What's Wrong With Communal Prices In Belarus
5- 9.06.2025, 8:43
- 12,534
Authorities were quick to boast.
The Belarusian authorities have found a new reason to be proud of themselves. And they are proud of it quite loudly. According to the numbeo portal, Belarus has entered the thirty countries with the lowest utility bills. It's a pity, though, that Belarus does not reach any prize places in the rating of wages. And the rest of the ratings, in principle, did not work out, writes planbmedia.io.
The methodology of the rating raises, of course, some questions. The rating calculates the cost of basic utility bills for a conditional apartment with an area of 85 square meters. Not to say that apartments of 85 square meters are widespread in Belarus. But that's not the point. If the rating is good enough for the Belarusian authorities to be proud of, then it's good enough for everyone else.
According to numbeo estimates, the maintenance of a conventional apartment in Belarus will cost $53 a month. And it's really much lower than in the western neighbors. In Latvia, utility bills for such an apartment will be $300, in Poland - $293, and in Lithuania - $232.
And one could be really proud. If this utilities are not compared with anything else. For example, with the cost of energy carriers. We discussed in detail how the Belarusian authorities manipulate the tariffs of housing and communal services in January this year. Subsidizing utility payments to the population, the government sells gas to everyone else at a premium of more than 60%.
But even less reason for pride, if we compare the cost of utilities in Belarus with wages. Because even taking into account the record strengthening of the Belarusian ruble, the average salary in Belarus is $870. That is, after paying the utility bill, an average Belarusian has $820.
At the same time, the average salary in Latvia was €1,700, while in Lithuania - $1,920. In Poland, the average salary in April rose to more than 9000 zlotys, which is $2400 at the current exchange rate. That is, a conditional Pole will have $2,100 on his hands after paying the utility bills.
It will be even more offensive if we compare the welfare of an average Belarusian with the welfare of a Pole, receiving the minimum wage. Because the minimum wage in Poland is 1200 dollars. So, after paying the utility bills, a Pole living on the minimum wage will have more money than an average wage earner in Belarus.
It is indicative that the state media compare the utility bills in Belarus with the neighboring countries. But they do not compare it with the neighbors in the rating. And it is clear why. Because among these neighbors are such prosperous countries as Zimbabwe, Tajikistan and Ghana. For example, Nigeria, with an average salary of $40, is 16 positions higher than Belarus. And brotherly Venezuela, with an average salary of less than $30, takes second place in the ranking of affordability of utility bills.
By the way, the same portal numbeo in the rating of quality of life placed Minsk on 193rd place among 276 cities. Lviv in the warring Ukraine is on 196th place.
A curious pattern can be traced. The lower the income in the country, the less you have to pay for utilities. However, this says little about the affordability of communal services.
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