Russia as an expat destination
Russia is a country that is making significant economic progress and this is reflected in the amount of western businesses that are establishing a presence in the region. Such developments have brought large numbers of expats into the country, many of whom base themselves in the busy cities of Moscow or St Petersburg.
Living in Russia can be quite challenging. The climate is harsh and many cities have high levels of pollution. There is also a relatively high crime rate and a number of security issues to take into consideration. However, the majority of expats who do base themselves there are able to afford a high standard of living that allows them to live in gated developments that offer good levels of security. For such expats, issues pertaining to Russia’s bureaucracy and inefficient customer service have a greater impact on their day-to-day lives than the highly publicized security risks.
The facilities available to expats living in Russia’s bigger cities are very good and there is a good availability of international schools and healthcare facilities.