One-bedroom apartment with eat-in kitchen

The ideal shortcut to "getting" Russia, they say, is to spend some time in a typical Russian household: easier said than done, of course. Since barging into a random apartment is highly inadvisable, we'll be doing it for you.

Location: Moscow, Sviblovo neighborhood
Residents: Natasha and Yuriy (29 years old) and Nikita (6 months old)
Building description: 5 stories, built in 1961
Apartment details: one bedroom with eat-in kitchen, located on the first floor of the building
Size: 40 square meters (430 square feet)
Market value (as of fall 2006): $145,000

Monthly payments:

Cold and hot water – 200 rubles ($7)
Electricity – 400 rubles ($14)
Gas – 100 rubles ($3.5)
TV antenna – 43 rubles ($1.6)
Garbage service – 150 rubles ($6)
Telephone – 200 rubles ($7)
Building entrance lock system – 26 rubles ($1)
Heat – 340 rubles ($13)
Nearest subway station: Sviblovo
Walking distance from subway station: 17 min

Plans:

To stay in the apartment until approximately 2010, when the city is set to demolish the apartment building and provide residents with newer, bigger apartments in the same area.