The architect named the reason for the overpayment of women for one-room apartments

Women's requirements for one-room apartments make housing noticeably more expensive even with the same floor space. The difference between "women's" and "men's" one-bedroom apartments can reach 200-450 thousand rubles only due to planning solutions and finishes. Konstantin Kononenko, the chief architect of Granel Group, told Izvestia about this on May 22.

According to the expert, women buy one-room apartments more often than men. At the same time, the differences are manifested not so much in the living space as in the expectations of the interior space.

"Women often need a dressing room, an enclosed kitchen, a laundry room, and sometimes a second bathroom. Men in one—room apartments are more comfortable with the Euro format — location and parking are more important to them," Kononenko explained.

The architect noted that additional requests significantly increase the cost of repairs and redevelopment. If the basic finish of a studio apartment is about 40 sq. m. Living in Moscow today costs an average of 1.5–2.4 million rubles, so creating a "female" living scenario can add another 10-20% to the budget.

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The issue is particularly acute against the background of a reduction in the average area of apartments. According to industry data, the average area of an apartment sold in new buildings in Russia in 2025 was 46.6 square meters. m and continues to decrease. According to Kononenko, it becomes a serious task for architects to place a dressing room, an enclosed kitchen, a storage system in such a space and preserve enough natural light.

The expert stressed that the market still actually offers two different products under the guise of identical one-room apartments.

"Women's and men's one—bedroom are different scenarios of life within the same formal square footage. A developer who can take these features into account even at the design stage will gain a serious competitive advantage," said the architect.

At the same time, the most expensive option, according to him, is an attempt to adapt an already purchased apartment to meet new needs. The construction of partitions, the organization of a dressing room or a closed kitchen can cost hundreds of thousands of rubles, and the final savings on buying a smaller home often disappear completely after alterations.

Therefore, the expert believes, it is more profitable for buyers to immediately choose layouts designed for the desired life scenario, or universal spaces without rigid zoning, which are easier to adapt without major repairs.

Analysts of Grad Development said on November 14 that the average cost of 1 sq.m. The cost of housing in Moscow in October ranged from 400,000 to 1.9 million rubles. The highest average cost of 1 sq. m is traditionally noted in the Central Administrative District of the capital (1.93 million rubles). The second place is occupied by the Western District (700 thousand rubles).