Relocation. Yerevan and Armenia.

Relocation. Yerevan and Armenia.

cons

Pros and cons of life in Yerevan. Part 3. Cons

As promised, here is a small spoon of tar in our barrel of Yerevan honey. Today: a few drawbacks, mostly about prices.

✍️ Food and meat prices. Sometimes higher than in Moscow. Fruit and vegetables are cheaper in local street stalls. Meat is at Moscow level or above. Prices for the same products vary strongly between supermarkets, and stalls differ too. We shop in the "Yerevan City" chain; SAS is noticeably more expensive. You constantly need to keep an "acceptable" price in mind, because it can jump even in the same place.

✍️ Housing prices. After 2022, rent increased several times and is decreasing very slowly. For example, a 3-room apartment in Arabkir with average renovation, or good but not fresh renovation, starts around 300,000-400,000 dram/month (about 70,000-80,000 RUB), excluding utilities. In other Armenian cities, rent is significantly lower.

✍️ High utility payments. Yerevan has no central heating, so winter utility bills can reach 100,000 dram (about 20,000 RUB).

✍️ Service quality. For example, in shopping malls, when buying electronics you may not receive a full consultation and clear product information.
Electronics prices are around 30% above Moscow.

✍️ Air pollution. In winter there is often no wind, and smoke from private-house stoves covers the city with smog. Many people burn whatever they can, including tires. Other times are a bit easier, but dust from the Yerevan valley settles in a layer you could wipe every day. Sometimes a landfill burns in the suburbs. On peak days people are advised to go outside with a respirator.

That is all for today; everyone’s experience is different.

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