How to buy an apartment in Minsk if no one can help? A Belarusian who saves $1000 a month and is still desperate asks the question

Minsk World residential complex. Photo: Developer

A resident of Minsk described his problem with buying an apartment on Threads. He is not married, lives alone, has an above-average salary, and saves a thousand dollars a month (while paying rent). But with current prices, he calculated, he will only be able to buy a decent two-room apartment for $120,000 in 10 years.

"Mortgage? At 20% annual interest in foreign currency – that's giving the bank two more such apartments on top," he muses.

"Can anyone who recently bought an apartment in Minsk alone advise — how did you manage it? Parents helped? Crypto? Freelancing for the West?" — the Minsk resident asks.

Павялічыць

Photo: Screenshot of a Threads post

No help — no way?

Many in the comments admit that they managed to get their own housing thanks to inheritance or parental help.

"Grandma's inheritance allowed me to buy an apartment. There's not much to be proud of, but some of the anxiety disappeared. At least I have my own nest," writes one of the commenters.

Others don't understand why people don't want to take out a loan.

"None of you want to take out loans and whine that you have to save for housing for decades. By the time 10 years pass, apartments will have risen in price even more. I took out a loan, my monthly payment is a little less than 1500 rubles, and I already live in my own apartment. With current prices, 1500 is nothing, and in 5 or more years, it will be even less than nothing."

Comments about how difficult it is to save the entire amount because apartments are also getting more expensive are valid. For example, compared to April 2025 alone, the average cost per square meter in the capital increased by 45%: from $1563 to $2272.

Some commenters note that if you're paying rent, it's better to take out a loan as soon as possible and overpay interest for your own home than to pay rent for someone else's.

"Take a loan, inflation eats everything up, apartment prices are relentlessly rising. This way you pay a landlord for rent and end up with nothing, but this way you will pay for your own, even with an overpayment, but it will be yours. Save up for the first payment — and go for it! It's better to live here and now than to save, because who knows what will happen," a commenter reflects.

"Save. But the moment when the loan payment would equal the rent, I would already buy my own," another advises.

Most people share that they bought an apartment on credit and are satisfied that they did, although it was scary and difficult at first.

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Illustrative image. Photo: lookby.media

"Take a mortgage in Belarusian rubles and don't think about it, don't calculate the "overpayment" in apartments, you will be paying for your own housing. Inflation hasn't been cancelled either. We took one 5 years ago, from 2200 payments became 1500 in 5 years, quite comfortable with your income. Start with a one-room apartment, but just start. You won't regret it," a woman shares her experience.

It is also often advised to buy something budget-friendly and then gradually renovate it, continue saving, and then sell it to buy something more decent.

Three years on a liner — and $100,000 in your pocket

A real estate agent also responded in the comments.

"I had one deal where eight relatives collected money for an apartment for a girl, and she still took out a loan for part of the amount. And most deals are credit-based (yes, usually they take a loan for up to 30 percent of the cost when they're tired of paying rent). For cash, there were young guys with businesses (or IT), 25+ years old," says the realtor, who herself and her husband first saved for 10 years for their first apartment and then another 10 years for a new, more spacious one.

And there are those who suggest going abroad to earn money. One commenter gives the example of her brother who, she says, saved $100,000 for his own apartment in three years of working on a liner.

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Illustrative image. Photo: "Nashaniva"

"Worked on a liner. Accommodation and food free. Saved for 3 years — and $100K in pocket."

"Collect currency and wait for the collapse"

Some commenters generally believe that now is not the best time to enter the real estate market. They say that prices will soon go down, as they did in Belarus after 2007 and 2013.

"The real estate market moves in a spiral just like the economy of the Republic of Belarus. The longer they delay devaluation, the deeper it will be. And along with the collapse devaluation, the real estate market will correct itself. This has happened before, and more than once. So save euros/francs and live your life," writes one commenter.

"Collect currency and wait for the collapse. It will happen quite soon," adds another.

There are also those who advise buying a plot of land and gradually building a house as funds become available.

A commenter from Gomel generally believes that it is not necessary to strive to live in Minsk with its high housing prices.

"It's simple. Live in Gomel in your own apartment. Work for a foreign company not represented in Belarus (the employer doesn't care which city you're from, the salary scale will be the same), and ignore Minsk. The point of Minsk is not clear to me at all," writes the Gomel resident.

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