Avoiding financial bankruptcy during your child's education: Strategies to manage costs effectively

In Russia, the cost of education is a burden that every family must bear, according to economist Eugene Kogan, author of the Telegram channel bitkogan. This is evident in the rising expenses for parents of school-aged children, as shown in a study by MFTI.

The average weekly expenses for parents of 9th graders in Russia are around 4,500 rubles, an increase of 18% from the previous year. For 7-8 graders, the weekly expenses are approximately 4,000 rubles, a 14% increase, and for high school students (10-11 graders), the weekly expenses are around 5,800 rubles, a 16% increase.

These figures, obtained from SuperJob, suggest that for the academic year, parents of 7-8 graders could spend around 136,000 rubles, 9th graders around 153,000, and 10-11 graders almost 200,000. If tutoring expenses are considered, these percentages could rise significantly, with parents of 7-8 graders spending around 40% of their annual income, 9th graders around 45%, and 10-11 graders around 60%.

The rising costs cover not only tutoring but also utilities, mortgages, food, and occasional vacations. However, the article does not provide specific figures for these expenses.

In addition, there is no publicly available data on the average weekly costs for parents of 11th-grade students in Russia for tutors and additional educational opportunities in 2025. The cost of these services varies widely, with no fixed rates reported for Russia as of 2025.

One potential solution to reduce these costs is switching to homeschooling in grade 11, allowing for a full focus on exam preparation. Another option is hiring remote tutors from other cities, joining group exam prep classes, or signing up for university courses.

It's important to note that the cost of education in St. Petersburg vocational schools and universities was not discussed in the text. Also, comments on the potential abolition of schoolchildren's "homework" and education by prescription, made by Kirill Shulika and Kirill Shuliha respectively, were not mentioned in the article.

Despite these rising costs, the average nominal salary in Russia in 2025 is expected to be nearly 103,000 rubles. The table shows the potential impact of tutoring expenses on annual income for parents of students in different grades.

Over 60% of parents of high school students in Russia used the services of tutors in 2025, an increase of 12% from the previous year. This illustrates the growing reliance on tutors to ensure academic success in the face of rising education costs.