---
title: "How much does firewood cost in 2026: the average cubic meter is 1,252 UAH, and a home needs 5–12 m³ for the season"
description: "The average price of a cubic meter of firewood in Ukraine as of September 1, 2026, is 1,252 UAH, and a home needs 5–12 m³ for the heating season. Over the year, firewood prices rose by 12–15% due to higher fuel prices and logging costs."
date: 2026-09-12T05:26:01.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/how-much-does-firewood-cost-in-2026-en
tags: [firewood-prices, heating, ukraine, energy, winter-2026]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# How much does firewood cost in 2026: the average cubic meter is 1,252 UAH, and a home needs 5–12 m³ for the season

![Man lighting firewood in a stove: how much firewood costs in 2026 and how much a home needs per season](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/12/skolko-stoyat-drova-v-2026-godu/skolko-stoyat-drova-v-2026-godu-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- The average price of a cubic meter of firewood for the population as of September 1, 2026, is 1,252 UAH including VAT.
- A home needs 5–12 m³ for the heating season, depending on the size, species, and moisture content.
- Prices range from 900 UAH in forest regions to 1,700 UAH for hardwood in the eastern and southern oblasts; delivery is paid separately.
- Over the year, firewood prices rose by 12–15% due to higher fuel and logging costs.
- "Forests of Ukraine" forecasts a record 2.9–3 million cubic meters of sales in 2026.

Heating a private home with firewood in 2026 costs at least several thousand hryvnia, while a full supply for the heating season requires 5 to 12 cubic meters of wood, depending on the size of the home, the species, and the moisture content of the firewood. According to RBC-Ukraine, citing the state enterprise "Forests of Ukraine," as of September 1, 2026, the average retail price of a cubic meter of firewood for non-industrial household use is 1,252 UAH including VAT. The enterprise recommends using this figure as the baseline when calculating the cost of a seasonal supply, however, the actual amount for a specific household may differ significantly depending on the region and delivery conditions.

### Regional price differences

The cost per cubic meter varies substantially by region and wood species. In resource-rich forest regions — in the Polesia, the Carpathian region, as well as in Chernihiv and Sumy oblasts — prices range from 900 to 1,400 UAH per cubic meter depending on the species. In the less forested eastern and southern regions, as well as in Kirovohrad oblast, the price starts at 1,000 UAH per cubic meter for softwood species and can reach 1,700 UAH per cubic meter for hardwood. Importantly, in these regions the buyer pays for delivery separately, which further increases the final cost.

### Price dynamics over the year

Over the year, firewood prices rose by an average of 12–15%. "Forests of Ukraine" attributes this increase primarily to the rising cost of fuel and lubricants and of logging services. Thus, the increase in logistics costs and work at the forest-industrial complex is directly passed on to the final consumer price, rather than being driven solely by a shortage of wood.

### Record demand and shipment volumes

According to the enterprise, its branches have already shipped nearly 1.9 million cubic meters of firewood to the population, and they plan to harvest another approximately 1 million cubic meters by the end of the year. "Forests of Ukraine" forecasts that 2026 will reach a record level of 2.9–3 million cubic meters in firewood sales to the population. The company explains this growth in demand by the increased need for autonomous heating amid the instability of the centralized energy system.

### Which species citizens choose

The highest demand traditionally goes to hardwood species — oak, hornbeam, ash, beech, and maple — which have the highest heat output, burn for a long time, and produce the most heat. Coniferous species are also actively purchased — pine, spruce, and fir. The least in demand are softwood species — linden, willow, and aspen. The choice of species directly affects both the price and the amount of supply needed, since the heat output of different types of wood varies.

### Contradictory data

When comparing the figures, some inconsistencies emerge that should be taken into account. First, in the headline of the RBC-Ukraine article the price increase is phrased as "up to 15%," whereas in the text and in the enterprise's statement the range given is 12–15%, meaning the upper limit is not universal for all regions. Second, the average price of 1,252 UAH/m³ noticeably diverges from the regional maxima of up to 1,700 UAH/m³, so relying exclusively on the average figure may understate the real cost for residents of the eastern and southern oblasts. Third, the price per cubic meter does not include delivery and splitting of the firewood, which are paid for separately — which is precisely why total heating costs end up higher than a simple multiplication of the supply by the average price.

### Context of winter preparation

The growing interest in firewood is occurring against the backdrop of the energy system's preparation for winter. As Deputy Prime Minister — Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal previously stated, Ukraine is preparing the energy system for winter under active Russian strikes, strengthening the protection of facilities and accumulating the necessary equipment for the regions. The 2025–2026 winter has already influenced Ukrainians' housing priorities: more and more people are paying attention to the autonomy of their homes, although mass relocations have not occurred. Under these conditions, firewood remains one of the key backup heat sources for the private sector.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Prices have risen by up to 15%. How much does firewood cost in 2026 and where is it cheapest](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/tsini-zrosli-15-skilki-koshtuyut-drova-2026-1788961577.html) - Первичный источник: средняя цена 1252 грн/м³ на 1.09.2026, региональный разброс 900–1700 грн, рост 12–15%, объемы 1,9 млн + ~1 млн куб. м, прогноз 2,9–3 млн куб. м, сезонный запас 5–12 м³.
- [Producers: by winter the price per cubic meter of firewood may reach 100–150 euros](https://rus.err.ee/1608618358/proizvoditeli-k-zime-cena-za-kubometr-drov-mozhet-dostignut-100-150-evro) - Данные по Эстонии (100–150 евро/м³), не подтверждают украинские цифры; использованы только как международный контекст.
- [How much does a cubic meter of firewood cost](https://www.obozrevatel.com/ekonomika-glavnaya/fea/drova-v-ukraine-stali-zolotyimi-skolko-teper-stoit-kubometr-i-kak-vyigodnee-otaplivat-zhile.htm) - Контекстный источник по ценам на дрова в Украине; согласуется с темой роста стоимости и региональных различий.
- [How much does a cubic meter of wood for firewood harvesting cost, the Ministry of Forestry and Agriculture said](https://belta.by/economics/view/skolko-stoit-kubometr-drevesiny-dlja-zagotovki-drov-rasskazali-v-minleshoze-590109-2023/) - Данные по Беларуси, не применимы к украинским ценам; не использованы в цифрах статьи.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: How much does a cubic meter of firewood cost in Ukraine in 2026?
**A:** As of September 1, 2026, the average retail price of a cubic meter of firewood for the population is 1,252 UAH including VAT. In forest regions (Polesia, the Carpathians, Chernihiv and Sumy oblasts) it is 900 to 1,400 UAH, while in the eastern and southern oblasts and in Kirovohrad oblast it is 1,000 to 1,700 UAH depending on the species.

### Q: How much firewood is needed to heat a home for the season?
**A:** According to the state enterprise "Forests of Ukraine," the heating season requires 5 to 12 cubic meters, depending on the size of the home, the species of firewood, and its moisture content. Delivery and splitting costs must be added to the price of the wood.

### Q: Why did firewood prices rise in 2026?
**A:** Over the year, prices rose by an average of 12–15%. "Forests of Ukraine" attributes this to the rising cost of fuel and lubricants and of logging services.