Stay with gross: the gap between salaries in the regions has reached a record 203 thousand

On average, they earn five times more in Chukotka than in Ingushetia: 251 thousand against 47.6 thousand rubles. The salary gap between the regions reached a record 203 thousand rubles in April. A year ago, it was 11% less. Moreover, this is not comparable with the difference in prices. A basic set of goods and services in Ingushetia will cost almost half of the average salary, while in Chukotka it will cost only a fifth. This is due to the concentration of high-paying industries in the northern regions and the different structure of the economy. Whether wage growth helps to reduce poverty is in the Izvestia article.

Where are the highest and lowest salaries in Russia

In April 2026, the average salary in Russia was just over 109 thousand rubles, an increase of almost 12% over the year. At the same time, the growth rates varied significantly by region. For example, in Chukotka, where the highest level of income was recorded, they increased by 12.3% to almost 251 thousand. And in Ingushetia, which took the bottom line of the rating, it increased by 16%, but only to 47.6 thousand.

However, this did not reduce the salary gap. On the contrary, despite the formally higher growth in Ingushetia, due to the too low base, the income difference in the regions jumped by 11% and reached a record 203.3 thousand rubles, Izvestia calculated according to the most recent data from Rosstat.

Photo: IZVESTIA/Anna Selina

The difference continues to grow, partly due to the effect of different bases. Freedom Global analyst Vladimir Chernov explained: with the same 10% increase, residents of Chukotka will receive an increase of about 25 thousand rubles, while in Ingushetia — less than 5 thousand rubles.

The top 5 regions in terms of salaries also included the Yamalo-Nenets and Nenets Autonomous Districts, the Magadan Region and Moscow. Employees there receive an average of 164,000 to 211.4 thousand rubles. At the same time, the lowest salary in the country turned out to be in the Caucasian republics — in Chechnya, Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria and North Ossetia, they pay from 50,000 to 56.3 thousand.

The percentage went down: the reduction in the key rate hit the incomes of Russians

Why do people earn more and can spend less, and how does this change the economy

This wage gap between regions is primarily explained by the different structure of regional economies. Highly profitable extractive industries such as oil and gas, gold and coal mining are concentrated in the northern and Far Eastern regions, said Albina Khamitova, head of Eco Start. These areas need qualified specialists, so employers offer higher salaries. Agriculture, the service sector and the public sector predominate in the southern regions, where wages are traditionally lower, she added.

Low-income regions tend to have fewer large enterprises and investments, higher unemployment rates and a higher proportion of informal employment, Vladimir Chernov emphasized. In such conditions, employees have fewer opportunities to achieve salary increases, and the outflow of qualified specialists further hinders the development of local businesses.

Photo: RIA Novosti/Maxim Blinov

The high incomes of residents of the Far North are also largely due to regional coefficients and allowances, Albina Khamitova believes. In addition, the high level of earnings is accompanied by significant non-material costs: increased stress on health and distance from large medical centers.

Why is the standard of living in Russia different

The economic situation of the regions cannot be fully explained by the difference in wages. It is enough to compare a fixed set of goods and services. According to Rosstat, in April in Ingushetia, its cost was almost half of the average salary (24.1 thousand). In Chukotka, it cost almost twice as much — 45.4 thousand, but it occupied only a fifth of the salary. The press service of the statistical agency told Izvestia that by June, the price for recruitment in Chukotka had increased to 46 thousand, and in Ingushetia to almost 24.2 thousand.

This is due to the fact that prices for essential products are less sensitive to regional differences, Albina Khamitova noted. The cost of groceries, utilities, and a number of medicines depends on the regulation, support, and competition of large federal retail chains, which largely equalize prices across the country. At the same time, salaries directly depend on the structure of the region's economy, labor productivity, and the profitability of key industries.

However, an increase in nominal wages does not always lead to an improvement in living standards. One of the main reasons is the local price increase, which in remote and hard—to-reach regions is caused by expensive logistics. In addition, housing and communal services, private medicine, and housing costs may be actively growing.

Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Korotaev

For example, according to the most recent data from the Bank of Russia, annual inflation in Chukotka accelerated to 6.8% in June, exceeding the national average (6%). For comparison, in Ingushetia, this figure was 3.88%, which is lower than the Central Bank's target of 4%. A limited supply of goods and services can also push up prices.

In general, when assessing the standard of living, it is important to take into account not only income, but also transport accessibility, climatic conditions and the cost of services, said Yulia Kovalenko, Deputy Head of the Higher School of Economics in Moscow, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics. Taking into account local inflation and other components affecting prices, the gap is narrowing from five to about 2.7 times, but it still remains large, Vladimir Chernov added.

Payment is difficult: half of Muscovites receive less than 115 thousand rubles.

Why did the average income according to Rosstat turn out to be almost twice as high

How to reduce wage inequality in the regions

The difference in salaries will persist and even grow, experts interviewed by Izvestia believe. Internal migration also plays a significant role in increasing inter-regional inequality. Young, qualified and most active specialists are moving from regions with low salaries to Moscow, St. Petersburg and other major economic centers.

As a result, lagging regions are losing the human capital necessary for economic development, their tax base is shrinking, and their investment attractiveness is declining. In this case, a vicious circle appears: low incomes stimulate the outflow of the working-age population, and the shortage of personnel further constrains economic growth and makes it difficult to combat poverty.

Izvestia asked for comments from the regions, and requests were sent to both outsiders and middle-class women. The administration of the head of Chuvashia stressed that they plan to ensure wage growth through a systematic set of measures: annual increases in the minimum wage, measures to identify and reduce informal employment, as well as timely payment of salaries.

Photo: IZVESTIA/Yulia Mayorova

Experts are confident that it is possible to reduce wage inequality and stop the relocation of valuable personnel to other regions. An attempt to do this solely by mechanically increasing social benefits or increasing inter—budget transfers is a dead end that only preserves the subsidization of weak regions and fights the symptoms, not the disease, Albina Khamitova believes. According to Vladimir Chernov, in the long term, the gap can be narrowed by creating new production facilities, developing the processing of local raw materials, small businesses, infrastructure and vocational education systems.

At the same time, investment projects should create jobs for local residents and provide orders to regional companies. Otherwise, a significant portion of the revenue generated will go outside the region. An increase in incomes in poor regions will help reduce poverty only if it is accompanied by an increase in labor productivity and economic diversification.