Having a car is getting less significant in prestige ranking; now Russians more appreciate trips abroad and overseas property.

MOSCOW, October 15, 2010. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data describing what Russians regard to be signs of prestige and status.

Good house is the main symbol of status for Russians (51%), followed by acquisition of overseas property (30%), vacation abroad, giving children good education (28% for each), opportunity to buy apartment (23%) or dacha (22%), car (21%), and opportunity to get high-quality health care (18%). Least valued things for Russians are expensive furniture and domestic appliances (10%) and opportunity to visit costly events (8%).

Over the recent years Russians have changed their attitudes toward most of what they think symbolizes prestige and status. Russians less appreciate good house (from 55 to 51%), opportunity to give children good education (from 37 to 28) and having car (from 27 to 21%). However, Russians more price trips abroad (from 23 to 28%), ability to purchase country house (from 12 to 22%) and overseas property (from 20 to 30%).

Good house and opportunity to purchase overseas property are regarded to be the most significant in terms of status for residents of megacities (59 and 36% respectively). Megacities` residents more often than others appreciate the opportunity to spend their vacation abroad (37%). Quality education and health care are signs of prestige mainly for residents of middle-sized cities (34 and 22% respectively). Having a car is important for those who live in small towns and rural area (23%), rather than metropolitan residents (13%).

The younger the Russians are, the more important for them the opportunity to spend vacation abroad (from 22% among elderly respondents to 38% among those aged 18-24) and visit costly events (from 3 to 16% respectively) are.  Russians, who are younger than 45, highly appreciate the ability to buy an apartment (24-27%). Overseas property is a sign of status for basically those aged 18-24 and 35-44 (38 and 38% respectively). The latter also tend to appreciate the opportunity to give good education to their children (37%). Health care is significant for elderly respondents (23%), rather than younger respondents (8%). 

The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted on October 11-12, 2010. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 138 sampling points in 46 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.

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