Average Salary in Ukraine by Cities and Sector

You’ve been eyeing Ukraine for possible expansion—smart move. The country’s talent landscape boasts strong engineering talent, multilingual teams, and a tech ecosystem that kept moving even in the middle of a full-scale war. The next logical question is simple: What does it actually cost to hire someone in Ukraine, and what does that salary mean for their day-to-day life?

In this guide, you’ll see real salary figures in Ukraine, how they convert to U.S. dollars, and how far those wages go once you factor in rent, food, transportation, and regional differences. By the end, you’ll understand not just what to pay, but what that pay really delivers on the ground.

Understanding the average salary in Ukraine: Figures and currency conversion

To get oriented, start with the national picture. The State Statistics Service of Ukraine reports that average monthly wages reached new highs in late 2025 as the labour market continued to recover. Independent economic trackers that compile this data, like the CEIC database on average monthly wages in Ukraine, show an all-time high of 27,167 Ukrainian hryvnia (UAH) in November 2025.

A recent summary of official figures found that the average income of full-time employees at the end of 2025 was about UAH 26,913, based on State Statistics Service data across regions and industries. You can see this breakdown in Visit Ukraine's overview of the average salary in Ukraine at the end of 2025.

If you use a working exchange rate of roughly UAH 38 to US$1, that average salary lands close to US$700 per month before tax.

Most employers also want a sense of typical, not just average. Because high earners in sectors like IT pull the average up, the median wage is usually lower than the mean. Local analysts often treat the median as about 75–80% of the reported average. Using that rule of thumb, a practical middle-of-the-market salary for a full-time worker often sits around UAH 20,000–21,000 per month, or about US$520–550.

You’ll also see meaningful differences by region. Central Kyiv tends to sit well above the national average, with cities like Lviv, Odesa, and Dnipro forming a second tier, and smaller regional centres trailing behind. In simple terms, a salary that feels generous in a smaller city might feel merely okay in Kyiv.

It helps to keep the minimum wage in mind for context. As of 2026, Ukraine’s statutory minimum salary is UAH 8,647 per month, which converts to roughly US$202. That puts the average gross wage at more than three times the legal minimum.

Finally, remember that all of these headline numbers are gross. Employees in Ukraine pay an 18% personal income tax and a 1.5% military tax. Once those are withheld, a gross salary of around UAH 26,500 might translate to something closer to UAH 21,000 in net pay, or roughly US$550.

If you want to see how these salary figures fit into the full hiring journey, take a look at Pebl’s detailed guide for hiring and paying employees in Ukraine. It walks through registration, payroll setup, and tax compliance so you can map salaries to the real operational steps it takes to hire.

Salary versus cost of living: What income means on the ground

When determining a relevant and competitive wage for talent in Ukraine, you’ve got to put it in context. A US$700 monthly salary looks very different in San Francisco than it does in Kyiv. To understand what you’re really offering, compare take-home pay with everyday expenses.

Cost-of-living trackers show that Kyiv remains more affordable than most Western European capitals, but prices have increased, especially for rent. LivingCost estimates that the average cost of living in Kyiv is about US$879 per month for a single person, including rent.

Here’s a simplified monthly budget for a mid-career professional renting a one-bedroom apartment in Kyiv:

• One-bedroom apartment in a central neighbourhood: UAH 18,000–22,000(about US$475–580)
• Groceries and household items: UAH 7,000–8,000 (about US$185–210)
• Utilities and internet: UAH 3,000–3,500 (about US$80–90)
• Local transport, mobile, and incidentals: UAH 2,500–3,000 (about US$65–80)

At the high end of that range, you’re looking at roughly UAH 30,000–36,500 in monthly costs, or around US$790–960.

Someone earning close to the gross national average can comfortably cover essentials in a mid-priced neighbourhood or smaller city, but may feel pressure in central Kyiv without sharing housing or trimming other expenses. Someone earning US$1,000 per month will usually sit above the comfort line in most regions, with room for savings or discretionary spending.

Regional differences in the cost of living are significant. In cities like Lviv, Odesa, or Dnipro, rent is typically lower than in central Kyiv, while smaller regional centers and rural areas can be substantially cheaper. The same salary that feels tight in Kyiv can feel very comfortable in a smaller city.

As an employer, this means you can often offer a salary that’s very competitive locally while still saving against equivalent roles in the United States or Western Europe. It also means you should benchmark against local expectations, not against the statutory minimum alone.

If you want to see how salary decisions fit into your broader payroll strategy, Pebl’s guide on global payroll best practices gives additional guidance on structuring compensation across markets.

Salary landscape by profession and region

Once you zoom in by job type, the gaps between sectors become very clear. IT and telecom salaries sit well above the national average, while public sector and some service roles lag behind.

Here’s a simplified snapshot of typical monthly salaries for full-time roles, based on ranges employers commonly report for 2025 and converted to USD at UAH 38 to US$1:

These figures are directional rather than prescriptive, but they capture a few important trends.

IT and related technical roles often earn two to three times the national average, especially in Kyiv and Lviv. Public sector wages tend to sit below national averages, even in larger cities. Skilled trades can command strong earnings, particularly when workers operate as self-employed specialists or combine several income streams.

If you’re building a team in Ukraine, you can blend this table with job boards, salary surveys, and local recruiter input to fine-tune your ranges. For a deeper view of how employment terms, benefits, and notice periods work in Ukraine, Pebl’s collection of employer of record information and guides , and its overview of global employment services give useful context on what sits behind these salary levels.

What these salaries really tell you

When you translate Ukrainian salaries into USD and put them next to rent, groceries, and transport, the picture gets much clearer.

A salary that looks modest by U.S. standards can still represent a strong, stable income in Ukraine, especially outside the most expensive neighbourhoods in Kyiv. At the same time, offering only slightly above the national average may not be enough to attract senior developers or specialized engineers who can command global market rates.

The most effective range usually:

• Sits comfortably above the local market for the role and city.
• Aligns with your global pay philosophy and internal parity.
• Reflects the level of responsibility and scarcity of the skills you’re hiring for.

If you take that approach, you’re not just getting a deal on international talent. You’re offering a salary that supports a good quality of life in Ukraine while building a team that feels valued, not discounted.

Pebl’s broader insights on global payroll challenges and its resources on global payroll services can help you build a compensation strategy that scales across markets while staying compliant and fair.

Tips and resources for a successful hiring process

Once you’re comfortable with salary ranges, the next step is turning that knowledge into a smooth hiring experience for candidates.

A few practical tips:

• Be clear about gross versus net pay. Many Ukrainian candidates will mentally convert your offer into take-home income and compare it against their budget.
• Share a pay range instead of a single number. When you publish a range up front, you signal transparency and save time during screening.
• Consider non-salary value. Private medical coverage, learning budgets, and flexible remote policies often carry outsized weight in Ukraine’s tech and professional services markets.

You can also point candidates toward resources that help them check offers against the cost of living in their city. Public cost-of-living tools for Kyiv and other cities, such as updated price lists on LivingCost for Kyiv, make it easier for candidates to understand how far a proposed salary will stretch.

If you want a structured way to connect these salary insights to real headcount planning, Pebl’s walkthrough of international payroll cost explains how to forecast payroll across currencies and regions.

How Employer of Record providers can help

If you want to hire in Ukraine without opening a local entity, working with an Employer of Record (EOR) can simplify almost everything.

An EOR is a partner that becomes the legal employer of your team members in a given country. You still choose the person, set their responsibilities, and manage their work. The EOR takes care of the local HR and compliance work.

In practice, an EOR can:

• Draft and maintain locally compliant employment contracts so every offer meets Ukrainian labor standards.
• Run payroll in local currency and withhold the correct taxes and social contributions , reducing the risk of mistakes.
• Administer statutory and optional benefits in line with local requirements and norms.
• Track changes to labor laws, notice periods, and leave rules so you’re not surprised by regulatory shifts.
• Support terminations in line with Ukrainian regulations , which protect both your company and your employees.

Instead of registering your own entity, registering for taxes, and building local HR infrastructure, you plug into an existing framework.

For HR and finance teams that want to go even further, Pebl’s analysis of  AI in HR and global salary automation explores how data and automation are changing the way global salaries are benchmarked and negotiated.

From research to hiring in Ukraine the right way with Pebl

When you’re ready to move from research to action, Pebl helps you turn this context into a compliant, repeatable hiring process.

Pebl’s employer of record services make it possible to hire and pay employees in Ukraine without setting up a local entity. You choose the talent and define the role. Pebl handles contracts, payroll, taxes, and benefits, backed by in-country experts who live and work in the markets where you hire.

If you are comparing markets or planning a broader global buildout, Pebl’s AI-first platform gives you a single place to model employment costs, understand local rules, and keep your team compliant as you grow.

When you’re ready to talk through a specific hiring plan for Ukraine, chat with our experts, who are ready to help.

Disclaimer: This information does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal or tax advice and is for general informational purposes only. The intent of this document is solely to provide general and preliminary information for private use. Do not rely on it as an alternative to legal, financial, taxation, or accountancy advice from an appropriately qualified professional. The content in this guide is provided “as is,” and no representations are made that the content is error-free. 

© 2026 Pebl, LLC. All rights reserved.