Moscow for a Romanian family: “Instagram is colorful, rich, rich and expensive. Life has become a nightmare”
Ilie Rădeanu and his wife, the creators of the YouTube channel Planeta Rădeanu, talk in one of the latest vlogs about real life in Moscow, beyond the carefully filtered images from Instagram and the enthusiasm of tourists or occasional vloggers.
Ilie Rădeanu has been living in Moscow for 20 years. PHOTO: Video capture
“LIFE in MOSCOW has become a NIGHTMARE. Why are we NOT leaving Russia?” – is the title of the last vlog of the Rădeanu couple.
After over 20 years of living in the capital of Russia, the two describe a city “beautiful with great perspective”but which comes with a psychological and social cost that is hard to ignore.
“Many know Moscow from beautiful pictures, from the center. But they don't know its other side. The side with shortcomings. The side with routine. The real Moscow”says Ilie Rădeanu.
One of the most pressing minuses is the pace of life. Moscow is described as a city that “it eats you” through continued haste and stress.
“One of Moscow's biggest problems is the lack of free time. Even when you have free time, you feel you have to do something and push it further.” says Elijah.
His wife completes: “We live on autopilot. Work, subway, home and then sleep.”
Even public transport, often praised as one of the best in the world, becomes a burden when experienced daily: “The metro is good, it's fast, but you're doing an hour, an hour and a half one way. It's time taken away from life.”
Stress, controls and life “in a whisper”
In addition to the rush, Moscow is perceived as a city of permanent control.
“All the checks at the entrance, checks in the morning and in the evening. Maybe for someone it's good, but it's still an inconvenience”, Elijah explained.
Another major shortcoming is self-censorship: “There are things that need to be talked about more quietly. About politics, in general. Let it go, you're not much of a politician.”
The cost of living is described as one of Moscow's harshest realities.
“Rent for a room varies from 40,000 (approx. 450 euros) to 75,000 rubles (approx. 830 euros), depending on how close it is to the metro”Ilia's wife explains. For a small apartment of 36–40 sqm, the family pays approximately 440 euros, an amount considered “not dramatic, but not easy either”. This in the conditions where the salary for 8 hours of work is the ruble equivalent of about 6-700 euros.
“Moscow has become very expensive. Being a tourist is one thing, but living here is completely different.”
The great shortcoming of Moscow is housing. “For a loan you have to pay 20% – 22% interest. For those with foreign passports like us, the interest is over 23-24%.” For a 45-square-meter, one-room apartment, you have to pay, says Ilie, at least 100,000 euros. “Although I don't think you can find it that cheap, but let's say. Towards the end of the payment period you have to pay it about five times.”
Digital isolation and life with VPNs
Online life is also affected; “We're in a gridlock. Instagram, Facebook, YouTube… we use them with a VPN. It's a lifeline, but it creates extra discomfort.”
Another structural minus is social polarization: “There is downtown luxury and neighborhood life. The middle ground, like in Europe, doesn't really exist here.”
“There are those above and us, those who sit in a purgatory”says Ilie, ironically, but stressed.
Moscow is described as a city of fast but unstable opportunities: “I came, I saw and I conquered. In the short term you take money and leave. I don't want that kind of speed. I want something slower and more stable.”
Job loss can be dramatic: “If you've been out of work for a day or two, with these rents, you find yourself with no money for a ticket home.”
“Instagram is colorful, rich, fancy and expensive. But the illusion ends quickly”
Social life is described as superficial: “Friendship is only based on interest. Even neighbors don't know each other.”
“We've been living on the same floor for years and I don't know what the neighbors are called”Ilia admits.
Perhaps the strongest theme is the difference between image and reality: “Instagram is colorful, rich, fancy and expensive. But the illusion ends quickly. Five minutes of picture and run to work.”
“Life passes you by. What is more precious? Time. And you leave it in the subway, in transport, at work.”
Bottom line: “You'll never be hungry, but you'll never be at ease either”
Ilie Rădeanu summarizes perhaps the harshest verdict:
“You'll never be hungry in Moscow, but you won't be quiet either.”
Moscow remains an impressive city with infrastructure, money and opportunity, but beyond the glitzy shop windows, everyday life is described as expensive, stressful and time-consuming. “You can live 20 years here and not feel like you're living. Just survive beautifully.” At the end, Ilia explains why they still stay in Russia: it's about the two girls who are at school.
“The education system is good”, they conclude. In addition, one of the girls is a prize winner, an additional reason for pride for the Rădeanu family. Waiting for an easier life, the two struggle every day with the monotonous existence: work, subway, sleep and all over again.
