--- title: "Winter in the village: what a country house really costs and how much it takes to prepare it for the heating season" description: "Interest in private houses outside the cities in 2026 rose earlier than usual, while prices for housing and firewood continue to climb. We break down what it costs to buy a house in the village and prepare it for winter: from fuel to backup power and water." date: 2026-09-12T05:02:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/winter-in-the-village-real-cost-of-a-country-house-and-winter-preparation tags: [ukraine, housing, winter-preparation, firewood, real-estate, energy-security] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Winter in the village: what a country house really costs and how much it takes to prepare it for the heating season ![Snow-covered country house with a generator, firewood stack and water pump — preparing a rural home for the heating season](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/12/zima-v-seli-stoimost-doma-i-podgotovki-k-zime/zima-v-seli-stoimost-doma-i-podgotovki-k-zime-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Interest in private houses in 2026 peaked in January–February rather than in August; prices rose by 35–36% over the year in several oblasts. - The median price of a house in Chernihiv is about 28,800 dollars, versus 220,000 in Kyiv and Lviv; on OLX, village listings range from 3,000 to 10,000 dollars. - Demand for firewood is at a record level (2.9–3 million cubic meters), with an average price of 1,252 UAH per cubic meter including VAT, up 12–15% from the previous season; plus costs for a generator and water. Against the backdrop of winter preparations and the risk of power outages, Ukrainians' interest in private housing outside the cities has grown noticeably. According to data from the LUN platform, search queries for such houses began rising as early as the beginning of 2026 and have remained at a high level ever since. The picture, however, turned out to be atypical: traditionally, the peak of interest in private houses falls in August, yet in 2026 the highest figures were recorded already in January and February. "One of the factors behind this interest is the demand for greater privacy and self-sufficiency in housing," explains Alena Babko, Head of External Communications and Partnerships at LUN. It is important to note that buying a house is only the first line of expense: firewood, backup power, water, and fitting out the home can significantly increase the overall budget for a winter move. ### House prices: where it's cheaper and where it's more expensive The cost of private housing has risen over the past year across almost the entire country. Real estate prices grew the most in Rivne Oblast — by 36%, and in Chernivtsi and Odesa Oblasts — by 35%. Among the regional centers, some of the lowest prices per square meter are recorded in Mykolaiv (425 dollars), Zaporizhzhia (440 dollars), and Chernihiv (455 dollars per sq. m). In Chernihiv, the median price of a whole private house at the end of April was around 28,800 dollars, whereas in Kyiv and Lviv it was about 220,000 dollars. At the same time, the price depends not only on the region but also on the condition of the property, its area, distance from the city, and the availability of infrastructure. It is separately noted that in 2026, prices for suburban housing outside the regional centers are rising faster than in the cities themselves in many regions — especially in Odesa, Lviv, Zaporizhzhia, Vinnytsia, and Dnipropetrovsk Oblasts. ### Firewood and heating: record demand and rising prices As attacks on the energy system intensify, more and more owners are considering heating their homes with firewood, and this expense also needs to be factored into the budget. The state enterprise "Ukrainian Forests" reports that this year there is elevated demand for solid fuel, and the sale of firewood to the population in 2026 may reach a record 2.9–3 million cubic meters. As of the beginning of September, the average selling price of 1 cubic meter of non-industrial firewood is 1,252 UAH including VAT. Compared with the previous heating season, prices have risen by an average of 12–15% due to higher fuel and lubricant costs and the cost of logging services. The lowest prices are in resource-rich regions (the Polissia, the Carpathian region, and Chernihiv and Sumy Oblasts) — from 900 to 1,400 UAH including VAT per cubic meter depending on the tree species, while in less forested oblasts the cost is higher. ### Backup power and water: hidden expenses In addition to firewood, a self-sufficient home requires investment in backup power and water supply. A generator capable of keeping essential appliances running during outages, as well as a borehole or well pump for water delivery, are additional items that are often not accounted for in the budget. The presence of connected gas and water is usually already built into the price of the house, but if such utilities are absent, the buyer is forced to arrange alternative sources of energy and water on their own, which further increases the cost of winter preparation. ### How to find a house in the village and what to look for On the OLX platform you can find listings for houses in villages for 3,000–10,000 dollars, and the price in the listing is not always final — sellers are often willing to negotiate. There are many offers in specialized social media groups as well, where in the overwhelming majority of cases the listings are posted by the owners themselves, which allows you to save on realtor fees. Often the price is determined not so much by the house itself as by the large surrounding plot, and the presence of gas and water raises the price; many owners offer installment payments. In small villages, some offers do not appear on listing platforms at all, so it is worth checking local groups and asking residents of the community. At the same time, LUN emphasizes that there is no separate statistics specifically on old village houses yet, and it is too early to talk about a mass shift to this type of property — the data reflect a broader trend toward private, self-sufficient, and private housing in general. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Winter in the village. Why buying a house is only the beginning of the expenses](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/zima-seli-chomu-pokupka-budinku-tse-lishe-1789049920.html) - Единственный источник. Цифры по ценам на жильё (ЛУН) и дрова (ГП «Леса Украины») приведены с атрибуцией; текст обрывается на блоке о ценах в менее лесистых областях, поэтому конкретные значения для восточных регионов не использовались. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: When was the peak of interest in private houses in 2026? **A:** According to LUN data, queries began rising at the start of 2026, and the peak fell in January and February — earlier than the traditional August peak. ### Q: How much does a house in the village cost? **A:** On OLX there are offers for 3,000–10,000 dollars, and the price is often negotiable. The median price of a whole house in Chernihiv is about 28,800 dollars, and in Kyiv and Lviv — about 220,000 dollars. ### Q: How much does firewood cost in 2026? **A:** The average selling price of 1 cubic meter of firewood for the population is 1,252 UAH including VAT (as of the beginning of September), up 12–15% from the previous season. In resource-rich regions — from 900 to 1,400 UAH per cubic meter. ### Q: What else should be factored into the budget besides the house? **A:** Firewood and heating, backup power (a generator), water supply (a pump/borehole), and, if necessary, repairs and fitting out of the home.