Wealthy Clients Prioritize Health and Domestic Travel in Winter
A study by Bank Saint Petersburg revealed changes in the spending patterns of premium card holders during the New Year holidays. Home goods and medicine entered the top five, with most expenses going to domestic tourism.
Feb 28, 2026 0
Bank Saint Petersburg conducted a study among clients with premium cards and identified new priorities in spending during the winter holidays. The categories «home goods» and «medicine» entered the top five, displacing jewelry and entertainment.
Supermarkets led in terms of spending volume with an average check of 1,760 rubles (approximately $20 at current rates). The following categories were:
- Cafes and restaurants — 1,813 rubles (approximately $20 at current rates);
- Clothing and footwear — 11,198 rubles (approximately $124 at current rates);
- Home goods — 5,346 rubles (approximately $59 at current rates);
- Medicine — 11,196 rubles (approximately $124 at current rates).
Bank experts highlighted a second feature of the 2026 New Year holidays — sustained interest in domestic tourism. Almost 98% of cashless transactions were in Russia. Moreover, geographical preferences changed: instead of Moscow, Kaliningrad, Sochi, Kazan, and Kislovodsk, wealthy clients more often visited northern regions and Siberia.
More than half of all expenses were made in the home region — Saint Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast, with the bulk going to supermarkets. Among other popular cities were Moscow, Kaliningrad, Minsk, Novosibirsk, and Veliky Novgorod.
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