Average Wages in Ukraine for February 2026
In February 2026, the average wage in Ukraine reached 28,321 hryvnias, marking a 22.4% increase compared to the same month the previous year. This growth occurs within an economy still recovering from the impacts of war. A significant regional disparity is evident, with the capital city of Kyiv reporting a substantially higher average wage of 45,651 hryvnias.
Wage Fluctuations in Kyiv
Wages in the capital have shown notable volatility. In December 2025, the average salary in Kyiv was 48,449 hryvnias, but it fell to 40,633 hryvnias the previous month, November, representing a drop of nearly 8,000 hryvnias. Such fluctuations may be linked to seasonal factors or shifts in the labor market.
According to the State Statistics Service, the highest-paying sector in the country is Information Technology and Telecommunications, where the average salary is 78,941 hryvnias. In stark contrast, the average wage in Arts, Sports, and Entertainment is only 18,681 hryvnias. This means the best-paid sectors earn over four times more than the lowest-paid, highlighting a severe economic imbalance across industries.
Furthermore, data from 180,000 job listings on the work.ua portal indicates a median salary of approximately 20,850 hryvnias. As one expert noted:
'Hearing that the average salary in Kyiv is almost 48,000 hryvnias does not mean every Kyiv resident earns that much. The reality is significantly lower.'A leading portal analyst also observed that 'bonuses are unfortunately received mostly not by ordinary people, but by top management.' These comments underscore the complexity of Ukraine's labor market and the profound inequality in compensation.
While the rise in the national average wage points to positive economic trends, the deep regional and sectoral divides reveal persistent structural issues. The high salaries in IT and Telecommunications stand in sharp contrast to low incomes in other fields, which can adversely affect overall public welfare. The situation in Kyiv, where earnings diverge sharply from the national average, also demands attention to foster greater pay equity across the country.
As the disparities in wages continue to widen across various sectors in Ukraine, understanding the dynamics of these earnings is crucial. The stark contrast between the highest and lowest salaries emphasizes the need for a closer look at the factors influencing this gap. For a comprehensive analysis of how salaries range from 78,000 to 18,000 hryvnias and what that means for the workforce, explore our detailed report on wage disparities in Ukraine.