Housing Type Comparison: Which Is More Comfortable to Live In?

On the real estate market, a true battle of formats is unfolding. On one side of the ring — the time-tested Khrushchyovka with isolated rooms and a tiny kitchen. On the other — the trendy Euro-2-room apartment (evrokvartira) with an open-plan space and minimal partitions. Real estate agents praise both, but where is the truth? Let's find out which apartment format is truly more convenient for everyday life.

• Khrushchyovkas win in privacy and sound insulation between rooms;
• Euro-2-room apartments offer more light and a sense of spaciousness, but suffer in functionality;
• Cooking in an open studio space is not for everyone;
• The price per square meter in new constructions often doesn't justify the real comfort;
• Choice depends more on family composition and lifestyle than trendy trends.

The first thing that strikes the eye in a Euro-2-room apartment is the feeling of spaciousness. 45 square meters feel bigger than 60 in a Khrushchyovka, and it's not an illusion. An open kitchen-living room space indeed looks more impressive than a scattered set of small rooms.

But there's a catch: this works only when the apartment is empty or perfectly tidy. Leave a couple of pillows on the sofa out of place, scatter documents on the table, or fail to wash dishes — and all that 'spaciousness' turns into a display of domestic chaos.

In a Khrushchyovka, mess is localized. A cluttered bedroom doesn't affect the perception of the living room, and unwashed dishes on the kitchen counter stay behind a closed door. Psychologically, this is much more comfortable — especially when there are children at home or you simply don't have time for constant cleaning.

If you're the type who limits yourself to morning coffee and evening takeout reheating, then a kitchen-living room setup might seem convenient. You can watch TV and chat with family without feeling isolated.

But try frying fish or stewing cabbage in such a 'studio' — and you'll understand why Soviet-era kitchens were separated from living rooms. Odors, sounds, steam — all of it instantly fills the open space. Even the most powerful extractor won’t save a sofa from the scent of yesterday’s dinner.

In a Khrushchyovka, the kitchen is small — that’s a fact. But it's separate. You can cook borscht for three days, experiment with spices, even fry pancakes — and none of it will turn the rest of the apartment into a restaurant kitchen.

Modern developers cut corners on sound insulation, but at least in a Khrushchyovka you can close the bedroom door and not hear someone watching news or talking on the phone in the living room. Euro-2-room apartments don’t offer that luxury.

This is especially critical for families with children. A child is sick and sleeping during the day, but you need to work from home or just live a normal life? In an open studio space, this becomes a survival challenge. Every step and every sound echoes throughout the apartment.

Even watching a movie becomes an issue if family members have different tastes or schedules. In a Khrushchyovka, you can split up into rooms; in an Euro-2-room apartment, you’ll have to negotiate or compromise.

The small rooms of a Khrushchyovka are compensated by the number of corners, niches, and possibilities for furniture placement. A wardrobe in the bedroom, a shelf in the living room, attic storage in the entrance hall — places to store things are everywhere.

In a Euro-2-room apartment with an open space, every wardrobe becomes part of the interior design. You can’t just place a closet where it's convenient — it must fit into the overall picture. This seriously limits options.

Also, in an open studio space it's harder to hide seasonal items, rarely used objects, or children’s toys. Everything must be functional and aesthetic at the same time because it's always in view.

A young couple without children might find a Euro-2-room apartment ideal. But life changes: kids arrive, parents come to visit, and the need for personal space arises.

In a Khrushchyovka, everyone can find their corner. Teens close themselves in their room, parents rest in the bedroom, guests occupy the living room. In a Euro-2-room apartment, all these functions overlap.

Working from home in an open space is a separate form of torture, especially if the family lives a normal life. Video calls turn into displays of domestic life, and focusing on tasks becomes nearly impossible.

Euro-2-room apartments in new developments cost more than Khrushchyovkas not only due to fresh renovations. Developers position them as premium products, although in reality they offer less usable space for higher prices.

A square meter in a new building can cost 1.5 to 2 times more than in a Khrushchyovka. Yet, the real comfort of daily life is often lower. Beautiful pictures in ads don't compensate for everyday inconveniences.

Plus, there are utility bills. Modern homes with panoramic windows and high ceilings cost more to heat than old 'boxes' with thick walls.

A Khrushchyovka can be reconfigured if you really want to. Technically, it’s possible to remove the wall between kitchen and living room (though not always legally). In an Euro-2-room apartment, adding walls is much harder — and expensive, often forbidden by the project.

Renovation in a Khrushchyovka can be done step-by-step: first the kitchen, then the bedroom, then the living room. In a studio space, you have to update everything at once because half-renovated apartments would look odd.

But in new construction, modern utilities, quality windows, and well-thought-out ventilation are already included. In a Khrushchyovka, all of this has to be replaced — and it's a serious expense.

• Euro-2-room apartments are ideal for young people without children who cook little, travel often, and value modernity over functionality. For those who live in public view and don’t need personal space.
• Khrushchyovkas are better for families with children, people who spend a lot of time at home, love cooking or work from home. For those who value privacy and are willing to sacrifice trendy trends for real comfort.

The choice between a Khrushchyovka and an Euro-2-room apartment is a choice between practicality and aesthetics, between tested solutions and trendy experiments. And the right answer depends not on what designers in glossy magazines suggest, but on how you plan to live in your apartment every day.

Cover: Design project by Natalia Fedorova