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Housing

The vast majority of Russians live in apartments, rather than in single-family homes. In some instances, multiple generations live together in a single apartment. A number of apartments in Russia are still, even in the post-Soviet period, communal – meaning that unrelated families or people live together in a single apartment.

Unlike apartments in the U.S., in Russia the kitchen and bathroom are not included in the calculation of number of rooms. Room counts are calculated not by the number of bedrooms, but by the number of rooms. Thus, for example, a two-room apartment would contain a main room and a bedroom, in addition to a kitchen and bathroom. Rooms in Russian apartments often serve multiple purposes. For example, a bedroom at night might be a study during the day.

Apartments in Russian apartment buildings are generally accessed by an outside entrance that opens onto a limited number of apartments situated along a short hallway. Apartments on different floors can then be accessed by stairway or elevator.