The Cost of Living in Krasnoyarsk: What I’m Actually Spending as a Freelance Photographer

well, i moved to *krasnoyarsk last winter with 400 bucks in my pocket, a broken 35mm lens, and a half-assed plan to do freelance photography for russians who want moody instagram posts of their abandoned soviet-era buildings. surprise: it’s not that easy. also, it’s freezing. we’re talking russian winter levels of teeth-chattering cold, where you start every morning by yelling at your shoes because they won’t zip up over your frozen toes.

still, i needed a new base after bombing out in lviv and moscow both. krasnoyarsk seemed… manageable. not moscow-sized chaos, not so provincial that i’d die of boredom. plus, locals on reddit were saying it’s underrated, kind of like a heavyweight boxer who doesn’t like attention. guess what? they’re not wrong.

but real talk: how much does it cost to survive here? turns out, not a fortune, but still enough to stress over every ruble when your client pays you in beans. here’s a raw look at my monthly budget. no fluff, no coffee shop language.

> local gossip overheard at a kebab stand:
> _“you know why the guy from leningradskiy district always wears gloves? because his hands are made of vodka and fear.”_

> _“family guy at pushkin park last week said he paid 35k for a two-room flat near yenisei river. but he cried.”_

accommodation: central vs. outer limits

right now i’m living in a studio near siberian federal university, because hey, dirt cheap and i can walk to most places without frostbite. 15,000 rubles (~$165 USD) a month and i share the bathroom with three guys who treat it like a smoking lounge.

> rumor i got while drunk: _“if you live by the bridge, they’ll give you a 20% discount if you take ‘artsy’ pics for their instagram.”_

i call bullshit, but also… i’m considering it.

here’s what the rest of it looks like:

Expense Category	Monthly Cost (RUB)	Approx. (USD)
Rent (studio)	15,000	$165
Utilities (heating! 🔥)	3,500	$38
Groceries	8,000	$88
Coffee + Snacks	3,000	$33
Local transport	1,500	$16
Petrol (for road trips)	4,000	$44
Gear stuff (tape, sd cards, etc)	3,000	$33
Entertainment	3,000	$33
Emergency vodka fund	2,000	$22
Total	43,000	$475

saunas, spruce trees, and the cold that bites

the local weather is absolutely medieval. think november through march feels like you're breathing glass. but if you like existential dread and near-death experiences with a latte, you’ll feel at home.

fun fact: the sun doesn’t show up until 10 a.m. some days, and vanishes like a goldfish after 2 p.m. you'll start to question your life choices by mid-december.

officially, krasnoyarsk is one of the most affordable cities in siberia to live in (and tripadvisor backs that up), especially if you're not paying for heating in a wood stove like it's 1912.

can you freelance here? short answer: lol

the job market is… sparse. unless you're fluent in russian and can charm local businesses, your best bet is selling photos or getting fly-in gigs in nearby towns. or, like me, you hustle local instagram aesthetics, one frozen sunrise at a time.

“the siberian coffee scene is dead. i been waiting two years for a decent oat milk latte.”
- anon at yadro cafe, near krasnoyarsk state opera

also worth noting: yandex.taxi works great, and the city is very walkable if you dress like you’re going to war with the cold. and alaskans are scared of your jacket.

locations near and far

krasnoyarsk is like a launchpad to siberia’s grim backcountry. you can drive to divnogorsk (~20 mins) and feel like you’ve entered a movie about religious cults. or take a train to achinsk, but i’m pretty sure that one’s just a big wind tunnel.

if you fly out (p.s. alyon aero is kinda sketch), you can be in irkutsk* in like 1.5 hours - which is, from what i’ve seen, krasnoyarsk’s anxious younger brother who smokes and listens to dmb.

i’ll end with this: krasnoyarsk ain’t easy. it’s blunt, brutal, and doesn’t care if you come or go. but that’s part of its charm. in a place where winter feels like god forgot about you, the little things (a warm coffee, a stranger showing you a cat) mean everything.

if you like raw, boring survival stories with frozen fingers, you’d fit right in.

---

You might also be interested in:

• https://topiclo.com/post/tondos-crime-stats-is-it-actually-safer-or-just-better-at-hiding-it
• https://topiclo.com/post/victoria-where-a-chefs-fingers-prune-before-the-dishes-even-start
• https://topiclo.com/post/concords-got-jobs-and-a-weird-vibe-my-take
• https://topiclo.com/post/allentown-in-2026-a-diy-buskers-messy-take-on-living-here
• https://topiclo.com/post/networking-events-and-professional-communities-in-kermnshh