It's complicated. Comparisons based on median income are inherently flawed due the radical differences in regimes (let's start from free education and housing).

It's complicated. Comparisons based on median income are inherently flawed due the radical differences in regimes (let's start from free education and housing). Let's compare it using market tools. The black market exchange rate was about 5 roubles for one US dollar in late USSR (official rate was about 60 cents for one rouble, but you had to be an elite to use it, and even then, in very small amounts) - you get up to death toll if they catch you with dollars, but that's another story. So 1 kopeyks in USSR was about 0.2 cents, and inflation calculator will tell you that would be about 0.6 cents in current value.