May 2026 became the month when consumer prices in Ukraine continued their steady rise. According to official data from the State Statistics Service, published by RBC-Ukraine, inflationary processes have affected almost all regions of the country. On average across Ukraine, the cost of goods and services increased by 0.9% compared to April. Notably, no decrease in prices was recorded in any of the regions.
Geography of Price Increases: Who Pays More?
Although inflation has become a nationwide phenomenon, the rate of price growth varied by region. The leaders in price growth rates were the southern and central regions. The most significant price jump was recorded in the Mykolaiv region — here prices rose by 1.6%. Not far behind the leader is the Kirovohrad region with a figure of 1.3%.
Significantly higher than the average level of inflation was also observed in the Kherson (+1.2%) and Ivano-Frankivsk (+1.1%) regions. Growth at the level of 1.0% was recorded in the Zhytomyr, Rivne, Kharkiv, and Luhansk regions.
At the same time, the least price increase was noted in the west of the country. In the Lviv region, as well as in the Volyn and Ivano-Frankivsk regions, prices rose by only 0.6%, which became the lowest indicator for the reporting period.
What Became More Expensive: Inflation Structure
An analysis of State Statistics Service data allows us to identify categories of goods that hit citizens' wallets the hardest. The leader in annual price growth was fish and fish products — their cost increased by more than 21%.
Significant price increases also affected basic food products. Bread and bakery products became 15.5–19.2% more expensive, while sunflower oil jumped in price by almost 19%. Alcohol and tobacco products also ended up in the risk zone, adding about 16% to their cost.
Separately, it is worth noting the service sector. Transport services became more expensive by approximately 20%. This growth is directly linked to the increase in fuel costs and logistics transportation, which inevitably reflects on end consumers.
Import as a Market Factor
Against the backdrop of rising domestic prices, the market is also reacting through external supplies. Statistics show that during the period from January to May 2026, Ukraine significantly increased the volume of dairy product imports. The greatest growth was recorded in the supply of milk whey, butter, and cheeses. A significant share of this product comes to the Ukrainian market from Poland, which indicates a restructuring of logistics chains and attempts to balance domestic supply.