Status Without Luxury: What Russians Consider a Sign of Success in 2026

Status is shifting from possessions to opportunities

VTsIOM has recordeda notable shift in how Russians perceive the markers of high status today. Prestige is increasingly less associated with conspicuous consumption and more with access to basic life resources.

The leading status symbol today has become the ability to provide children with quality education—this option was chosen by 50% of respondents, up 13 percentage points from 2006. In second place is quality healthcare (39%, up 18 p.p.), followed by the ability to buy an apartment (32%, up 9 p.p.). Status is now perceived less as a collection of possessions and more as the capacity to ensure family stability.

At the same time, traditional "success attributes" have declined noticeably in importance. Good housing as a status marker has dropped 35 p.p. (from 55% to 20%). Cars are down 12 p.p. (to 15%), foreign travel down 8 p.p. (to 15%), purchasing property abroad down 4 p.p. (to 16%), and expensive furniture and appliances down 7 p.p. (to 3%). The sole exception is a country house or dacha: its importance has risen to 19% (+7 p.p.), reflecting interest in a measured family lifestyle.

Researchers attribute this shift in values to rising costs for key life decisions—housing, education, and healthcare. As VTsIOM experts note, amid uncertainty, access to resources that ensure life stability and a sense of security is becoming increasingly important to people.

Global context: from conspicuous consumption to the access economy

The Russian trend fits within a global pattern. In many countries, perceptions of status are gradually shifting from owning expensive possessions to accessing quality services, education, healthcare, and housing.

According to OECD data, services account for roughly two-thirds of household consumer spending in developed economies. This reflects a transition from a goods economy to a service economy, where what matters is not the possession itself but the ability to access necessary resources.

Meanwhile, the cost of basic life necessities is rising. According to Eurostat, from 2010 through the first quarter of 2025, housing prices in EU countries increased by nearly 57.9%, while rents rose 27.8%. In certain countries, the increase was even more dramatic: in Hungary, housing prices jumped 277%, and in Estonia 250%.

Investment in human capital is also gaining importance. The World Bank notes that access to quality education and healthcare directly affects future earnings and social mobility. Against this backdrop, household spending is shifting from conspicuous consumption toward saving for housing, education, and maintaining quality of life. As a result, expensive cars, designer clothing, and other traditional symbols of success are gradually losing their exclusivity.