Russian authorities said utility tariffs would rise by only 1.7% in the winter of 2026, but in practice the increase was much higher in many regions. According to figures cited by Novaya Gazeta Europe from Rosstat and the Ministry of Economic Development, housing and utility services became more expensive than promised in at least 56 regions, while some individual charges rose by 8% to 18% at the start of the year.
One of the clearest examples was the Mari El Republic. There, housing service charges rose by 17.8% in a single month, and overall household spending on utilities increased by 5.7%. The outlet notes that this is especially painful in a region with one of the country’s lowest median wages, which stood at 46,700 rubles last year. Residents complained on social media about rising bills, especially for heating.
A similar pattern was recorded in Altai Krai and in the Yaroslavl, Tambov, Sakhalin, and Vladimir regions, where the average January increase reached 5% to 6%. The main driver there was capital repair contributions, which jumped by about one-third. On Sakhalin, electricity prices also surged, climbing by 14%.
The article says this is only the first stage of tariff increases in 2026. The main indexation, usually carried out in July, was moved this time to October. The authors estimate that autumn growth in коммунal tariffs may range from 8% to 22%, averaging about 12%, not including housing services.
According to Novaya Gazeta Europe’s calculations, the period from July 2025 to January 2026 became the hardest in 16 years in terms of rising utility costs. From July 1, 2025, housing and utility services across Russia rose by an average of 13.3%, the highest level since 2009. The largest cumulative increase over 13 months was recorded in regions of the Volga Federal District, as well as in the Kemerovo region and the Yaroslavl and Vladimir regions.
The report attributes the sharp increase to chronic underfunding of the utility sector, heavy wear of infrastructure, and rising gas prices. According to its figures, average network wear has reached 40%, and in some regions 80%. In January 2026 alone, the outlet says, utility accidents were reported 1,280 times, twice as many as a year earlier. The Ministry of Economic Development, as cited in the article, says gas prices are being raised above inflation in order to maintain reliable supply.
The article also says higher utility charges affect not only household budgets but inflation more broadly. In late March, Central Bank head Elvira Nabiullina called utility tariff growth one of the factors pushing up prices. An economist quoted by the outlet said the contribution of housing and utility services to inflation may exceed the direct effect, because other services tend to become more expensive in response as well.