Job Discussion Forums

[bgor]

I just got this post from a gentleman offering me a job in Stavropol (at ~$350/month):

RUSSIAN CAPITAL NAMED MOST EXPENSIVE, MOST DANGEROUS CITY IN EUROPE.
Moscow was named the most expensive city in Europe and the
second-most expensive in the world after Tokyo in a study conducted
by Mercer Human Resource Consulting, nns.ru reported on 16 June.
Geneva came in second and London placed third among European cities.
The study was based on 200 indicators, including the cost of real
estate, transportation, food, and clothing. According to another
Mercer study in March, Moscow was named the most dangerous capital in
Europe, nns.ru also reported. In that study, Moscow was found to be
an even more dangerous place than Harare, Zimbabwe, despite that
country's ongoing civil unrest. VY

[rogan]

********

[rogan]

*********

[bgor]

I put this quote out for comment, not as my recommendation about where to live, or not. I can see where Rogan might have been confused, because this:

"Just some backup for what I said about the cost of living in Moscow. The
article below was from Radio Free Europe this week."

was part of the email that the recruiter sent me, and are NOT MY WORDS. (This used to appear above the quote, but I edited my original post to avoid further confusion.)

I may be over there in a few months, so I was seeking info from those in the know. I will check out the other thread...if you would be so kind as to give me its subject line?

All the best,
Brian

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

**********

[rogan]

*********

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

**********

[rogan]

************

[maruss]

I'll "sit on the fence" again as I often do and say that I agree with all of you to some extent!The trouble with all surveys and opinion polls,is that they can be interpreted in various ways and are ambiguous,if not sometimes downright mis-leading!In comparion with what the vast majority of its inhabitants(about 11 million,including suburbs and satellite towns) earn,Moscow is VERY expensive if you go by prices at restaurants and trendy clubs and bars in the centre-but then again,which people actually use these places apart from ex-pats with executive jobs and western salaries and a small elite of Russians who have more than enough spending money.These are estimated at between 10 and 15% of the capitals population,which means well over a million,more than enough to keep these establishments in business!Many decent Russians I know in Moscow have never eaten in such places,and even if they could manage it for a special occasion now and again,are very frugal and spend their money much more wisely!And even right in the centre,there are still places such as "Yolky-Polky" which have very accessible prices and thus allow a wide range of people to use them!Apart from specialised restaurants,the really expensive places tend to be night-clubs,and yes,these are often run by people you wouldn't want to cross,any more than you would at such places all over the world!
I have also visited Moscow many times since 1994 and stayed in some out-of -the way areas on several occasions,but if I said I had ever had any trouble or been threatened,then I would be lying!The only occasion,which was the result of my own stupidity,was when I changed a 100 dollar note in Pushkinskaya with a guy hanging around outside an exchange booth,thinking his promise of a "better rate" was genuine-of course his accomplice then rushed up and pretended to rob him of my note-however,I went after both of them and chased then down a side alley,where they slipped on the ice and I tumbled on top of them AND managed to retrieve my money!!Luckily several bystanders,including some American tourists were standing a couple of feet away and rushed over on hearing my shout for help in English,so they disappeared!BUT as my Russian friend warned me later,I was very lucky,as apparently such people would have either thrown something in my eyes or even stabbed me if I had been alone!Obviously,the lesson is,DON'T change money illegally in the street!But apart from that,Moscow is certainly no more dangerous than many cities in the world,and safer than a lot of them!
Crime in Russia nowadays tens to be very sophisticated,and they simply don't have the time or the interest to bother with simple people like us who have a few hunderd bucks!If you want trouble,then of course you can find it,but I would worry more about things such as pollution and the insulation on my appartment in Moscow,and try to select a decent.clean area to live in,rather than worry about crime!

M.

[bgor]

Thank you very much, gents. Very helpful. If I get a posting in Moscow, I'll be sure to ask if those Moscow girls will really make me sing and shout. And what kind of gear I should take for the winters.

All the best,
Brian

[Snegurochka]

Listen to Kent: Moscow is just like any other big cities around the world. Is New York ,or Toronto safe? What about London, Rome or Paris? Are you saying that places like Tokyo, Beijing and Hong Kong are crime-free? And none of these mentioned is exactly CHEAP to live in. Okay, so things are getting more expensive in Moscow. But isn't that what inflation is all about?

[maruss]

This was just my point-there are many places which are far more overtly dangerous than Moscow-London is a good example,Bogota in Columbia,Caracas Venezuela ans a lot of large cities in the U.S.A.
Actually,St.Petersburg has a far worse reputation for crime than Moscow and unfortunately quite a lot of it was either run by,or at least tolerated by the person who used to be the mayor of the place!He resigned the other week-and was promptly given a senior job in the Kremilin by President Putin!
But as everyone has rightly pointed out,there are far more serious things for someone to worry about in Moscow than being paranoic about crime!
The stress and struggle of daily life there,using overcrowded public transport,coping with the often awful weather-too hot in summer and miserable for weeks on end at other times,plus the pollution,grime and greyness of many suburban areas will take your mind off everything else,believe you me!
M.