From Yahoo Finance: 2025-04-04 03:04:00

Elena and Viktor in Russia have become full-time delivery couriers, quitting regular jobs for better pay and flexibility. The courier market in Russia grew 34% in 2024 to 54.4 billion roubles due to e-commerce growth. Some couriers, like Elena, earn three to four times more than other jobs in their region.

The conflict in Ukraine has boosted wages and consumer spending in Russia, leading to higher inflation. Delivery companies like Samokat, Kuper, Yandex, X5, and Magnit are seeing increased demand. Yandex Food has attracted more couriers as the market expands, offering flexibility and additional income opportunities.

Architecture student Polina Kalinichenko earns around 50,000 roubles in March as a courier alongside her studies. Some entrepreneurs, like Roman Kolesnikov, have pivoted to running a fleet of delivery drivers in Moscow, renting out small, cheap cars to couriers. Roman’s fleet can earn him over 300,000 roubles in a good month, contributing to the majority of his family’s income.



Read more at Yahoo Finance: Delivery boom draws Russians to courier jobs in search of extra cash