The average salary after taxes in Poland is approximately 3.5 times higher than in Ukraine, stated financier Yuriy Vanetyk. At the same time, official statistics show a higher average salary in Ukraine than the one used in his calculations. Earlier comparisons of salaries in Ukraine and neighboring countries also indicated the largest gap with Poland. This is reported by UNIAN.
How much do people earn in Ukraine and Poland in 2026
According to American financier, lawyer, and economic policy expert Yuriy Vanetyk, the average salary in Ukraine is 20–24 thousand UAH before taxes, or approximately $480–575.
After taxation, an employee retains about 15.4–18.5 thousand UAH. However, these figures are lower than the official statistics from the State Statistics Service.
In particular, in February, the average nominal salary of a full-time employee was 28,321 UAH. By July, the average salary in Ukraine reached 32,243 UAH before taxation. After personal income tax and military tax, it amounts to about 24.8 thousand UAH.
In Poland, Vanetyk estimates the average salary at 8.7–8.9 thousand PLN gross, or approximately 103–105 thousand UAH. After taxes, approximately 6.5–6.7 thousand PLN remains, which corresponds to about 77–80 thousand UAH.
«This is approximately 3.5 times higher than the average net salary in Ukraine. This difference vividly illustrates the economic inequality between the countries,» said Vanetyk.
At the same time, if we compare the Polish figure with the official average salary in Ukraine after taxes in July, the gap will be smaller – approximately 3.1–3.2 times.
Why salaries in Poland are significantly higher
According to Vanetyk, it is not only the average salary that matters but also the distribution of income. In Poland, the average wage is approximately 1.8–2 times higher than the minimum wage, while in Ukraine, the gap is larger.
The expert links the situation to the fact that Poland, as a member of the EU, has gradually been moving towards the Western European level of wages over the past few years. Ukraine, during the war, has significantly fewer opportunities for such growth.
At the same time, the average salary does not reflect the incomes of most workers. For example, in Poland in February, the average figure reached 9,966 PLN, but nearly 40% of workers earned no more than 6,802 PLN.
Recall that Inkorr detailed how the average salary in Poland has changed and why the average figure should not be perceived as the typical income of a Pole.