Russian cities and regions guide.

In 1947, 500 rubles was approximately equal to the average monthly salary in the USSR. The economic situation was difficult due to the consequences of World War II, the drought and famine of 1946-1947. The rationing system introduced during the war continued to operate until December 1947, and the prices of goods on ration cards differed from commercial prices (collective farm markets).

Some examples: bread (on ration cards): about 1-2 rubles per kg (rye bread), at collective farm markets - up to 10-15 rubles per kg; meat - 12-15 rubles per kg (beef) and up to 60-70 rubles; sugar - about 5-6 rubles per kg and up to 20-30 rubles; salt - about 1-2 rubles per kg and up to 10 rubles; milk - about 2-3 rubles per liter and up to 10-15 rubles, eggs - about 8-10 rubles per ten and up to 20-30 rubles, laundry soap - about 5-10 rubles per bar and up to 50-100 rubles, cigarettes - about 5-7 rubles per pack and up to 50-60 rubles, shoes (men's boots) - about 100-150 rubles per pair and up to 500-700 rubles at the market.

So the amount of 500 rubles was a relatively high additional income for this officer, considering that he probably took such bribes from several people every month.

It is also interesting that at the end of 1947, a confiscatory monetary reform was carried out in the USSR, when the rationing system was abolished, new banknotes were exchanged for old ones at a par value of 1:10 (only bank deposits of up to 3,000 rubles were exchanged at par), and prices dropped by 10-15 percent or remained approximately the same. So it is very likely that this officer, having many thousands of rubles in cash, received through bribes, essentially lost most of this money. Thanks for this interesting question and story!