The demand for purchasing yachts and motor boats in Russia showed a 25% increase between January and May, with the number of offers growing only by 9%. According to the Russian free online classified advertisement web platform Avito, the average sailboat price is RUR 1.3 mio ($20,306).
The most expensive yachts are sold in Moscow, the average cost amounting to RUR 2.2 mio, the Kommersant business newspaper reported. The greatest interest for purchasing yachts during the period was shown in Kazan and Novosibirsk.
According to the data analyzed by Avito experts between January and May in Russia’s 23 largest cities, including Barnaul, Izhevsk, Saratov and Irkutsk, May was the most popular month for buying sailboats. Residents of Kazan and Novosibirsk showed the most interest, making twice as much related internet searches, while residents of St. Petersburg displayed a decreased demand which is possibly linked to the high price, the city ranking 3rd among those selling the most expensive yachts yielding only to Moscow and Samara. In other Russian cities, sailboats are considerably cheaper.
The growth in demand resulted in increased prices for this type of watercraft: between January and May, the average cost went up to RUR 1.3 mio, growing by 7.4%.