According to statistics, the average salary of a Ukrainian in March 2017 was 6,957 UAH (about USD $260) monthly. On this amount income earners have to support their families, which gives, according to the government’s official data, only 111 US Dollars per family member.
Despite the modest absolute number of the average March 2017 pay check, the trend can be called positive. A year ago it was only 5,046 UAH ($188 at the relevant exchange rate).
Salary range
Analysts from Trud.com complied an updated list of most popular professions. The data came from analyzing vacancies placed through the online recruitment portal, Vesti-UA.net reported.
In 2017, the highest wages are offered to sales managers, drivers, and IT workers.
These specialists can earn around 10,000 UAH ($375) per month. People employed in show business and real estate can hope for about the same paychecks.
If one considers the entire range of wages advertised, this is what we will find:
- 85% of employers are not ready to pay employees more than 13,000 UAH ($487).
- Job ads offering 13,000 – 26,000 UAH ($487-975): 12%.
- Vacancies paying 26,000 – 39,000 UAH ($975-1462): 2.3%.
- Job offers with remuneration 50,000 UAH ($1875) or more: 0.05%.
However, there are still plenty of Ukrainian employers offering basic salaries of around the minimum wage 3,200 hryvnia, which is just 120 US Dollars. This is per month, not per week. Weekly payments are not practiced in the country.
At the same time, the government still fights so called “shadow economy”, where people get paid cash in envelopes, which allows both workers and hirers to save on taxes. It’s estimated about 40-47% of the state’s economy is in the shade. So, we can adjust the average earnings by 25-40% for a cash topper “in the envelope”, which is still a pretty low figure, whichever way you look at it.
Official reports from 2016 quoted that only 3 million people in the country pay taxes in full.
85% of Ukrainian employers are not ready to pay workers over $487 a month.
In demand jobs
The highest demand in Ukraine is for salesmen.
- The number of vacancies in sales was 15.7% of the total offers in Ukraine.
- Next, comes manufacturing with a share of 12.5%.
- The growing sphere of IT (8.1%) is not far behind.
Job ads by location:
- Kiev region has the highest number of jobs listed.
- Odessa is in the second place.
- It is followed by Kharkiv and Dnepropetrovsk regions.
Remote jobs
Experts from Trud.com note an increase of vacancies that involve remote employment: 5% of available positions are listed for people who are expected to work from home.
By the way, the infamous PPL marriage agencies job vacancies. which Trud still features in its listings, also fall into this category.
- Two-thirds of requests for remote employees are for copywriters and social media managers, who look after accounts of companies in social networks.
- 1/4 of remote positions call for workers of online stores.
In total, 5% of available positions in Ukraine are for those working from home.
Official statistics of Ukraine
The following data is provided by the government’s statistics and research service Ukrstat.
- 406,000 people were registered as unemployed in Ukraine at the end of March 2017.
- The average monthly unemployment benefit in March 2017 was 2028 hryvnia ($76).
- Average monthly disposable income per family member in 2016 was only 2967 hryvnia (111 US Dollars at today’s exchange rate).
- Collectively as a nation, Ukrainians lost 9,2 billion hryvnia ($348 million) in financial assets in 2016 as compared to their wealth by the end of the previous year.
Read also:
- What jobs pay the best in Ukraine
- Do beautiful people really earn more? In fact, it pays to be ugly
- How Ukrainians choose jobs
- How happy are Russians?
But wait. Why you converting everything to dollars? 7000 UAH is a lot of money in Ukraine, even for entire family. Income for 1 person exceeding 5000 hryvnas is king-like. 50 000 hryvnas is about to become a emperor of universe. If they earn slightly above average wage, or at least more than minimum wage, they can still save a lot of money. No joke, seriously. And why are you repeating in every article that story of grey and black economy? Do you seriously think that in United Kingdom or France, USA… every income is white-only? No. This is happening… Read more »
Fajid,
How about you go to Ukraine and try to live on 7,000 Hryvnia (USD 265)? Being single, it’s a king-like income, as you say. Then write a report for us, it would be a great story 🙂
Also check this post: Ukrainians spend 42% of their income on food
Ok. 3000 UAH or even less is rent in cheaper cities. For food I would never spend 42% of my income. It is below 10%. Because I was raised in poverty, and I learned how to not only survive, but even to thrive with actual sources available and high savings rate. Part of it is my discovery and partly it is inherited know-how. And when I am saying ‘I was poor’, I meant ‘relative poverty’ (European poors are still counted like global-above-average). And seriously, both 7000 UAH as well as 265 USD, is lot of money for a month.
Fajid,
Have you been to Ukraine? Do you know how people getting $111/month income per family member live there? In “cheaper cities” wages are way lower than 7000 UAH (USD 265). See what people in Ukraine earn on average by region.
Just don’t forget that 3 years ago Ukrainian wages were 2 times higher (in USD) than today.
Fajid, this is not happening everywhere, i don’t know why you think its normal but it isn’t. and it’s quite possible to be proud of your country and accept the reality of what’s happening in it as well.
Fajid, LOL, you’ve never been to Ukraine recently but unfortunately, the economy has worsened since most of Ukraine’s trade was dependent on Russia before 2014. Why? Because due to decrease of 8 hgrivnas to $1 USD (it’s now about 25 hgrivnas to $1 USD), there is massive inflation, which is made worse by the gov embargo against East Ukraine’s coal & steel industry. It costs about $200 to $300 USD PER MONTH in food, depending on how much meat you buy –it costs $50-$100 USD per MONTH for heating, gas, & electricity due to the massive austerity & prices increases… Read more »
Elena, when I read this article, and other articles on the Elenas Models’ blog about monthly salaries in Belarus, Ukraine and Russia, but especially Ukraine (I am traveling to Ukraine, Kiev specifically, very soon and am most interested in Kiev and Ukrainian salaries), you list average monthly salary figures….but you NEVER state whether these are monthly salaries Before Tax or After Tax. Obviously there is a huge difference between an average monthly salary in Ukraine of $260 Before Tax (would only equal about $208 after tax as 20% is the approximate tax rate in Ukraine from what I can gather… Read more »
Steven,
All figures I use are from the official government statistics, and the way the numbers are reported is universal for all countries. As you refer to your own income and earnings, wage or salary, it’s always before tax. There is no need for any clarifications, as the methodology of reporting is standard.
Hi elena my friend
lives in chernivisti. She works hard Dailly eight hours at small scale sewing industry. She gets paid only 4000 uah or little more.she tells me nothing was free at Ukraine. Hospitals or schools. I want to ask you. Why wages on chenivetska region is very less compared to other parts of Ukraine.
A. Srikanth, just before I answer your question, ARE YOU PAYING FOR EVERY LETTER talking to this person?
No. Known her though Facebook from sixteen months. Planning to be together. Yes I was helping her in my power. I read the articles you post. I was not in ppl sites.
Oh. First, wages in various regions of Ukraine differ.
Second, the statistics only includes companies with 10+ employees, so most small businesses, which only pay the minimum wage most of the time ($140/month), are not included in the statistics of average wages.
About payments, things are “officially” free. But because of poor financing, you actually need to buy your own medicine and siringes to a hospital, also medical is “free”. Same with schools; education is free but you need to donate some money for school supplies, as financing is very poor.
Thank you Elena. To your reply. Sad thing is beautiful Ukrainian women on this planet works so hard with low wages. I do beleive Ukraine women are back bone to its country GDP.
Elena can you send me a article to know state housing policy in Ukraine. To a single women of Ukraine citizen do the state provide a house of her own. I want to know the housing policy of Ukraine.
Haha, I don’t live in Ukraine 😀
There is this thing called Google, try it.
And anyway, unless you met in person and had great chemistry, it’s stupid to send money to any individual in another country. No matter what is their story and how true it is.
Well I know Elena I should read in Google. But it’s lot of history to read in Google. I taught you would send me article with limited appropriate information. I know you lives in Australia. As you are Ukraine citizen I asked your help. I am 35 years old I don’t think I am helping a women without any knowledge. As the women I talk about is not well educated I asks you
Sree, I am not a citizen of Ukraine. I am Russian. And I don’t live there the same as you don’t. I get my knowledge from online sources. My point is: STOP SENDING MONEY if you don’t even trust the person. Or keep sending money and resign to the knowledge you are being taken for a ride. Your choice.
Thank you Elena. It’s not about sending her money. I always trusted her. She is just not well educated to explain to me. So I asked your help. Anyway thank for your concern Elena. Anyway couple of dollars don’t make any difference in my life. To make the one happy whom I like. Have a good day.
I just can’t stand when people are taken for a ride. If you are happy no matter what, then it fine! All the best
I have been in Ukraine in April this year with some friends. We have spoken to many people there, in Ivano-Frankivsk and Kjiv. Maybe 98% of them said to us, that they earn less then minimum wage. Less than 3200 UAH per month! Officially they earn the minimum wage, but their chiefs said them, they can not pay the new minimum wage. It was doubled this year!! From 1600 UAH to 3200 UAH. So a lot of people gets offically the minimum wage but de facto they earn less money. I think the statistics are not including this sad facts.… Read more »