January 6, 2012 by Robert Ellis
As more and more companies expand their operations into Eastern Europe, especially into Moscow, it is worth noting a few points that may be of interest to any assignee that is planning on going.
Despite the vast wealth of many prominent Muscovites, the average man or woman on the street in Moscow certainly does not have the luxuries of others. There appears to be a clear 2 tier system in Moscow for pricing (one for the locals and one for the expatriates), so any aspiring assignee should be aware that they will find many goods (especially western style items) are very expensive. Apartment rental prices for ‘foreigners’ also tend to be on the expensive side and often quoted in US Dollars rather than in Roubles. It’s also worth noting that furnished accommodation may leave a lot to be desired as Moscow Landlords tend to furnish rather sparingly and in typical Russian style rather than the more opulent style that some assignees may be used to. Furniture rental can be arranged although often this is more akin to IKEA than Corts standard.
Heating and hot water is generally provided to apartments through a ‘shared’ system. The individual occupier rarely has control over heat and hot water, as these are provided either by a central system providing for that individual apartment block, or even through a central system that may provide for a complete area. On this basis, it can be very hot or very cold in your apartment and you will have little or no control over either.
It is also worth advising potential assignees not to be too open with their wealth. Although probably no worse than many other major cities these days, there are reported cases of theft and muggings and everyone should take care not to be too obvious with their cash.
On the positive side, many parts of Moscow (and the surrounding countryside) are really quite beautiful and, providing your assignees are well prepared, I am sure they will have an experience to remember.”
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