Russian cities are safer than many US cities. Because of wide differences between incomes, one should take care with unknown people that seem friendly, lock the doors and do the precaution things just as in many other places in the world.

Expatriates who seek a permanent location should find a real estate agent. Information is hard to find and laws are ambiguous. In general, the closer from the city center, the more westernized and the more publicized it is, the more expensive.