The Real Cost of Food in Ukraine

In yet another indication of how peculiar the current economic situation is here in Ukraine, news reports claimed the people here are spending as much as half of their incomes on food. To put that in perspective, Brits only spend about 10% of their earnings for the same purpose. This new statistic highlights rather clearly how inflation is outstripping salary increases by some margin meaning that in real terms the average Ukrainian is becoming poorer. The report followed that fact up with some others, noting that the massive outlays for mere sustenance were forcing Ukrainians to economise on other things. For example, three quarters of families can't afford to buy a refrigerator, two thirds can't buy a washing machine and half can't buy that new television set they're longing for.

 According to the State Statistics Committee, meanwhile, 14 percent of families reported situations in which they couldn't afford the medical help they needed, on account of the high prices for medicine and health care treatment. Of course when we live and work in Kyiv, especially near the centre, it is hard to imagine the economic difficulties a large percentage of the country's population faces on a daily basis. We might complain that many Kyiv restaurants are charging Western-style prices, but that is not the type of food the report is referring to. The report serves as a stark reminder of just how atypical the country's capital is of Ukraine - a great oasis of increasing affluence in a country that remains bordering on the poverty line. Let's hope whoever forms the next government focuses on the problem and works towards providing the great people of this country with a better standard of living.