Minimum in Ukraine and Europe: how different and what will change

Photo: Yelyzaveta Serhiiienko/ Press Office Nbu

The minimum wage reflects the economic status of the country and the standard of living of its citizens and is significantly different in different countries in Europe. The Ukrainian minimum is far from even to the smallest European, and it remains only to guess how and what Ukrainians who receive such money live on.

Where and how much The largest minimum salary in Europe is recorded in Luxembourg – Our EUR 2638 (over UAH 112 thousand) for our understanding month. About it writes the Polish edition of inpoland.net.pl.

The following are Ireland (2282 euros), the Netherlands (2193 euros), Germany (2161 euros) and Belgium (2070 euros). Poland with a minimum wage of 1091 euros is far behind the leaders, but is already ahead of Portugal (1015 euros) and approaches Slovenia (1278 euros). The smaller minimums are received in Estonia (886 euros), the Czech Republic (826 euros), Hungary (707 euros), and the smallest among European countries is the minimum wage in Bulgaria – 551 euros.

The publication notes that, first, some countries (eg, Italy, Austria or Sweden) do not have a statutory minimum wage. Secondly, the amounts themselves do not fully reflect the economic situation of citizens, because the key factor is the purchasing power, that is, the real value of wages, taking into account the cost of life.

Given the purchasing power, the rating looks a little different. Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands are published in the first places.

For example, prices in Estonian supermarkets. The minimum here is 886 euros. Photo: Author

163 euros – and in no way deny yourself The minimum wage in Ukraine remains unchanged for over a year – since April 2024 it is 8000 UAH. At the rate of early July 2025 it is about 163 euros.

Moreover, after paying taxes “pure” person receives just over 6000 UAH, ie about 125 euros. It is almost impossible to live for this amount. Experts say that most Ukrainians who officially receive a minimum have a slightly higher monthly income because part of the salary is paid “in the envelope” – thus employers reduce the tax burden. However, there are many workers who actually receive meager money for their work.

And this is against the background that prices in Ukraine are shocking consumers with growth. Recently editorial Briefly about She checked prices in European and Ukrainian supermarkets and made sure that, despite the fact that salaries in Ukraine are many times lower than salaries in Europe, we have prices quite “at the level”. So it is not surprising that money is lacking in many money.

According to a sociological survey of NGO “advanced legal initiatives” conducted at the end of last year, almost 9% of Ukrainians often have no money even for food. At the same time, 42% of respondents have chosen “enough food, and it is difficult to eat.”

And, for example, according to the research company Gradus Research, 79% of Ukrainians surveyed are forced to save on other goods to buy medicines.

In 2025, Gradus Research, which Ukrainians spend money on. Illustration: Gradus.App

Minimal can increase, purchasing power – no Given the above, the Ukrainian minimum looks like a bullying. Experts do not say the first year that the domestic labor market has a labor poverty. That is, not only pensioners and unemployed, but even those who work from morning till night, are poor in the country.

The government is also well aware of it and have already talked about a gradual increase in the minimum wage. In particular, this is stated in the budget declaration for 2026-2028. The document provides that from January 1, 2026 the minimum will be 8688 UAH, from January 1, 2027-9374 UAH, from January 1, 2028-10 059 UAH.

It should be said that plans for the increase in the minimum wage are constantly controversy in the expert environment. After all, a minimum is not only the smallest guaranteed level of remuneration, but also a key economic indicator that affects a number of areas.

In particular, the size of the minimum depends on the only social contribution paid by FOPs or enterprises of other forms of ownership for their employees (the minimum amount of ESA is 22% of the minimum). And, for example, the single tax for the FOP of the second group is 20% of the minimum wage.

Also, the minimum depends on the maximum real estate tax rate (1.5% of the MCR per square meter), transport tax, penalties for violation of labor law, etc.

The negative impact on the economy is that increasing the minimum wage can help accelerate inflation. And even if we assume that such a slight increase is unlikely to lead to an increase in demand for consumer goods and services, it will still push the rise in prices because it will increase business costs and taxes.

In addition to the comprehensive impact of increasing the minimum wage on the economy and business, the issue of sources of such increase remains a lot. At whose expense is this banquet? There is no answer to the popular question yet.

Economists say that even if the figures of the budgetary declaration become a reality, it is not about raising revenues, but, above all, about the partial detinization of the economy due to the growth of the “white” part of the salary. There will be no money in the wallets of Ukrainians.

It should also be noted that the planned increase in the minimum wage does not exceed the projected inflation. And this means that its purchasing power will not increase, because it will simply catch up with the rise in prices.

Source: kp.ua