We decided to find out how poker players live with a modest monthly budget. We asked out how much they rent apartments for, what they eat, and how they have fun. Bon voyage!
This article is an add-on to another we published, where players told us about different unusual spots they chose to live in.
Armenia
Visa-free period – 180 days
Available poker rooms – 888poker, PokerStars, CoinPoker
– Vladyslav (Rastern001)
I live in Yerevan, Armenia and moved in early April 2022 from Voronezh.
I spend about $800 a month. This includes rent, utilities, internet, food, taxis, plus services like hairdressers, dentists, and three or four times a month delivery of some tasty treats and sometimes alcohol.
From April to October we rented an apartment for two for 250,000 drams (at that time about USD $500, now about $650), now I am moving to a separate apartment for 200,000 drams (also about $500, since the exchange rate has fallen by 20% since spring). Utility bills in the summer are 12-15k drams ($35) + Internet, which is enough for poker – 9k drams ($23). In winter, utility bills can reach 100 – there is no central heating in Armenia, and all the heat comes from electricity (you pay how much you heat yourself).
It is now quite possible to find apartments in Yerevan for 180-200k drams ($450-500), but it is impossible to predict how much prices will rise after the announcement of mobilization in the Russian Federation and the influx of refugees.
I spend about 15,000 drams ($37) a week on food. I always take meat, rice/buckwheat, lots of vegetables, eggs, in general, a standard consumer basket. I cook myself, the set of products is enough for a week. If I really want something tasty or alcoholic, I use deliveries, which, in my opinion, are quite cheap. Example: in most establishments, the delivery itself costs $2-4. On average, the cost of one delivery without alcohol is $12-14, with alcohol it is already $20 and more, depending on preferences.
It is also worth considering that a significant part of my expenses is tobacco (smoking is harmful to health!), and if I do without it, the costs will be 20% less.
There are no special additional costs, taxis are cheap, and utilities are also cheap in the summer, I don’t know yet about the winter, we’ll see.
Pros of Yerevan, Armenia:
1. It is very beautiful here. Especially for people who have never been anywhere except Russia. Very beautiful streets, architecture of buildings, historical places.
2. There is everything you need for a comfortable life. Of course, it is not Moscow, but all the services or their local equivalents are present here, so there should be no disappointments.
3. Insanely delicious food. No. INSANELY delicious food. I can't say anything for lovers of culinary delights, but for me, a simple layman, everything here seemed unrealistically delicious.
4. Also about food – prices are comparable to my home country, but the products are much better quality. Everything is fresh, you will never find something with an expiring or expired shelf life. Everything is closely monitored and controlled.
5. Clean mountain air and water that you can drink straight from the tap without any filters (after six months of use, there is not even a hint of scale in the kettle, despite daily use).
6. Extremely pleasant people. This is one of the biggest advantages that made me decide to stay in Armenia. People here are open, pleasant, friendly, always approachable and ready to help even a stranger in any situation.
7. Language barrier. Or rather, its absence. Most Armenians understand and communicate in Russian, and all services on the Internet (applications, websites, etc.) have an alternative language – Russian/English, so for people who do not want or do not have the opportunity to learn new languages, there will be no problems interacting with locals.
Disadvantages of Yerevan:
1. The cost of renting housing. This is the main disadvantage. Due to the huge number of refugees from other countries, prices have skyrocketed, and at the moment, it is unlikely that you will be able to find housing in the capital for less than $500 per month. For those who especially like to save money, there is an option to move to smaller cities.
Next come the very subjective disadvantages, which are not even disadvantages, but rather the specifics of life.
2. It will be difficult at first, since all the signs on the houses and price tags in the shops are written in Armenian (Google Lens to the rescue), which is why you can get a little lost without maps.
3. At first, it is not very convenient to translate prices in order to understand what is expensive and what is not.
4. In some areas there are a lot of dogs, especially at night. All dogs are vaccinated, but at night they can band together and be aggressive.
Kazakhstan
Visa-free period – 90 days
Available poker rooms – 888poker, PokerStars, partypoker
– Alexander
I live in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and moved in May 2022, with a monthly budget of $700. I spend 180,000 tenge, the local currency, on an apartment. This was $370 then, and in 2024, the currency has barely changed in value. The building is new with a concierge in a good area. Large one-room apartment of 48 m2 with a great view of the mountains. But I must say that I was lucky, I got a modest landlord. It is difficult to say anything about prices now, everything is very dynamic due to mobilization and the influx of people, but subjectively rent has increased by 30-50%.
I cook for myself 90 percent of the time. Food costs around $180. Utilities are inexpensive, lower than in the my country, Russia.
I want to warn you in advance that I have lived in Moscow for a long time and subconsciously compare all the cities I visit with Moscow. Almaty seems to me to be a cramped city and not fully thought out from the point of view of urbanism. The center is pleasant, but without any striking features. An undeniable plus is, of course, the presence of mountains nearby, you can diversify your leisure time with summer hikes and winter rides.
Georgia
Visa-free period – 360 days
Rooms available – 888poker
– Vasya Ace (atec)
I moved to Batumi, Georgia in early March 2022. I lived with my girlfriend, and for both of us it’s about $1,000 per month. This includes $350 + $50 (utilities) for an apartment – we managed to find a good option, now it would be $700 +. On average, it costs 1,000 lari ($350) for food. We cook ourselves: breakfast – cereal/oatmeal/cottage cheese and fruit, soups, meat and fish, it turns out to be a pretty normal diet :) We buy in supermarkets, and buy vegetables from street stalls. We can go to restaurants a couple of times a month. Together with expenses on household chemicals and cosmetics, it comes to $1k. We don’t deny ourselves anything, but we don’t live in luxury either :)
Now, with new queues at the borders, I'm afraid to even imagine how expensive apartments will become... Mine cost $200 until February, and $300 in high season, and this is the very center :)
We didn't get insurance, we got all wrapped up in it, and now it doesn't make sense, since it's best to take it for a year, but we want to move to a place where there is PokerStars . Insurance costs +-200 GEL per person. You can pay taxes by opening an individual entrepreneur, the rate will be 1%.
On the downside, there are problems with the service. If something breaks down, it's hard to fix. They've been fixing my audio system for four months now, and this is the second repairman, the first one just lay there for a month. You need to get used to the local mentality, they lie a lot, or rather "don't tell the whole story" :) There are no stores with normal branded clothing. If you move, it's better to take equipment, a work chair, and things you're used to in life in reserve, since they can't bring you a lot of things at the click of a phone :)
In a nutshell, it's a village with high-rise buildings :) But, in general, it's nice and beautiful here, there are mountains and the sea, and you can forget about the rest :)
We are from Ukraine, before coming here we lived in Moscow for about seven years, the budget there was up to $3,400 per month.
Turkey
Visa-free period – 60 days
– Alexander (rock1)
We live in Antalya, Turkey and arrived in May 2022. The budget in the first months was about $5k per month due to additional purchases – equipment for the apartment, an electric scooter and an electric bike. Now my wife and I have a budget of $3-4k. This includes rent for an apartment at $1,150, utilities at about $120, and the rest – restaurants, local entertainment, the beach, and so on.
We spend a lot on food because we like to eat well, we usually go out somewhere five times a week. But in Turkey, if you eat at home, the products are very cheap, at the same markets, tomatoes are $0.35-0.45 per kg, potatoes are $0.25 per kg, etc.!
You can rent a normal apartment now for about $550-600. You'll have to look, but you can find it! And if you don't take a tourist region, you can find an apartment for $300.
Additional expenses – submitting documents for a residence permit – medical insurance, and assistance from people when submitting an application, come out to about $116. Utility costs in the summer are mainly electricity (AIR CONDITIONERS!!), and in the winter – gas (heating), together with electricity and water, if you really don't save at all – about 100-120 dollars a month.
There is also the concept of AIDAT – this is a monthly utility fee of the management company of the house where you live (pool maintenance, gym, security, cleaning, etc.), it is different everywhere, from 20 to 100 dollars per month. For us, it is about 50 dollars.
Taxi costs are about the same as in Russia. Ground transportation is very cheap – about $0.25 for a trip at the beginning of summer, but I don't use it, it's hard to say now. That's why we took an electric scooter for my wife and a bike for me – it's convenient to move around the city.
What to take with you. If this is a married couple, then it is necessary to get an apostille in the Russian Federation for the marriage certificate and the birth certificate of the children (the apostille verifies these documents abroad), you can also get an apostille for diplomas if you plan to work "at a local factory".
This is my first time in Turkey, I liked Antalya. There are many beautiful places near the city, ancient buildings, etc. The city itself is quite comfortable – a pleasant climate, good ecology, fresh Turkish vegetables and fruits. You can play tennis, football, swim in the sea, very cheap medicines and the medicine itself is at a high level (but for those who have a residence permit, of course). I am going to take yachting courses here so that I can travel independently in the future, it is quite affordable here at reasonable prices.
In principle, it seemed to us that Turkey is much cheaper than Russia. We are staying here for now, and then we will see. There are drawbacks – the Turks do not know how to cook seafood and our favorite rolls (a normal roll in a good restaurant costs more than a huge piece of steak!) :)
– Roman (FranSiSko)
I live in Mersin, Turkey. We arrived on March 2, 2022.
The approximate budget is $2-2.5k for a family of three. This includes rent of $550 + utilities about $100, car $500 + gasoline $150-300, food is the least expensive, if you don't count restaurants, I think $200-300.
Many people in Mersin rent quite good options with appliances and renovations for $200-300, but this will be an apartment far from the sea (10-20 minutes by minibus).
We buy vegetables and fruits at the market – the prices are ridiculous, and the quality is high (by the feel of it, the prices are 3-4 times lower than in Russia). The rest is in the supermarket (fresh fish, meat, dairy, alcohol). About 100-200 dollars are spent on food delivery – shashlik, burgers, etc.
On the downside, alcohol is expensive in Turkey :) Guinness – $2.5, Corona – $2.5, wine from $6, strong alcohol from $15.
Additional expenses – shopping, sometimes we go to medical institutions, the prices are also affordable. Recently my wife visited a gastroenterologist – appointment + ultrasound of the abdominal cavity + gastroscopy only $100 and everything is very fast.
The total cost to obtain a residence permit was $600 – two adults and a child.
Kyrgyzstan
Visa-free period – 30 days
Lake Issyk-Kul– Alexander (Undercologne)
I live in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. I moved from Moscow at the end of May, 2022. I spend $1.5k per month, which includes housing, food, all sorts of household items and entertainment.
I am renting an apartment for $450, it is a two-room apartment in a new building on a guarded territory. In May, it was $350 for a studio in a new building with good repairs. Usually, housing prices are cheaper here, but after February there was a shortage of apartments for rent. I suspect that now the shortage will be even greater, and, accordingly, the price will increase. The prices on the websites are not relevant, it is a bait. They find out that you are from Russia and directly say that you will not find cheaper than X price (at the end of May X price = $350).
I eat in restaurants/cafes. $20 per person is my maximum, I can't eat more :) There are cheap cafes, you can eat well for $5, but the quality of the food will be a little worse. There is an option to cook yourself, the products here are inexpensive.
Registration is done without problems, but I haven't done it yet :) Internet and mobile communication are $25 at maximum, but it can be cheaper. Electricity and water in the summer ~$10, in winter it will be a little more expensive because of the heating. It is possible to rent a car with my Russian license – $40 per day for Kia Optima + gasoline.
Separately, it is necessary to tell about bank cards. You can’t make deposits and withdrawals from them, although Stars says the opposite. You can come up with different schemes through money changers and crypto, but you will have to withdraw with interest.
Bishkek has a lot of parks and bike paths. For those who like it, there are excursions to the mountains. I don't know why, but here I felt a taste of freedom :)
Belarus
Visa-free period – 90 days
– Anton (BECb_B_KPACHOM)
I lived in Gomel, Belarus and I moved in mid-June. On average, one can easily live on 500 dollars. An apartment is 150 dollars including utilities, in winter, I think, a maximum of 200 bucks. Expenses on food – you can fit into 200-250 bucks, eating well – sometimes I cooked myself, sometimes fast food, sometimes cafes. All summer I bought vegetables and fruits from private sellers at the market. In general, everything is cheap, except for gasoline, it is more expensive than in the Russian Federation. Cheap and tasty dairy products – cheeses, cottage cheese, butter TOP. Well, and 50 bucks – other expenses: a very cheap taxi, Internet + communication.
In general, it was cheap and cheerful. But, in light of recent events, the other day I packed my things and left for Kazakhstan.
– Mikhail (Mikhail1100)
Third month in Minsk, Belarus, and before that lived in Moscow. Expenses are just a little over $1,000 each month: rent of an apartment – $380 (they say it's expensive, but there are enough square meters and the repair is good). Utilities are about $34. The price range for apartments is about $200-500.
About $200 a month goes on food, I mostly shop at a large hypermarket, like our Auchan, called Gippo. Gasoline – a liter is about 10₽ more expensive than in the Russian Federation + Green Card (car insurance) – two thousand for five months.
In general, everything is quite modest. No restaurants or other similar entertainment, well, except for Mac, I sometimes go there :)
There were difficulties with finding an apartment, not everyone wanted to accept tenants from the Russian Federation. I don’t know why. Also, the MT bank card was quite expensive – 300₽ Belarusian (approximately the same everywhere), I bought them for 9,000₽ of ours at an unfavorable rate (I didn’t know where and how to exchange it back then).
I am in Vitebsk, Belarus and I arrived three weeks ago.
I rent a one-room apartment for $180 (utilities + Internet). It is on the outskirts of the city in a residential area. If you take the center of Vitebsk, then you should focus on $210 on average for a one-room apartment.
If you compare food prices with Russia (specifically with cities with approximately 500k residents, since I am from Kirov), they are almost identical, with the exception of:
1. Fish. It is 15-25% more expensive here (mackerel, pollock, halibut, trout)
2. Dairy products. They are about 35-40% cheaper here.
3. Vegetables. They are much cheaper here compared to our market. For example, 1 kg of tomatoes can cost about $0.40, 1 kg of cucumbers and potatoes about $0.25.
In terms of food quality: meat (as well as sausages, chicken breasts, rolls...) is much tastier and, apparently, healthier. Dairy is also tastier. The rest is about the same as in the Russian Federation. Fruit prices are the same, with the exception of very cheap apples. I find it difficult to answer how much exactly I spend on food per month, since I don’t count exactly in Russia or here (they don’t skimp on food). Personally, I spend less, because my diet includes a full range of dairy products every day, which are much cheaper here. I would also like to emphasize once again that the food here is tastier and healthier.
Vitebsk itself is more environmentally friendly than my city: very few cars, huge territories (if you have been to Kazan with its wide roads and free space, well, here there is even more of it). Huge deserted courtyards, covered with grass and rare trees. Vitebsk does not know what traffic jams are. The people themselves are “more alive” and healthier here. Not only have I noted this, but also other guys from the poker crowd.
Regarding additional expenses: you need to pay a tax on the rental of housing if you rent it officially. The tax will be about $10 for a one-room apartment (this is about $11), but, as a rule, it is included in the cost of renting housing on Kufar (a site where ads for apartments are posted, like Avito).
Uzbekistan
Visa-free period – 30 days
– Hot dogs
I lived in Tashkent, Uzbekistan for six months and moved to Bali a week later.
The monthly budget was about $800, $400 of which I spent on a two-room apartment (a one-room apartment is only $50 cheaper), meaning all apartments start at $350-400.
I ate and just grinded for the remaining $400. I bought food for the whole day in the canteen, about $10-15, but if I cooked it myself, it would be even cheaper, the prices in the stores are about the same as in Russia – something is cheaper, for example, vegetables and fruits, and meat can be a little more expensive, that's what it comes to. The locals buy at the markets, there are a lot of them, since everything is more expensive in the stores. But I was too lazy to go to the markets and haggle.
Medicine is cheaper than in Russia, although all clinics are paid. A doctor's appointment is $10, it is very profitable to go to the dentist, services are two or even three times cheaper. In general, cosmetologists, doctors and taxis are very cheap. Taxi in the city is generally $1-2. Utilities are pennies, I did not even take it into account in expenses.
Pros
Half a year is summer, and winter is not so cold. People are more open and simple, they live in communities (Mahalla in local) – everyone knows each other, helps each other, in a month of living you will know all the people in the yard, at least. Also, any food is very tasty, especially local.
Cons
The mentality is unusual for us. People can be seriously offended if you don't let them pay for you somewhere or if you talk coldly, without due respect. You always need to chat a little about this and that; if you leave without saying goodbye, they won't understand here. People don't feel personal boundaries, they can easily ask or ask you for something, even strangers. They can touch, take something from your hands without asking, for them it's normal.
Prices are inflated everywhere, you have to bargain regularly – with realtors and sellers. There is also a strong stratification of the population, there are poor and rich, there is no middle class. Entertainment, restaurants and recreation are 1.5 times more expensive than in Russia.
Another minus is the drivers. Two years ago, people were given licenses for holidays, they were bought openly, so there are a lot of accidents, drivers drive fast and dangerously, they don't consider pedestrians as people.
There is little cultural life – there are no exhibitions, theatres, stand-up comedy at all, and therefore there is little intelligentsia.
Poorly educated, poorly mannered people who do not speak Russian come from the regions to earn money. They can behave indecently, impudently, but you don’t really encounter them very often – mostly in parks or some public places, plus it depends on the area. These are not gopniks and the word bydlo is not appropriate here either, they are called kharypy – “newcomers”.
Oh, well, there are few girls, and they are not as open as in Russia.
In general, you don't need to bring anything special here, Tashkent is the capital, it has everything that Russia has. There are no difficulties on the spot either, no vaccine is required, registration is also not a problem, the owner of the apartment will do it for you. Compared to other countries, any problem in Tashkent can be solved, people will help, you can even ask a passerby on the street about anything, and he will give you a ride and even feed you.
TG-group of relocators (here are answers to all questions) t.me/Relocation to Uzbekistan
Thailand
Visa-free period – 30 days
– Yaroslav (Jardinero9)
I've been living in Phuket, Thailand for a little over four months. My budget is about $1,000. This includes rent, food, entertainment, utilities, and the Internet. You can do it for less if you limit entertainment, alcohol, and cook your own food.
My apartment costs 12k baht ($360) + utilities around 800-1,000 baht ($30). You can find cheaper ones, for 8-10k baht, it all depends on the area. It seems to be cheaper in the city center. I live near the beach and my apartment has a view of the ocean :) And there is a small gym and a pool on the roof.
Now I eat twice a day. As a rule, it is Thai food – it is cheap, unlike European and Russian. In the morning I go to a cafe near my condo for breakfast, usually it is 70-90 baht ($2.5). For dinner I order delivery through foodpanda, about 120-180 baht ($4-5). I separately order drinking water and sometimes some treats from the supermarket. Water costs about 100-120 baht ($3) for 6 1.5-liter bottles. Over the course of a month, it comes out to about 7-8k baht ($200).
Internet – a regular SIM card with unlimited data for 300 baht ($9) per month
Hairdressers – 150-300 baht ($5-$8) per haircut
Sometimes massage – 300 baht ($8) per hour
I don't rent a bike, so I use taxis. It costs me about 1,500-2,000 baht ($40-55) per month. Entertainment – for me, it's mostly hanging out at a bar. On average, it's 4-6k baht ($120-180) per month.
It is quite comfortable to live here. You can often meet Russian speakers. There are many groups in Telegram and Facebook where you can find an answer to any question.
I barely make it to $1,000, sometimes I even go over the limit. But you can save some money, give up some things, and it will be less. I think I could live here on $800.
This is my first trip abroad, before that I lived in Russia in a very small town. So for me there are only advantages here :) True, there were problems with dispersion – since I arrived in Thailand, I have been riding in 0 for four months :(
– burigat (burigat)
I live in Phuket, arrived on February 7. It's hot here, but overall, the island is nice.
First I lived in Phuket Town for a week, then Naiharn, now Laguna. Monthly budget is about 45k baht – $1,200 + utilities $150
The price range varies greatly depending on the city and area. In Phuket Town, a one-room apartment of 35 square meters in a new comfortable condominium can be rented for $300 if the contract is for a year. For tourists, you can find a one-room apartment in an average area for $500-600. More is spent on food here than in Ukraine, we buy some products in the store, and order some food ready-made.
Ideally, you should get insurance here, the price tag can vary greatly, but for $50 a month, I think you can find it. You can buy everything you need on Lazada, the prices for some goods are cheaper than in the CIS.
Montenegro
Visa-free period – 30 days
– Alexander (GranMaster87)
We arrived in Herceg Novi on March 8, 2022, and left 6 days after, but it took us a week to get there. We immediately applied for legalization of the residence permit (by registering a shell company), it all cost €1,000. It needs to be renewed every year, but the amount will be an order of magnitude less. We found an apartment through a local realtor (free of charge) – €340 + utilities, one bedroom and a kitchen with a living room combined, a total of 33 m2. At that time, this was ALREADY taking into account the increase in prices due to the influx of migrants. At the moment, this is considered a pretty good price, now it will be difficult to find such an apartment for less than €450.
A residence permit gives the right to be here legally + school for a child + medicine for everyone (except a dentist). Utilities in the summer are €70, in the winter €120 (electricity + water + Internet €20). These are mandatory expenses. You can also add food here – €250-300. Communication costs €14 (€7 per person) per month. That's probably all that is mandatory. But besides this, a lot of money is spent on all sorts of little things. We try to shop in shopping centers, it's a little cheaper, but you have to go by bus.
We eat relatively well, and we also try to eat healthy food – a minimum of fast food/pizza, sweets and flour, but vegetables, fruits, meat, dairy, cereals, eggs, nuts are always on the table. Fish is rare, since it is rarely cheap, however, as is sausage, also rare, since it is not healthy.
Public transport costs €1 per ticket, I also go to football – €3 per game, plus dancing for a child €30, occasionally cafes, clothes, household goods and for the child. We rent a car once a month to go for a walk, €50 per day with petrol. And of course, relaxation for the soul – alcohol with nuts, occasionally with chips, and a hookah :)) This is a separate expense item for €50+.
Oh, and you also have to pay a company tax of €100 per month.
If we don't get sick, we get by on about €1,100 per family. I think we live on the bare minimum of a full life, we save as much as we can, but we try to have everything :))
We came from Samara and are not planning to go back. The flight was very expensive, we were unlucky, the plane broke down, I wrote about it in the blog , those were hard days :)) We live well here, the summer was really hot, and the tourists got on our nerves with their discos (we are five minutes from the sea, so the music was clearly audible). In winter the floors and the apartment itself are cold, sometimes there is mold, well, that's just it, solvable and everyday problems :)
I play NL50 (not successfully at the moment), my wife is a budding graphic designer, my daughter has started first grade (by Russian standards, here it is already considered second). The attitude towards us seems to be excellent, we are learning the language on our own, but we communicate mainly with the Russian-speaking crowd, no matter how you look at it, it is large here.
In general, welcome to Europe, even if it is backward. In any case, it is better than in the Russian Federation.