The war has radically changed the map of Ukraine's real estate market. While the capital was previously the main magnet for migrants, today the epicenter of the price surge has shifted to the western regions. While the Kyiv real estate market demonstrates relative stability, in the safer regions, renting even modest housing is becoming increasingly difficult, with prices consuming the lion's share of citizens' incomes.

The West Surpassed the Capital in Rent Growth Rates

Many Ukrainians seeking safety are moving en masse to the western part of the country, yet fewer and fewer people can afford housing there. Over the last year, rent prices in western regions have risen significantly faster than in Kyiv. According to Lyudmyla Kyryukhina, head of the company "LUN Statistics," the situation in the capital was a restraining factor: due to security threats, the market temporarily slowed down in winter, and a local price drop was even observed in spring.

In western cities, demand remained consistently high, pushing rental rates up. Statistics have recorded the following changes:

  • In Uzhhorod, the cost of renting one-bedroom apartments rose by 19%, reaching 22,500 hryvnias.
  • In Ivano-Frankivsk, the increase was 22% — up to 18,000 hryvnias.
  • In Lviv, prices jumped by 29%, reaching 22,500 hryvnias.

For comparison: in Kyiv, over the same period, the median rental price increased by only 6%.

Colossal Strain on the Family Budget

Rising prices are creating a critical burden on household economics. In Lviv, Uzhhorod, and Ivano-Frankivsk, the cost of renting a one-bedroom apartment amounts to approximately 66–75% of the average local salary. This means that more than half of earnings go solely towards a roof over one's head.

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are suffering most from this situation. According to Anastasia Bobrova, director of the Cedos center, among people forced to relocate after February 24, 2022, 68% rent housing. Meanwhile, among those who did not change their place of residence, only 8% are renters.

Cutting Back on Food and Clothing

Rent is becoming an unbearable burden, especially for families with average or low incomes. According to Cedos surveys, in 2024, 43% of respondents spent more than a third of their income on housing. In 2025, the trend persisted and worsened: among low-income families, 16% pay more than half of their budget for rent.

This forces people to take extreme measures. Due to high rental rates, 38% of families are saving on food, and 42% — on clothing, trying to survive in conditions where safety costs too much.