Translated by Ollie Richardson & Angelina Siard
13:22:09
21/11/2018
strana.ua
November 21st in Ukraine is the Day of Dignity and Freedom – the anniversary of the day when Euromaidan began.
The holiday was established in accordance with Petro Poroshenko’s decree last year.
After the events that followed Maidan – the annexation of Crimea and the war in Donbass – one of the most serious economic crises hit Ukraine. It painfully cost a pretty penny practically every Ukrainian – the hryvnia depreciated threefold, and prices and tariffs shot up, far overtaking salaries.
“Strana” decided to compare everyday how much life cost on the year of Euromaidan and now.
We also decided to compare the place of Ukraine in the world rankings before and after Maidan.
Salaries
The average salary in five years in hryvnia grew by more than twofold. However, the national currency depreciated even more – by 3.5-fold.
The average salary in Ukraine, according to official figures, at the end of 2013 was 3,619 hryvnia. Now it is equal to 9,042 hryvnia.
At the same time, in the autumn of 2013 the dollar exchange rate was a little more than 8 hryvnia and the euro exchange rate was about 11. Now the dollar costs 27.75 hryvnia and the euro costs 31.49 hryvnia.
Respectively, the equivalent of an average salary in 2013 was $443, and now an average salary is slightly less than $290. It should be noted that if today the average salary in Ukraine totalled $443, then with a present exchange rate it would be 13,950 hryvnia.
| Year | 2013 | 2018 |
| Average salary in hryvnia | 3,619 | 9,042 |
| Average salary in dollars | 443 | 290 |
Utilities
Here are utility tariffs across Kiev, because some of them can differ from city to city.
In 2013 gas cost an average of 0.93 hryvnia per cubic meter (depending on the volume of consumption), cold water and water disposal cost 3.18 hryvnia (at the same time, in some other cities the tariff was much higher), and heating cost 2.91 hryvnia per sq.m of habitable area. The maintenance of house adjoining territories in the capital costed 2.41 hryvnia per sq.m of apartment.
In 2013 electricity costs inhabitants 26 kopeks for those who consumed up to 150 kW/hour, and if more than this is consumed – 33.7 kopeks.
And here is how these figures have changed in five years.
| Year | 2013 | 2018 | 2019 | Increase |
| Electricity | 0.26-0.33 hryvnia per kW / h | 0.9 – 1.68 hryvnia per kWh | fivefold | |
| Rent | 2.41 hryvnia / m2 | 5.85 hryvnia / m2 | twofold | |
| Gas | 0.93 hryvnia / m3 | 8.54 hryvnia / m3 | almost tenfold | |
| Cold water | 3.18 hryvnia / m3 | 19.59 hryvnia / m3 | sixfold | |
| Heating | 2.91 hryvnia / m2 | 31.55 hryvnia / m2 | 36.59 hryvnia / m2 | twelvefold |
| Hot water | 16 hryvnia / m3 | 74.53 hryvnia / m3 | 86.45 hryvnia / m2 | almost sixfold |
In 2018 household gas already costs 8.54 per cubic meter, cold water and water disposal costs 19.59 hryvnia, heating costs 31.55 hryvnia per sq.m, or 1355.83 hryvnia per gigacalorie if one has a heat meter. Hot water now costs 74.53 hryvnia per cubic meter.
The tariff for electricity grew by more than sixfold – from 26 kopeks to 1.68 hryvnia if one consumes more than 100 kWh. If one consumes less, then the tariff is equal to 90 kopeks.
The maintenance of a house adjoining territories in Kiev is on average 5,85 hryvnia per sq.m of apartment.
At the same time, not long after gas prices were increased by 23.5% Ukrainians are now waiting for the next rise in prices.
According to the estimates of the Minister of Social Policy Andrey Reva, despite gas prices being increased from November 1st by 23.5%, warm and hot water will have to increase in price by 16% from December 1st. But in many cities the growth will be even more. Next year there will be one more increase (from May), and then there will be another increase from January 1st, 2020.
We compared how much had to be paid for an apartment in 2013 and 2018 during the heating season. This concerns rent + electricity, heat, and municipal tariffs for a two-room flat at 50 sq.m with two adults and two children living there.
The growth is more than fivefold.
| Year | 2013 | 2018 |
| Rent | 140 | 292 |
| Heating | 220 * | 1,577 |
| Cold water (8m3) | 25 | 156.72 |
| Hot water (4m3) | 65 | 298.12 |
| Light (130 kWh) | 34 | 218.4 |
| Gas (6 m3) | 5.58 | 51.24 |
| TOTAL | 490 hryvnia | 2,593.48 hryvnia |
* calculation is only for the heating season.
Food
In 2013 wheat bread cost an average of 4.78 hryvnia, and in 2018 it cost already 15 hryvnia. Four years ago beef cost 54.17 hryvnia per kilogram, and now it costs nearly 130. Fat now costs more than 100 hryvnia per kg, and in 2013 it costed 23.89.
Milk rose in price from 7.7 to more than 20 hryvnia. Butter can be bought now on average for 183-185 hryvnia per kilogram, and before Maidan it costed 60 hryvnia. Eggs in 2013 cost 9.69, and four years later they can be bought for a little more than for 30 hryvnia per dozen (although it depends on the category of eggs and the producer – prices in the capital’s supermarkets can differ considerably).
Flour was sold for 4,38 in 2013 and now it costs 14.45. Buckwheat cost 9.11 in 2013 and now it costs 17.10. Rice rose in price from 7.7 hryvnia to 23.66. The price of sunflower oil in 2013 and 2017 was 14.55 and 33.72 hryvnia respectively. Pasta now costs 9.84, and in 2013 it costs 5.26.
Potatoes rose in price from 3.3 hryvnia to 6.99. Carrots are now 10.26. and in 2013 they cost 3.47. Cabbage rose in price from 2.38 to 6.07. In general vegetables rose in price by approximately twofold, and for some other food products the increase is even more.
| Year | 2013 | 2018 |
| Wheat bread | 4.78 | 15 |
| Beef | 54.17 | 128.69 |
| Milk | 7.7 | 23.16 |
| Fat | 23.89 | 107 |
| Butter | 60 | 185 |
| Sunflower oil | 14.55 | 33.72 |
| Buckwheat | 9.11 | 17,10 |
| Rice | 7.7 | 23.66 |
| Potatoes | 3.3 | 6.99 |
Petrol and travel
A95 petrol now costs an average of 32.09 per liter. Diesel fuel costs 31.85. In the autumn of 2013 gasoline cost 10.35 hryvnia, and diesel cost 9.90 hryvnia.
The subway in Kiev in 2013 costed 2 hryvnia per trip, in the summer of 2017 the price of a journey increased to 5 hryvnia, and in 2018 it costs up to 8 hryvnia. The fare of land city transport also changed in 4 years: back then it was 2 hryvnia, now it is 8.
| Year | 2013 | 2018 |
| Gasoline A95 | 10.35 | 32.09 |
| Diesel | 9.95 | 31.85 |
| Travel on the Kiev subway | 2 | 8 |
| Ground transportation in Kiev | 2 | 8 |
UKRAINE’S POSITION IN WORLD RANKINGS
The rankings made by generally western countries and organisations don’t document a social disaster in Ukraine, and in fact they even show a certain positive dynamic.
However, things aren’t so positive when speaking about serious breakthroughs in any of spheres during these five years.
Only the happiness index experienced a sharp change – it tumbled by some tens of positions.
Doing Business 2013-2018
This is the ranking of the World Bank that compares how useful the conditions are for business. The ranking has 190 positions. The higher a country’s position in the list is, the more favourable the business environment is for opening and functioning a business.
The position of Ukraine in this ranking improved over the past year by five places. The authorities consider this to be a big victory – although the neighbouring Russia and Belarus are 40 place higher than Ukraine, and they also improve every year. And from the countries of the former USSR Ukraine is ahead of only the Uzbeks and Tajiks.
Ukraine – 71st place (in 2013 it was 137th)
Belarus – 37th place (was 58th)
Russia – 31st place (was 112th)
World happiness report
The world report on happiness (World Happiness Report) is published annually by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. The assessment takes into account 6 factors: GDP per capita, social support, life expectancy, freedom of citizens to independently make vital decisions, generosity, and attitude towards corruption.
Ukraine – 138th place (was 87th)
Belarus – 73rd place (was 66th)
Russia – 59th place (was 68th)
Press freedom index
The ranking of countries complied by “Reporters Without Borders”. In Ukraine in the years after Maidan journalists were killed and attacked, and the media agencies that criticised the authorities were raided by masked individuals.
Nevertheless, Ukraine has improved in this ranking. Why is this so? To be brief – the consultants of “RWB” in Ukraine are organisations that are close to the authorities and turn a blind eye to many violations of the rights of journalists.
Ukraine – 101st place (was 127th)
Russia – 148th (was also 148th)
Belarus – 155th (was 157th)
Index of Economic Freedom
This ranking is developed by the “Heritage Foundation” research center together with the Wall Street Journal newspaper. The index of economic freedom is based on 10 indices measured on a scale of 0 to 100, thus a score of 100 corresponds to maximum freedom, and 0, respectively, indicates minimum freedom. Ukraine has improved here, but, in comparison with other countries, the improvement is insignificant.
Ukraine – 150th place (was 162nd)
Russia – 107th (was 153rd)
Belarus – 108th (was 157th)
Corruption Perception Index
The ranking was developed by the international non-governmental organisation Transparency International. It is a kind of poll carried out by experts regarding corruption in the country.
Ukraine – 130th place (was 144th)
Russia – 135th (was 127th)
Belarus – 68th (was 123rd)
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