What is it Like Growing Up in the World’s Coldest City? −71°C (−95°F) Yakutsk

Hi, I’m Kiun B, and here’s what a typical  day in my life looks like. Today, it’s -48°C. For most people, it’s hard to imagine,  but for me, it’s just another winter day.

Before stepping outside, we need  several layers of special winter clothes. I start with camel wool knee pads to protect my  joints and camel wool socks for insulation and warmth. Then, I put on insulated padded trousers  and a light jacket under my down jacket.

Wearing two jackets is essential for me when  it’s below -45°C. My down jacket, designed for extreme weather, is filled  with thick insulation like goose down. Keeping your head, hands, feet, and neck warm  is crucial.

My mittens feature traditional Yakutian beaded patterns, combining style and  warmth. I also wear Yakutian fur boots, which are essential since regular boots would freeze in  minutes. Okay, now I’m fully geared up and ready to step outside.

It takes quite a bit of effort and  a lot of time just to get dressed for the cold Sometimes, even a quick trip to the grocery store  feels like a huge task in weather like this. I live in an apartment building,  and our entrance is protected by two heavy doors to keep the cold  from creeping in. It’s completely normal in Yakutia to have two or even  three doors to block out the cold.

When you step outside, the icy air hits your lungs  like a shock, making it difficult to breathe. The freezing, dry air irritates your airways, and  the dense cold feels heavy with every breath. In Yakutsk, infrastructure is built for  extreme cold, with roads, buildings, and utilities adapted for temperatures below -70°C.

Most  apartments, like mine, have 24/7 central heating to stay warm. Roads require constant maintenance  to remain usable. Drving is tough with slippery conditions and the need for insulation and  winter tires.

Maintaining a car is challenging, so I stick to public transport like buses. The nearest bus stop is about 300 meters from my home, which takes me about five  minutes to walk. But even in that short time, I can feel the cold seeping through,  especially on exposed areas like my face.

This is my bus stop, right in front of our  local cinema. Yakutia’s cinematography is considered some of the best in the country.  Despite our small population and extreme weather, filmmakers from Yakutia have  gained worldwide recognition.

Many of you might be wondering how we’re managing  to film in these freezing conditions. Let me introduce you to my cameraman, Kim. Today,  we’re using three different cameras to capture everything.

Why so many? In temperatures  like these, cameras freeze quickly, so we rotate them—each one is used for a  maximum of 10 minutes before being placed back into a warm bag while we switch to another. Even we can only stay outside for about 15 minutes at a time before we have to rush back indoors  to warm up.

Filming here is no small feat cameras can malfunction, and every  moment is a race against the cold. Buses in Yakutsk are a lifeline for many, especially during the harsh winter  when driving a car becomes a challenge. They’re usually well-heated, providing a  much-needed escape from the freezing cold.

so after just being outside for 10 minutes  I don't feel my nose and it's painfully itchy so when I touch it I can't  feel my nose and it's really cold Walking outside for more than 10 minutes, you can  already feel the cold biting into you. The exposed parts of your body, especially my nose, are the  first to freeze. As you can see, the skin on my nose is starting to turn white—that’s the first  sign of frostbite.

So, I decided to rush to the nearby mall to warm up before continuing. Even in these extreme conditions, we do have homeless people, like this  woman standing in front of the mall The city provides shelters during winter to  help them stay warm and safe, but unfortunately, not everyone uses them. Many homeless  people suffer from severe frostbite, often losing fingers or toes to the extreme cold.

In Yakutsk, we have wardrobes in malls, cinemas, and theaters where people  can leave their heavy jackets It’s impossible to walk around comfortably in a  heated building while wearing a thick down jacket, and even moving in padded trousers is a  challenge—you can barely move freely in them. These wardrobes make it much easier to  walk indoors after braving the cold outside. In Yakutia, we don’t have big malls with lots of  brands like in central Russia.

Here, the malls are smaller and have fewer options, especially  now that many international brands have left It’s a very different shopping  experience compared to bigger cities. Most people in Yakutia prefer to order online, and Chinese shopping apps are  very popular. It’s convenient, especially with limited choices locally.

Instead, we have many local jewelry brands, as Yakutia is the largest diamond  mining region in the world Most of the world’s diamonds are mined  here, but almost all are exported abroad, and the few that stay are priced higher.  Despite this, diamonds and jewelry are very popular among locals, with most  pieces made from silver and gold. Malls are social hubs in Yakutia, where  people gather not just to shop but to escape the cold and spend time together.

With  limited outdoor activities during winter, they’re a place to meet friends,  enjoy a warm meal, or let kids play while staying out of the freezing weather. Another unique shopping experience in Yakutia is the local fur brands. Yakutia has been a  center of fur exports for centuries.

During the Russian Empire, high-quality furs like  sable, mink, and fox were sold across Europe, mostly sourced from Yakutia. Known as 'soft  gold,' these furs were prized for their luxury and durability. Women here often shop  for fur coats, as they are not just a luxury but a necessity. 

Even my two jackets wouldn’t  be enough to handle the extreme cold for long, but a fur coat provides unmatched warmth and  protection against the freezing temperatures. The price of fur coats starts at $6,000 and can go up to $17,000 for a sable coat. But  of course, with such high prices, not everyone in Yakutia can afford one. 

Many women save for years to invest in one. so in Yakutsk I don't have any  car at this level of coldness the weather can easily freeze the car  so I prefer just to walk outside or take a bus I’ve never owned a car  in Yakutia—it’s just too much effort Engines must run all the time to avoid freezing,  or you can use heated blanket systems, which turns the engine on and off automatically,  but they’re heavy, hard to use. For me, taking the bus is easier, but walking to the bus  stop and waiting in the cold isn’t easy either.

When I was a kid, I used to take the  bus to school all by myself from the age of six.  Sometimes the bus would be  late by half an hour, and there were no heated bus stops back then. I’d just stand  there, freezing, with the wind cutting right through me.

Because it was so cold, I even cried  once - but my tears froze into little icicles. After that, I realized crying outside  in Yakutia isn’t the best idea I guess when you’re a kid, you don’t feel the  cold the same way and don’t take it as seriously as you do when you get older. Many kids here  play outside even in -50°C because they just don’t want to go back home.

They want to  have fun, no matter how harsh the cold is. Using phones outside in Yakutia is a  challenge, so we don’t rely on them much. We only take them out if absolutely necessary,  as the cold drains the battery or shuts them off.

Phones here are more for  emergencies than casual use. I started feeling cold again, so I found a small  coffee shop nearby to warm up. It’s such a relief to step inside, feel the heat, and take a  break from the freezing weather outside.

The mascara smudged all over again Such a hassle, haha After warming up and taking a short break, I  wanted to show you just how cold it is outside I asked for a cup of hot water from the  coffee shop to demonstrate something incredible—how hot water instantly turns  to ice when thrown into the freezing air. so now we are taking a taxi to another district  the least safest District in Yakutsk I would say and even the taxi drivers they're not taking  us Yakutsk is a relatively small city with a population of around 400,000 people. Despite its  size, it’s the cultural and economic hub of the region. 

The central areas of the city are  more developed, with government buildings, shopping malls, schools, and  cultural landmarks like theaters and museums. Life here is busier and  more modern compared to the outskirts. But let me show you the other parts of the city! 

Like any city, Yakutsk has its less safe areas These neighborhoods are often  on the edges of the city, where the infrastructure is less developed,  and living conditions can be quite rough. Historically, most of Yakutsk was built  with wooden two-story flats spread across the city. Many of these old wooden flats still exist  on the outskirts of the city, and people continue to live there because they simply can’t afford to  move into newer stone apartment buildings.

Life in these wooden flats is incredibly  challenging. Most don’t have modern plumbing, so there are no showers or toilets inside.  Residents  use public toilets outside, and during the winter when temperatures drop to -50°C, this can be brutal.

Many people rely on  using buckets for their bathroom needs, which they then have to carry outside to empty.  It’s a harsh reality for those living in these areas, reflecting the stark contrast  in living conditions within the city. These old wooden flats do have a central  heating system, but it’s often not enough.

The cold air seeps through gaps in the windows and  walls, making it hard to keep warm, even indoors. Residents have to rely on additional layers  of clothing and blankets to stay comfortable during the harsh winters. This neighborhood  is considered one of the most dangerous in Yakutsk.

It’s better not to walk here alone  after dark, as you might come across drunk people wandering the streets. However, it’s  important to remember that not everyone here is like that. Many residents are hardworking people  who simply can’t afford to move to a newer, more comfortable place.

Despite the challenges, they  stay and do their best to make a life here. It’s getting dark, and I’d rather not  wander alone in this neighborhood. Instead, let’s move to the safer streets of Yakutsk, where most young people spend their  weekends and where locals go to have fun.

This street is a renewed version of the old city, complete with a beautiful church  at its center. It blends modern shops and restaurants with a touch of Yakutsk’s  history, making it a favorite spot for locals. In Yakutia, the only real way to  have fun during winter months is indoors.

Most locals spend their time in  restaurants, cafes, or malls, as these warm spaces are perfect for relaxing,  meeting friends, and staying active. Dating and socializing in Yakutia usually  happen in restaurants and nightclubs, the main spots to meet during the long winters. Despite the harsh weather,  people here love dressing up.

Women especially take pride in looking  after themselves and dressing elegantly, no matter how extreme the conditions are outside. Drnking alcohol in Yakutia is particularly  dangerous because it numbs your senses, making it harder to feel the cold. Sadly, there  have been many tragic incidents where people, after drinking too much, fall asleep outside and freeze to death.

This happens especially  often during the New Year celebrations when temperatures are at their lowest,  and people spend more time celebrating and drinking. It’s a harsh reminder of  how unforgiving the extreme cold can be. this is how one of my day looks like  in the coldest city on earth Yakutsk, i hope you enjoyed it and stay warm.

now i'm going  back home because i feel really cold. Bye!