Renting a one-room apartment in Ukraine can take anywhere from 14 to 76% of a young person's salary depending on the city, while buying their own home in the most expensive cities would require, in nominal terms, saving for about 10 years. This is reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing a study by OLX Real Estate. Analysts assessed how accessible first housing is for young job market candidates and where the gap between regions reaches a fivefold scale even at the same income level.
How it was calculated: the median salary of young people
For the calculations, OLX Real Estate analysts used the median salary of young people in job postings marked as "suitable for students/candidates under 18". According to the study, in July 2026 it stood at 29,306 hryvnia. This figure served as the baseline for measuring the share of income that has to be paid for rent and the nominal period needed to save up for an apartment purchase.
West versus south and east: a fivefold gap
The highest rent costs were recorded in western cities. In Chernivtsi, Lutsk and Ternopil, rent accounts for roughly half of income, while in Vinnytsia, Odesa and Khmelnytskyi it ranges from 43% to 48%. The smallest budget burden is in the cities of southern and eastern Ukraine. The difference between the top and bottom of the ranking exceeds five times: in Kherson rent is almost six times cheaper than in Uzhhorod.
How many years to save for first housing
The analysts also compared how long it would take a young person if they could set aside their entire median salary each month. This is a nominal indicator that does not account for living expenses, inflation, or changes in real estate prices. The longest saving period would be in Kyiv, Lviv and Uzhhorod — about 10 years. In Zaporizhzhia and Kherson the nominal period is just 2 years, while in Kharkiv, Sumy and Mykolaiv it is about 3 years. According to OLX Real Estate, the difference in the accessibility of first housing between Ukrainian cities reaches a fivefold gap even at the same income level.
Context: rising prices in Zhytomyr and Vinnytsia
The study complements the overall picture of housing price increases in the regions. Thus, in Zhytomyr housing prices have risen: one-room apartments have become the most expensive, now costing 55 thousand dollars, while rent remains more affordable — one- and two-room apartments are rented for 12 thousand hryvnia per month, and three-room ones for 14 thousand hryvnia. In Vinnytsia, housing prices have also jumped: one-room apartments are sold for 56 thousand dollars and rented for 15 thousand hryvnia per month.
What this means for young tenants
The study's conclusion is that geography remains the key factor in the financial burden on a young family or a single tenant. At the same median salary of 29,306 hryvnia, a young person in a western city pays a several-times larger share of their income for a roof over their head than their counterpart in the south or east, while the "nominal saving" period for their own apartment ranges from two to ten years. This makes the choice of where to work and live one of the most significant financial decisions for a generation just entering the job market.
