Despite official data on the average salary exceeding 30,000 UAH, the real incomes of most Ukrainians may be significantly lower. According to economic experts, the statistics are heavily influenced by high payments to military personnel, making the overall figure not reflect the actual situation in the labor market.
This was stated by the chief expert on financial sector reform of the Economic Expert Platform, Ruslan Chornyi, during the broadcast of "Morning.LIVE".
The average salary without considering military personnel would be lower
According to the expert, the official figure of the average salary in Ukraine is largely shaped by the incomes of military personnel, especially those who receive bonuses for service on the front line.
«The average salary in Ukraine is significantly skewed due to military salaries. If we separate military salaries, the average salary would be much lower than 20,000 across Ukraine», — noted Ruslan Chornyi.
In his opinion, this is why statistical indicators do not always reflect the real income level of the population.
In many communities, salaries range between 6,000 and 12,000 UAH
The expert also pointed out the significant difference in incomes between large cities and small settlements.
According to him, in many communities, due to the lack of large enterprises and investments, wage levels often remain at 6,000 to 12,000 UAH per month.
The most difficult situation is observed where the economy depends on a small number of employers or the budgetary sector.
Ukraine needs new investments for further salary growth
«The official average salary is an important indicator for assessing the state of the economy, but it does not always reflect the real situation in the labor market. Most vacancies in small towns and communities offer significantly lower incomes than the average statistics for the country. There is the highest demand today for skilled trades, manufacturing workers, logistics, and service sectors. For further salary growth, Ukraine needs new investments, development of production, and creation of well-paid jobs in the regions», — commented on the situation in the country employment expert Vitaliy Belenets.
At the same time, official statistics indicate continued salary growth. According to the State Statistics Service, in April 2026, the average salary in Ukraine was 30,515 UAH, which is 0.5% higher than in March. The highest figures were recorded in Kyiv — 48,003 UAH and Kyiv region — 30,584 UAH.
A separate study by OLX Work showed that median salaries over the year increased the most in Vinnytsia, Khmelnytskyi, and Ivano-Frankivsk, where the growth was about 20%.
It is worth noting that the Pension Fund of Ukraine published an updated figure of the average salary for March 2026, which is used for pension calculations. This figure reaches 23,218 UAH, which is an increase of 1,342 UAH compared to the beginning of 2026.