Average pension in Russia by year: statistics and charts
The average size of assigned pensions in Russia as of 1 January 2026 was 25,254.5 roubles per month. Old-age pensions are higher than the average and amount to 27,202.7 roubles, while social pensions are lower: 15,479.7 roubles. Data from Rosstat based on information from the Pension and Social Insurance Fund.
Below is the full series from 2017, broken down by type of pension, the number of pensioners, which has decreased by 2.7 million people over nine years, and a calculation of how much pensions have outpaced inflation.
Average pension by year: table
All values as of 1 January of the corresponding year, roubles per month.
| As of 1 January | All pensions | Old-age pensions | Social pensions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 12,425.6 | 13,172.5 | 8,644.4 |
| 2018 | 13,323.1 | 14,151.6 | 8,806.6 |
| 2019 | 14,102.1 | 14,986.3 | 9,093.7 |
| 2020 | 14,904.4 | 15,878.4 | 9,298.1 |
| 2021 | 15,744.6 | 16,790.0 | 9,848.1 |
| 2022 | 16,884.1 | 18,084.8 | 10,195.2 |
| 2023 | 19,322.2 | 20,678.5 | 12,125.2 |
| 2024 | 20,781.8 | 22,352.9 | 12,516.1 |
| 2025 | 23,175.2 | 24,979.3 | 13,512.0 |
| 2026 | 25,254.5 | 27,202.7 | 15,479.7 |
The full dataset broken down by all types of pension provision is available on the interactive pension chart.
Over nine years, the average pension has grown exactly twice: from 12,425.6 to 25,254.5 roubles. The largest annual jump occurred in 2023, with an increase of 14.4% compared to the previous January: at that time, indexation was carried out twice, in June 2022 and in January 2023.
Pensions by type of provision
The average figure conceals a fivefold spread between categories.
| Type of pension | As of 1 January 2026 |
|---|---|
| Federal state civilian servants | 39,268.2 |
| Old-age pension | 27,202.7 |
| Victims of radiation and man-made disasters | 22,181.9 |
| Survivors' pension | 18,460.6 |
| Disability pension | 17,190.0 |
| Social pension | 15,479.7 |
Old-age pensions are higher than the average simply due to arithmetic: there are 32.5 million recipients of this type out of 40.5 million, and they pull the average up, while social and disability pensions pull it down.
A social pension is assigned to those who have not accumulated the required length of service or pension points, and amounts to 57% of an old-age pension. The gap, however, is narrowing: in 2017 it was 66%, in 2022 it fell to 56%, and since 2023 it has been rising again.
How many pensioners are there in Russia
Here the series goes in reverse order.
| As of January 1 | Total, thousand | Old-age pensioners, thousand | Working pensioners, thousand |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 43,177 | 36,003 | 9,883 |
| 2018 | 43,504 | 36,336 | 9,669 |
| 2019 | 43,865 | 36,710 | 9,667 |
| 2020 | 43,546 | 36,341 | 9,315 |
| 2021 | 42,977 | 35,747 | 8,891 |
| 2022 | 42,007 | 34,638 | 8,513 |
| 2023 | 41,775 | 34,266 | 7,912 |
| 2024 | 41,075 | 33,380 | 7,866 |
| 2025 | 41,170 | 33,380 | 8,209 |
| 2026 | 40,523 | 32,535 | 7,161 |
The peak was on 1 January 2019: 43.9 million people. After that, the pension reform began to take effect, raising the retirement age by one year every two years, and the number started to decline. By early 2026, the number of pensioners had fallen to 40.5 million, 3.3 million fewer than the peak.
There is a separate trend for working pensioners. Their number fell from 9.9 million in 2017 to 7.2 million in 2026, with a noticeable drop between 2022 and 2023. This was due to the cancellation of indexation for working pensioners, which was in effect from 2016 to 2024: some people quit their jobs to have their pensions recalculated. In 2025, when indexation was reintroduced, the figure jumped to 8.2 million, before falling again.
You can view the dynamics for any type of pension and category of recipients on the chart.
Pensions and inflation: did indexation outpace price growth?
We are using two Rosstat series. From 1 January 2018 to 1 January 2026 the average pension rose from 13 323.1 to 25 254.5 roubles, an increase of 89.6 %. Cumulative inflation for 2018–2025 was about 69.8 %.
This means that, in real terms, pensions increased by roughly 12 % over eight years, or about one and a half per cent per year. Indexation did outpace inflation, but only narrowly, and in some years it lagged behind: in 2022 inflation reached 11.9 %, while the January indexation was smaller.
A second benchmark, the replacement rate, looks worse. Average wages in Russia in 2025 were 100 186 roubles, and the old-age pension at the start of 2026 was 27 202.7 roubles. The pension replaces 27 % of former earnings, and this share is falling because wages are rising faster than pensions.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average pension in Russia in 2026?
25 254.5 roubles on 1 January 2026 across all pension types. The old-age pension is 27 202.7 roubles.
How many pensioners are there in Russia?
40.5 million people on 1 January 2026, of whom 32.5 million receive an old-age pension. There are 7.2 million working pensioners.
Why is my pension lower than the average?
The average is calculated across all 40.5 million recipients and is pulled up by high civil-service pensions and northern allowances. The median amount is lower than the average, and half of all pensioners receive less than the median.
How much have pensions risen in recent years?
They have doubled in nominal terms from 2017 to 2026: from 12 425.6 to 25 254.5 roubles. After adjusting for inflation, the increase from 2018 to 2025 was about 12 %.
Why has the number of working pensioners been falling?
From 2016 to 2024 working pensioners’ pensions were not indexed, so some people quit work to trigger a recalculation. A second factor is general: there are fewer pensioners because the retirement age has been raised.
What pension do people with no work record receive?
The social pension, 15 479.7 roubles on 1 January 2026. It is paid when the required length of service or pension points is lacking and starts five years later than the normal retirement age.
In brief
The average pension in Russia rose from 12,425.6 roubles at the beginning of 2017 to 25,254.5 roubles at the beginning of 2026; the old-age pension reached 27,202.7 roubles. In real terms, the increase over eight years was about 12%, while the wage replacement ratio fell to 27%. The number of pensioners decreased from a peak of 43.9 million in 2019 to 40.5 million, and the number of working pensioners fell to 7.2 million from 9.9 million in 2017.
All series are taken from Rosstat’s open publications and are updated on the website as new data are released.
See also
- Average wages in Russia by year, for comparison with the wage replacement ratio
- Inflation in Russia by year, used to calculate indexation