In Soviet Russia dollar exchange rate was established by the state and was 1 dollar for 63 Russian copecks, or 1 American dollar for 0.63 Russian ruble.
What could the Foreigners coming to Russia afford? Here is the short review for the prices at that times in American dollars:
Small loaf - $0.11
Bread - $0.30
Cigarettes (Bulgarian, Eastern European) - $0.83
Cigarettes imported Marlboro - $2.50
Eggs (10 pieces) - $1.66
Ice-cream $0.25
Chocolate bar (0.22 pound) 100g - $1.33
Milk 1 liter (32 fl. oz) - $0.76
Cheese (2.2 pounds - 1kg) $3.66
Recycled glass bottle - $0.16
Salt (2.2 pounds pack) - $0.16
Potatos (2.2 pounds) 1 kilo - $0.41
Cucumbers (2.2 pounds) 1 kilo - $1.16
Tape cassette recorder, Russian make - $241.00
Acoustic guitar, Russian make - $41.00
Parker pen with a golden feather - $8.33
Beer, Russian make, 16 fl.oz. (half liter) bottled - $0.66
Beef, (2.2 pounds) 1 kilo - $3.16 (also standing in line for two hours and not more than 5 pounds in one hands)
Vodka “Stolichnaya”, 16 fl.oz (half liter) bottled - $6.66
Wine red, white - $1.36
Sparkling wine - $6.95
Car, Soviet make, ZAZ - $5800
Boxer’s gloves $15.8
City bus $0.08
Flight Moscow-Kazakhstan $106
Small tape recorder, Russian make $160
Levi’s jeans, smuggled, sold at black market $416
Sweet beets $0.10
Sugar (2.2 pounds - 1kg) $1.30
Matches box $0.01 (often used as a change in shops when there was shortage of the small coins)
Sewing machine $97.00
Bicycle $80
Carpet, oriental style, Russian make, 10ft (3 meteres) long - $53
Wrist watches, Russian make $88
Electric shaver, Russian make $23
Piano $876
Fridge, Russian make - $250
Photo camera, Russian - $100
Vaccuum cleaner, Russian - $70
By the way, average Russian salary for someone like an office worker or a construction worker was around $200/month.
