apartment with a lower final cost, and hence the area," she added. — There are objective reasons: developers understand that now the government is focusing on supporting families with children, including those with many children, who are not very interested in small-sized apartments and there is no sense in increasing their share in the total supply.
As a result, micro-apartments are retained in projects, but in smaller numbers than they were before, when there was a massive mortgage with state support and they sold out very quickly.
The housing market under construction is currently undergoing a transformation, once again the attractiveness of the location, the concept of the house and the quality of construction are coming to the fore, and this is a comfort class and higher, where the proportion of small-sized apartments is much lower, said Denis Zhalnin, CEO of the development company People.
The reduction in the supply of such housing in Russian cities with millions is a natural process that reflects the industry's transition to a qualitatively new level, says Valery Tumin, Director of Markets in Russia and the CIS at fam Properties.
— The reason is that the country has set a course to improve the quality of life, — said the expert. — In the last two years, developers have been actively increasing the share of small-scale apartments, especially in the metropolitan regions, but now the situation is unfolding.
What awaits the small-size housing market
The share of such housing will continue to decline, experts say. According to Valery Tumin, an additional restriction on the family mortgage is being actively discussed — probably apartments of less than 28 square meters. m will be removed from the program.
— For developers, this means a revision of product lines, for buyers — an increase in the receipt for the first home, — he said. — But in the long run, we get a healthier market where people live in normal conditions, and not in "human settlements".
The transition period will take several years, while projects launched under the old rules are being implemented, he added. However, the trend is obvious, and by 2027-2028, small-sized housing will become a rarity in the supply of most large cities.
Living in such apartments can have a significant impact on the emotional state and relationships between family members, said Maria Todorova, a family psychologist.
"When a person doesn't have personal space, it inevitably increases the level of anxiety and irritability," she said. — It is difficult to restore internal resources in a limited area: even short-term solitude, which is necessary for mental balance, becomes almost impossible.
The lack of personal space is especially acute in families with children, the psychologist emphasized. A child in the process of development needs a zone where he can play, fantasize, be "on his own."
— If this is not possible, it leads to frequent conflicts, fatigue, sleep disorders and increased excitability, — said the specialist. — In attachment theory, we talk about the importance of a basic sense of security. It is formed not only in relationships, but also through the environment. When the space is too small, the body is in a state of tension all the time, which gradually affects emotional stability.
Psychological discomfort in a small apartment can be mitigated, Maria Todorova added. According to her, it is important to zone the room — visually, with the help of partitions, lighting or furniture. Every family member should have their own place, even if it is symbolic. This helps to maintain personal boundaries and reduce the level of internal tension.
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