As of January 1, 2025, more than 146 million people were estimated to be residing on the Russian territory, down approximately 30,000 from the previous year. From the second half of the 20th century, the population steadily grew until 1995. Furthermore, the population size saw an increase from 2009, getting closer to the 1995 figures. In which regions do most Russians live? With some parts of Russia known for their harsh climate, most people choose regions which offer more comfortable conditions. The largest share of the Russian population, or 40 million, reside in the Central Federal District. Moscow, the capital, is particularly populated, counting nearly 13 million residents. Russia’s population projections Despite having the largest country area worldwide, Russia’s population was predicted to follow a negative trend under both low and medium expectation forecasts. Under the low expectation forecast, the country’s population was expected to drop from 146 million in 2022 to 134 million in 2036. The medium expectation scenario projected a milder drop to 143 million in 2036. The issues of low birth rates and high death rates in Russia are aggravated by the increasing desire to emigrate among young people. In 2023, more than 20 percent of the residents aged 18 to 24 years expressed their willingness to leave Russia.

As of January 1, 2023, over 13.1 million persons resided in Moscow, the largest city in Russia and Europe. The population of the Russian capital increased slightly from the previous year. The number of Moscow residents crossed the 13-million mark in 2021. Starting from 2012, the city’s population grew by roughly 1.5 million. Moscow is one of the world’s megacities with the largest land area, which exceeds 6,600 square kilometers. Cost of living in Moscow While prices in Moscow are higher than in most other cities of Russia, they are lower than in many other megacities around the world, such as Singapore, New York, and Paris. In 2023, Moscow recorded the largest drop in the rank in the list of the most expensive cities worldwide, at 105 positions. Moscow residents earned an average net salary of 128,300 Russian rubles per month in 2022. Immigration to Moscow Due to the presence of various companies, job opportunities, higher salaries than in most other regions of the country, acclaimed universities, and highly developed infrastructure, Moscow is an attractive destination for both internal and international immigrants. In 2022, more than 940,000 Russian residents migrated to the Central Federal District of the country, where Moscow is located. From the international immigrants, the largest share comes from Central Asian countries.