At 25 or Never? Krasnodar Residents on Starting Independent Life

Psychologists debate: is the optimal age for separation 21–25 years old for both sexes, or should women start earlier and men later? The debate is complicated by the fact that scenarios differ in different countries: in many European countries, people start living independently only closer to 30, while in Russia such a late «departure» is considered abnormal.

When do Krasnodar residents start living independently by moving out from their parents? 93.RU decided to ask residents at what age they left their parents« house, what preceded it, and where they live now.

What do psychologists say about separation?

Psychologists believe that full separation is the key to mature relationships with parents and partners. According to experts, it is necessary to start living independently at 21–24 years old: by this age, financial independence, personal boundaries, and responsibility are formed.

Interestingly, many believe that women need to start living independently earlier than men: 20-23 years old versus 23-27 years old. This is explained by the fact that girls more often strive for emotional independence. However, no one is advised to stay with parents after 30: it complicates future marriage and fosters infantilism.

The VTsIOM (Russian Public Opinion Research Center) conducted a poll in January 2026, according to which the average age when residents of Russia move out from their parents is 21. This indicator has hardly changed over the years. But there is another peculiarity: due to the difficulty of buying their own housing and other economic reasons, more and more young people continue to live with their parents. Currently, this is about four out of ten respondents.

At the same time, women are much stricter about whether a man lives with his parents after 30. The majority would not build a relationship with such a partner. And men in this sense are much softer: for many, this is not a «red flag».

«In the capitals, the attitude towards cohabitation with parents is noticeably softer, especially among women. In small towns and rural areas, the requirements are stricter. Apparently, it»s all about housing availability: in small settlements it«s easier to buy your own home than in a large city. Personal experience of independent living influences opinion on this issue. Those who separated from their parents early (before 24) are significantly stricter in assessing potential partners who continue to live with their family,» the study states.

What do Krasnodar residents say?

The portal 93.RU polled Krasnodar residents of different ages and genders to find out when they moved out from their parents and for what reasons.

«I moved out at just under 18, went away to study. I»m fine, I like everything, but when I became a mother myself, I started to appreciate more that someone else cleaned and cooked at home. I miss that time. True, then I come to my mom«s on vacation and think, »Well, no, I«d better go back to my own home.» But if need forces me to return to my parents« house — nothing can be done. Now I live in a mortgaged apartment,» — Kristina, 29 years old.

«I moved from my parents to my grandmother»s in my first year of university to be more independent. It didn«t help — I was expelled after the first session due to truancy. And I moved into my own apartment at around 27-28. My parents helped me buy it, I wouldn»t have saved up myself. It«s great, but I have to do a thorough cleaning before my parents visit or listen to criticism if they arrive unexpectedly,» — Maxim, 33 years old.

«I moved in with my sister at 18 to get rid of parental control, but living with another woman by her rules is also difficult. So officially I started living alone at 22. The first month I was scared by the feeling that no one would save me if something happened, and in general, being always alone in the apartment is scary. And then I felt the sensation of freedom of choice, being an independent hostess in the kitchen and choosing for myself what and when to do. Now I rent an apartment,» — Valeria, 29 years old.

«I started living separately at 29 when I got married. After that moment, we lived in a separate apartment — my parents helped. Before marriage, I lived in a private house with my mom, but I never considered the possibility of living separately. There was neither desire nor need. It»s not very clear to me why I would need to move from the house where I was born. The house is big, there was enough space, and there was always something to do and help with in the yard,« — Vladimir, 42 years old.

«I moved out at 23 to another city because of my future husband»s job. I never lived alone, but I absolutely immediately calmly accepted all the household chores and handled them quite well. I like being the hostess and deciding everything myself. But I don«t really like cooking, cleaning, and so on. Although in the end I do everything anyway and feel fine. I wouldn»t get along with my mom anymore, living by someone else«s rules is hard, I like creating my own more. At first we lived in rented apartments, now in our own — my parents helped,» — Victoria, 30 years old.

«I started living alone at 23. It was stressful that on my parents» territory I was under a microscope and everything was decided for me — what I would eat, what was washed and what I would wear, who I would hang out with and until what time. I was already working, so I definitely decided it was time to move to a rental. I had to learn practically from scratch: proper cleaning, cooking. From my own experience, I realized that an air conditioner running from May to September is an expensive pleasure for the utilities bill. But after years I can say it was a 100% right and necessary decision. I learned to understand electrical work, plumbing, and minor repairs. I got cats, a bunch of houseplants, and built a smart home system with a bunch of sensors,« — Alexander, 27 years old.

«I moved out from my parents when I was 17. The reason is banal, like many — I entered a university in another city. I moved together with my future husband, so I wasn»t bored or lonely. Initially, there were problems with renting an apartment, alas, I fell for scammers. But I still found housing. I had no problems with cleaning and cooking. I«m not helpless in everyday life, my husband isn»t either, thanks to our parents. Yes, during my student years, my mom and dad helped me financially and thank them for that, I was able to feel what youth is like. I«ve been working constantly since I was 20. Now I am financially independent of my parents in no way and I have no desire to return to my childhood room and live with my mom. I»m a different person now. I understand that my move gave me an active push and made me more mature. Now my husband and I live in our own home — it was inherited. For me it«s strange that even at 25 I hear from friends that they don»t know how much eggs or chicken cost in the store and don«t know how to pay utilities because they still live with their parents,» — Ekaterina, 25 years old.