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

Status is shifting from possessions to opportunities

VTsIOM has recorded a 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.

The generational divide: how the concept of status is changing within society

In Russia, shifting perceptions of status are particularly noticeable across generations. While older generations largely associated success with the ability to accumulate—whether an apartment, a car, a dacha, or simply building a financial safety net—younger people increasingly link status with the opportunity to invest in their future.

According to VTsIOM data, for the digital generation (born in 2001 and later), the primary status marker is the ability to buy an apartment—55% of respondents chose this option compared to 32% across the sample as a whole. For younger millennials (1992–2000), the ability to purchase housing (49%) and provide children with quality education (48%) are equally important.

This choice is largely explained by economic realities. According to Cian analysts, in January 2026 the average price per square meter in new construction reached 204 thousand rubles, more than doubling compared to 2020. At the same time, buyers' debt burden has increased: weighted average rates on market mortgages in 2025–2026 stand at around 22% per annum. Under these conditions, owning an apartment for young Russians has become not just property, but an indicator of financial capability and life stability.

Among older millennials (1982–1991), the emphasis has already shifted toward education: 52% consider the ability to provide children with quality education a sign of high status, while 36% cite housing. This reflects the growing value of human capital. People are annually increasing spending on supplementary education for children and adults, and the country's commercial education market has grown by more than one and a half times over the past five years.

Older generations demonstrate an even more pronounced shift toward basic goods. Among Russians born before 1947, the main indicators of high standing remain education (41%) and quality healthcare (36%). This is hardly surprising: household spending on medical services has more than doubled over the past ten years, and access to quality healthcare remains one of the most sensitive issues for elderly citizens.

Ultimately, status is now perceived as the ability to solve key life challenges. For young people, this is primarily housing; for middle-aged families, it's children's education; for older generations, it's health and medical care.