Lithuania. Visaginas today.

The 'Domino' Centre is a typical European shopping centres.

Торговый центр.

A new indoor market.

Рынок почти готов.

A new indoor market was built and is ready to welcome the local farmers to sell local products.

Построен новый крытый рынок.

Primary school teaching in native Lithuanian language.

Начальная школа с обучением на литовском языке.

The school sportsground.

Школьная спортивная площадка.

Facades of tired buildings are updated.

Фасады зданий обновляются.

The Lithuanias average salary in the second quarter of 2011 increased by 1.7% to 2.107,7 Litas (excluding private sectors salaries). The public sector salaries reached 2.231,5 litas (646.8 euros), while private - 2,028 litas (587.8 euros). Real wages (after taxes) in the public and private sectors amounted to 1.730,1 respectively (501.5 euros) and 1.581,5 (458.4 euros).

The price of Petrol is almost the same as in England 4.37LTL = £1.07,Diesel is 4.28LTL = £1.05.

Цены на бензин почти такие же как в Англии.

The figure of the Lithuanian average earnings gives you a picture of the cost of food, food is too expensive.

The average montly salary in Lithuania according to the Lithuanian Department of Statistics is about 620 euros.
- The minimum montly wage before taxes is approximately 232 euros.
- The average montly pension - 216 euros.
Interestingly, despite the fact that the average salary in Lithuania is about 620 euros,
- 2/3 of the population of Lithuania have an income below 620 euros.
- only 27% of the working population (employees) receiving more than 2.5 thousand Litas montly (more than 735 euros)
- only 3.2% is those who receive 5.5 thousand Litas (over 1617 euros) montly.
- only 3975 people (employees) receive montly 10 001 litas or more (2941 euros).

- unemployment was 17.1% (2010 year)
- Inflation was 1.2%.
- Income tax in Lithuania - 15%.
- Social Security tax -30.98% (from employer) and 9% (with the employee).
- The level of real emigration has not been studied, but according to various estimates:
- 90 thousand people left Lithuania in 2010,
- from 300 to 700 thousand people fled Lithuania since 2004.

Prices of most popular products.
Prices shown in euros (national currencies LTL converted into euros at the current rate.)

Rye bread (0.5 kg) - €1.29 (euros) /UK price -£1.20
Wheat bread (0,5 kg) - €1.01 /UK price - £0.75
Milk (2.5%,1 liter)- € 0.58 /UK price - £0.95 - (Tesco Pure Fresh Whole Milk 1 Litre)
Butter (82%, 250 grams) - €1.71 /UK price - £1.19 - (Tesco Value Butter 250G)
Potatoes, 1 kg - €0.54  /UK price - £0.59 (Market Value New Potatoes 1Kg)
Oil (Sunflower, 1 liter) - €2.11  /UK price - £1.58 (Tesco Pure Sunflower Oil 1 Litre)
Tea (Ceylon, 100 gr.) - €1.73  /UK price - £1.12/100g (Tesco Finest Ceylon Tea Bags 50'S)
Egg (10 pcs) - €1.07  /UK price - £1.98 (£0.20/each) Big And Festive Eggs Box Of 10
Rice ( 0.8 kg) - €1.59 /UK price - £1.10 (Tesco Easy Cook Long Grain Rice 1Kg)
Meat (beef, lean). - €5.50, /UK price - £8.99/kg (Tesco Fresh Beef Joint)
Poultry meat (broiler) - €2.61  /UK price - £3.19/kg (Tesco Fresh Whole Chicken Medium)
Sugar (1 kg) - €1.01  /UK price - £0.92/100g (Tesco Granulated Pure Cane Sugar)
Chocolate (milk, 100 gr.) - €0.87  /UK price - £1.89/100g (Tesco Cadbury Dairy Milk)

So, food in supermarkets, clothes and shoes, electronic products, books, utilities (especially heating). Most of these goods and services in Lithuania cost the same or even more than in London, Berlin, Paris…
For example, family in winter pays about 400-500 LTL every month for heating (flat of 3 rooms). But Lithuanian wages are really different from residents of the Western Europe.

Poverty and Inequality in the European Union.

Где в Прибалтике жить сытнее: цены на продукты в Литве, Латвии и Эстонии. Читать здесь!