Basic needs “consume” 84% of money, leaving almost nothing for everything else
Over the past year, the main expense for most Ukrainians has been basic needs. Only a few coins are left in the monthly budget for leisure or savings.
This is reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the results of a Deloitte Ukraine study on consumer sentiments among Ukrainians.
Also read: Food instead of disposal will be given to those in need: what will change in Ukraine and for whom
Main points:
- The lion’s share for “basics”: Ukrainians spend 84% of their monthly budget on essential goods and services.
- Difference in numbers: In comparison, in Germany and the Netherlands, only 56-59% of income is spent on basic needs.
- Life without leisure: The average Ukrainian has only 1% of their budget left for leisure and tourism, while in Europe this figure is 16-17%.
- Main expenses: Ukrainians spend the most on food and mandatory monthly payments.
- Dreams of balance: In an ideal budget, Ukrainians would like to spend only 46% on “basics” to have more money left for savings and leisure.
Main expense category for Ukrainians
According to the results of the conducted study, throughout 2025, Ukrainians:
- more frequently purchased goods online than before;
- regularly used delivery services and parcel lockers;
- increasingly relied on reviews from other users and social media when making purchases.
At the same time, basic needs remain the main expense today.
“The modern Ukrainian consumer combines pragmatism, digital awareness, and a clear value position,” said Alexander Yampolsky, head of the retail direction at Deloitte Ukraine.
He explained that necessary expenses dominate citizens’ spending, but when choosing brands, many consider the companies’ positions important:
- 62% of Ukrainians consciously avoid brands associated with the Russian market;
- 87% continue to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“This combination shapes the modern economic reality of the country,” the expert emphasized.
Features of Ukrainian consumer behavior (infographic: deloitte.com)
How the monthly budget is distributed
The largest share of expenses for Ukrainians – 84% of the monthly budget – is spent on essential goods and services.
Overall, people’s expenses are distributed as follows:
- mandatory payments (utilities, rent, debt/loan/mortgage payments, etc.) – 31% (desired distribution – 10%);
- food (including alcoholic beverages), excluding restaurants/cafes – 40% (desired distribution – 26%);
- clothing and footwear – 5% (desired distribution – 9%);
- electronics, household appliances, and household goods – 1% (desired distribution – 6%);
- leisure (including restaurants/cafes), recreation, and tourism – 1% (desired distribution – 12%);
- healthcare – 9% (desired distribution – 8%);
- transportation costs (public transport, taxis, fuel for cars, rail transport, etc.) – 4% (desired distribution – 2%);
- services in education, sports, beauty (salons, spas, hairdressers, etc.) – 0.4% (desired distribution – 3%);
- digital services (mobile communication, internet, cable TV, streaming platforms) – 4% (desired distribution – 2%);
- donations/charity – 1% (desired distribution – 3%);
- savings and investments – 2% (desired distribution – 19%).
In the “desired” budget, Ukrainians demonstrate a desire for a more balanced expense structure – to reduce the share of spending on basic needs to 46%, while increasing leisure spending to 12% and raising the share of savings and investments to 19%.
Distribution of the monthly budget of Ukrainians (infographic: deloitte.com)
Based on the study results, Ukrainians spend significantly more on basic needs than Europeans.
For instance, a comparison of the expense structure of Ukrainians with consumer budgets in other countries showed a significant difference in the distribution of expenses between Ukrainians and residents of European countries.
For example, the largest share of expenses for Ukrainians is on essential goods and services – 84% of the monthly budget, while in Germany and the Netherlands, this figure is 56-59%.
Ukrainians spend the least on leisure – only 1% of the total budget, while in European countries this share reaches 16-17%.
Distribution of the monthly budget of Ukrainians compared to consumer budgets in other countries (infographic: deloitte.com)
How purchases are most often made
Basic purchases by Ukrainians in 2025 were predominantly made in physical stores:
- 76% of consumers buy food offline (72% in 2024);
- 63% – pharmaceuticals (59% in 2024);
- 66% – household goods and cleaning products (64% in 2024).
At the same time, the online segment continued to strengthen its position last year:
- 18% of Ukrainians purchased electronics and household appliances online (17% in 2024);
- 18% – cosmetics and perfumes (15% in 2024);
- 17% – clothing and footwear (15% in 2024).
Purchasing activity of Ukrainians offline and online (infographic: deloitte.com)
“In 2025, price sensitivity became a key factor in consumer behavior. We see that Ukrainians are increasingly choosing discount formats, planning purchases, and actively responding to promotions and private label products,” said Natalia Shapovalova, CEO of ATB-Market LLC.
At the same time, she acknowledged: “Despite the challenging economic conditions, consumer activity is recovering faster than expected.”
“And neighborhood stores continue to be one of the most popular formats,” the expert concluded.
Recall, earlier we reported how prices for dairy and meat products will change by the end of March and for Easter.
Additionally, we explained what Ukrainians spend the most money on with cards.
Also read about how the “National Cashback” has changed – for which purchases Ukrainians will receive more and vice versa.
