Up to 55%: Where the Most and Least Expensive Loans Are in the Volga Federal District

Russia's credit card costs surge to 54.3% as inflation bites in 2026

Nizhny Novgorod, April 28 – NTA-Privolzhye – The total cost of credit (TCC) on credit cards across Russia averaged 54.3% in March 2026, according to data provided to the NTA-Privolzhye news agency by the National Bureau of Credit Histories (NBCH).

This marks a 7.6-percentage-point increase over the past year (from 46.7% in March 2025) and a 0.4-point rise compared to the previous month (February 2026 saw 53.9%). Analysts note that this is the highest figure recorded in recent years, with the TCC climbing for the third consecutive month.

Within the Volga Federal District, Samara Oblast has the most expensive credit cards, with a TCC of 55.1%—an 8.4-point jump from March 2025 (when it stood at 46.7%).

The lowest rates are in Bashkortostan, where the TCC is 52% (up 7.3 points from 44.7% a year earlier).

The steepest increase was seen in Udmurtia, where rates surged by 8.5 points (from 46% to 54.5%), while Ulyanovsk Oblast managed to curb growth most effectively, with a 7-point rise (from 45.5% to 52.5%).

TCC Dynamics for Credit Cards in the Volga Federal District (March 2026 vs. March 2025, in percentage points)

| Region | March 2025, % | March 2026, % | Change, p.p. | |--------------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------| | Samara Oblast | 46.7 | 55.1 | 8.4 | | Chuvash Republic | 46.7 | 54.8 | 8.1 | | Nizhny Novgorod Oblast | 46.9 | 54.8 | 7.9 | | Udmurt Republic | 46.0 | 54.5 | 8.5 | | Penza Oblast | 46.3 | 54.5 | 8.2 | | Republic of Mordovia | 46.3 | 54.5 | 8.2 | | Kirov Oblast | 46.7 | 54.4 | 7.7 | | Orenburg Oblast | 46.0 | 54.3 | 8.3 | | Republic of Mari El | 45.9 | 54.1 | 8.2 | | Perm Krai | 46.1 | 54.1 | 8.0 | | Republic of Tatarstan | 45.5 | 53.8 | 8.3 | | Saratov Oblast | 46.1 | 53.8 | 7.7 | | Ulyanovsk Oblast | 45.5 | 52.5 | 7.0 | | Republic of Bashkortostan| 44.7 | 52.0 | 7.3 |

Experts note that amid the Central Bank's monetary policy aimed at cooling the credit market, banks have tightened borrower solvency assessments, driving up the TCC and restricting not only new loan issuance but also average credit limits.

Earlier, it was reported that on April 24, 2026, the Bank of Russia's Board of Directors decided to cut the key rate by 50 basis points, bringing it to 14.5% per annum.

Recall that the Volga Federal District has seen an acceleration in annual inflation, with the rate climbing to 6.7% in March 2026 from 6.5% the previous month.