The Ukrainian labour market presents a paradox: the same job in different regions of the country can be paid with a difference of more than two times. According to data from the OLX Work analytics service, published by RBC-Ukraine, the sharpest regional disparities have been recorded in the construction and finishing sectors. Experts attribute this to a combination of the safety factor, local demand for specialists, and overall tension in the labour market, exacerbated by mobilisation and internal migration.

Construction sector: record wage gaps

The leader in the difference in median salaries among all analysed professions was the "Construction/finishing work" group. For a painter on a construction site, the median salary in Lviv Oblast is 94,250 hryvnias, while in Chernivtsi Oblast it is only 45,750 hryvnias. The gap reaches 48,500 hryvnias, or 106%. For tile setters, the highest median pay was recorded in Kyiv Oblast — 107,500 hryvnias, and the lowest in Poltava Oblast — 52,500 hryvnias (a difference of 55,000 hryvnias, or 104.8%). Stonemasons in Lviv Oblast earn a median of 115,000 hryvnias, while in Zhytomyr Oblast it is 57,500 hryvnias (a 100% gap). Plasterers in Kyiv earn 100,000 hryvnias, while in Zaporizhzhia Oblast it is 50,000 hryvnias (also a 100% difference).

Beyond construction: where else pay differs

Significant regional differences are also observed outside the construction sector. Chat operators in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast earn a median of 95,000 hryvnias, while in Zaporizhzhia Oblast it is 50,000 hryvnias (a 90% gap). Long-haul truck drivers in Khmelnytskyi Oblast earn 87,500 hryvnias, while in Sumy Oblast it is 50,000 hryvnias (75%). Dentists in Kirovohrad Oblast receive 95,000 hryvnias, while in Zhytomyr Oblast it is 57,500 hryvnias (65.2%). Sales department managers in Vinnytsia Oblast earn 110,000 hryvnias, while in Zhytomyr Oblast it is 68,750 hryvnias (60%). Auto body repair technicians at service stations in Kyiv earn 90,000 hryvnias, while in Kharkiv Oblast it is 57,500 hryvnias (56.5%). Production electricians in Kirovohrad Oblast receive 79,702 hryvnias, while in Mykolaiv Oblast it is 52,500 hryvnias (51.8%).

Minimal gaps and production specialties

The smallest regional disparities have been recorded for a number of production and technical specialties. A production mechanic in Volyn Oblast earns 80,000 hryvnias, while in Zakarpattia Oblast it is 72,500 hryvnias (a 10.3% difference). A construction welder in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast earns 65,000 hryvnias, while in Kyiv it is 60,000 hryvnias (8.3%). According to OLX Work data, such professions are less subject to regional differentiation, as their demand is more evenly distributed across the country.

Contradictory data

The original RBC-Ukraine material contains an internal inconsistency in the presentation of the data. The introductory sentence states that "for three professions, the difference between regions is 40%, or 20,000 hryvnias," however the subsequent specific figures do not confirm this generalisation. For an excavator operator, 65,000 hryvnias (Rivne Oblast) and 50,000 hryvnias (Ternopil Oblast) are indicated, which gives a difference of 15,000 hryvnias, or 30%, not 40%. For a production installer — 64,500 hryvnias (Zakarpattia) and 51,250 hryvnias (Rivne Oblast), a gap of 13,250 hryvnias, or 25.9%. For an auto electrician — 70,000 hryvnias (Zakarpattia) and 56,250 hryvnias (Cherkasy Oblast), a difference of 13,750 hryvnias, or 24.4%. Thus, none of the three listed professions meets the stated threshold of 40% or 20,000 hryvnias. Presumably, this is an error in the editorial summary, or the generalising phrase refers to a different set of data not provided in the text.

Context: staff shortage and recovery

OLX Work analysts emphasise that the largest wage gaps are predominantly observed between the western and eastern regions of Ukraine. This is influenced by the safety factor and the local situation in the labour market, in particular the demand for specific specialists. At the same time, there are exceptions: for example, in Sumy Oblast a construction electrician is paid 61.1% more than in Chernivtsi Oblast. Previously, RBC-Ukraine reported that the Ukrainian labour market is experiencing an acute staff shortage due to mobilisation and migration, while the construction industry remains one of the most promising sectors given the country's future recovery tasks, which supports demand for specialists and contributes to wage growth.