How much does a school year cost in Ukraine in 2026?

The new school year has already begun, but that doesn't mean the main expenses are behind us. Purchases made in August and September are only the first part of the budget. Autumn and winter are still ahead, bringing the need for warmer clothes, additional footwear, electricity and internet expenses, and, for families with children studying remotely, equipment and backup power solutions.

Today, we'll discuss how much families had already spent by September 1, how prices have changed in recent years, and how much it costs to prepare for autumn and winter.

A typical school shopping basket consists of several categories: clothing, footwear, a backpack and other accessories, stationery, arts and crafts supplies, and miscellaneous organisational items.

According to a study by Codes, which analysed prices on marketplaces, in retail chains and stores, the cost of a complete set of school supplies and essentials for a first-grader was estimated at UAH 12,923 as of August 2026. Clothing accounts for the largest share — approximately UAH 8,100, or around 62.7% of the total basket. Footwear accounts for approximately UAH 2,050, accessories for UAH 1,265, organisational supplies for UAH 435, stationery for UAH 334, and arts and crafts supplies for another UAH 739. A budget-friendly approach in 2026, where parents purchase affordable clothing and footwear intended to last several seasons, could cost around UAH 5,000–9,000. However, fully replacing a child's wardrobe, purchasing several outfits for different occasions, separate footwear for school, physical education and outdoor activities, a more expensive backpack, additional learning materials and other supplies could increase the total to UAH 15,000–20,000 or more.

Therefore, the difference between "getting a child ready for school" and "buying everything needed for a comfortable school year" can amount to tens of thousands of hryvnias.

The budget also depends heavily on the child's age. If a child is moving up to a higher grade and only needs new trainers, a tracksuit, a few notebooks and a backpack, expenses may be significantly lower. For middle school students, such costs are estimated at UAH 3,000–7,000, while for high school students they are around UAH 1,500–3,000.

The school shopping basket has become noticeably more expensive in recent years. For example, preparing a first-grader for school cost approximately UAH 8,000 in 2024 and around UAH 10,000 in 2025. Compared with the upper end of the 2020 estimate of UAH 2,500–3,000, today's basket is approximately 4.3 times more expensive.

Clothing prices have risen particularly sharply — by approximately 40% over the year. The final price is affected by higher logistics, material and energy costs, operating expenses for retailers and manufacturers, and general inflation.

These figures come from the Codes study published in September 2026.

To better understand the actual financial burden, let's compare the cost of the school shopping basket with Ukrainians' incomes.

The minimum monthly wage in Ukraine in 2026 is UAH 8,647. A basic school shopping basket costing UAH 5,000 represents almost 58% of the monthly minimum wage. Expenses of UAH 7,500 already amount to nearly 87%, while a basket costing UAH 10,000 represents around 116%, exceeding the minimum wage. The complete estimated basket for a first-grader under the Codes methodology — UAH 12,923 — is equivalent to almost 150% of the minimum wage.

For comparison, the average nominal salary of a full-time employee in Ukraine in July 2026 was UAH 32,243.

In that case, a basic school shopping basket costing UAH 5,000 represents approximately 15.5% of the average salary, UAH 7,500 represents 23.3%, and UAH 10,000 represents 31%. A complete first-grader's basket costing UAH 12,923 amounts to approximately 40.1% of the average monthly salary.

In other words, even basic school preparation can consume more than half the monthly income of someone earning the minimum wage. A complete estimated set for a first-grader already represents around two-fifths of the national average salary.

For families with two or three schoolchildren, expenses increase accordingly. Some items — such as backpacks, outerwear or electronic devices — can be passed down to younger children, but clothing, footwear, stationery and educational needs still have to be budgeted for separately.

The government covers part of the initial expenses for first-graders. The "Schoolchild's Package" programme provides a one-time payment of UAH 5,000 for each child starting first grade. I explained this programme in detail last year, and it has been extended to 2026.

The funds can be spent on books, stationery, school supplies, children's clothing and footwear. Comparing UAH 5,000 with the estimated UAH 12,923 cost of a complete basket, government assistance covers approximately 38.7% of initial expenses. An application for reimbursement can be submitted until November 1, 2026.

Just a few years ago, remote schooling was primarily associated with a temporary solution for situations when a child could not attend regular classes. Today, it has become a fully established form of education for many Ukrainian families. However, the savings are not as obvious as they might initially seem.

Remote education can indeed reduce certain expenses, such as daily transport, some school clothing, meals outside the home and certain administrative payments. However, it also requires families to establish their own learning infrastructure.

Although a laptop is not included in the basic school shopping basket, a smartphone is usually insufficient for comfortable full-day remote learning. A laptop or desktop computer is needed, while younger pupils may also require equipment that allows them to see their teacher clearly, work with documents and complete assignments — for example, a tablet.

In September 2026, basic laptops suitable for studying, with 8 GB of RAM and an SSD, could be found starting at approximately UAH 19,000–20,000, while popular mid-range models for work and study often cost around UAH 23,000–30,000. In other words, a single laptop can cost approximately twice as much as the entire traditional school shopping basket. And that's before adding a mouse, headphones, a webcam if needed, and other accessories.

The advantage of home internet is that it does not require significant one-off expenses if a connection is already installed. However, the monthly subscription becomes part of the budget throughout the school year.

A home internet plan offering speeds of 300 Mbps may cost UAH 350 per month, while a 1 Gbps plan may cost UAH 450 per month under standard tariff conditions. Overall, prices depend on the technology and city, and regular plans can start from UAH 200 per month.

At first glance, UAH 200–450 may not seem like much. But over ten months of schooling, that adds up to approximately UAH 2,000–4,500.

Remote learning requires more than just a laptop. A child also needs a place where they can sit, write, read and work at a screen for several hours at a time.

If the family doesn't have a spare desk, one will need to be purchased. Today, simple desks for schoolchildren can be found in Ukrainian stores for approximately UAH 1,500–3,000, while larger models with drawers and shelves cost UAH 5,000–8,000 or more.

Then come a chair, desk lamp, organisers, shelves, headphones if needed — particularly if a family has two or more children who do not have separate rooms — and other accessories.

As a result, setting up a proper study space can easily add several thousand hryvnias to the budget.

In Ukraine's current circumstances, another specific expense must be added to this list: backup power. A remote lesson cannot take place if the laptop battery runs out, the router switches off and there is no electricity.

That's why families purchase power banks, routers with backup power capabilities or portable power stations.

Prices vary considerably. The simplest solutions for powering a laptop and router may cost several thousand hryvnias, while full-scale portable power stations can cost UAH 10,000–40,000 or more, depending on their capacity and output.

Of course, a schoolchild doesn't necessarily need a power station capable of powering an entire apartment. If the goal is to get through a power outage lasting several hours during lessons, backup power for a laptop, router and lamp may sometimes be sufficient.

But the very existence of this expense demonstrates how much the concept of a "school shopping basket" has changed in Ukraine.

Remote learning does not necessarily mean attending a private online school. Students enrolled in state schools can access some educational content free of charge, including through the government platform "All-Ukrainian Online School".

However, if a family chooses a full-fledged private online school, regular tuition fees must be added to the budget. Prices vary significantly because the term "online school" can refer to very different formats: from independent learning on a platform to daily live lessons with teachers, homework assessment and tutor support.

In the 2026/2027 academic year, some schools offer teacher-free learning formats for UAH 980 per month, while basic programmes involving teachers cost more. For example, an external study package costs UAH 1,700 per month.

Full programmes with regular live classes cost more. For example, at one lyceum, tuition for grades 1–4 in the 2026/2027 academic year costs UAH 4,500 per month. This includes daily online lessons with teachers, homework assessment, progress monitoring and tutor support.

There are also more expensive options, ranging from UAH 12,000 per month for grades 1–4 to UAH 15,000 for grades 8–11. The price includes daily classes with teachers, access to the learning platform, progress monitoring and tutor support.

Thus, in the 2026/2027 academic year, the budget for a private online school can range from approximately UAH 1,000–2,000 to UAH 12,000–15,000 per month or more, depending on the number of live classes, level of support, learning format and additional services.

Over ten months of schooling, this amounts to approximately UAH 10,000–150,000 per year. However, comparing subscription prices alone is not entirely appropriate: in a cheaper package, the child may have to study much more independently, while a more expensive package essentially provides a full school experience with a timetable, teachers, assignment assessment and ongoing support.

Therefore, when choosing an online school, it is important to consider not only the monthly fee but also what exactly is included: live lessons, homework assessment, a tutor or class teacher, progress monitoring, preparation for the National Multi-Subject Test (NMT), official enrolment and educational certificates. These components have the greatest impact on the final cost of education.

For some families, education expenses are no longer limited to backpacks, clothing and stationery. Parents choose private schools to provide their children with stable in-person learning, reliable shelters, smaller classes, longer school days, meals, extracurricular activities and more individual attention.

In such cases, tuition becomes the main expense. And here, prices also vary considerably.

In the 2026/2027 academic year, private schools in Kyiv can be found with starting tuition fees of UAH 14,000–20,000 per month. In the mid-range segment, fees can reach UAH 25,000–35,000 per month or more. Separate enrolment fees may also apply.

There are also more expensive options. A review of private schools in Kyiv for 2026 shows prices ranging from approximately UAH 15,000 per month at smaller schools to $2,800 per month at international campuses.

Therefore, over ten months of schooling, tuition alone at a private school may amount to approximately UAH 140,000–385,000 per year in the examples given. Additional expenses may include enrolment fees, transport, extracurricular clubs, individual lessons and other services.

At the same time, comparing private schools solely by their monthly fees is not entirely appropriate. At one school, the fee may already include meals, supervision until the evening, homework assistance and extracurricular activities. At another, some of these services are charged separately.

According to Eurydice Ukraine, tuition fees at private schools in Ukraine can range from UAH 9,000 to UAH 100,000 per month. The difference depends on the educational programme, level of comfort, safety, additional services and learning format.

Therefore, the actual cost of a private school should be calculated not by asking "How much does one month cost?" but rather "How much will the family spend over the entire school year?" This makes it clear that private education can cost hundreds of thousands of hryvnias annually, even before accounting for ordinary expenses such as clothing, footwear, personal belongings and other school-related needs.

At the same time, one parent may be eligible for a tax deduction of up to 18% of private school tuition fees, provided the conditions established by law are met. My colleague explained this in detail in the article Education Tax Deduction: Who Is Eligible and How to Apply.

So, what is the main conclusion from these calculations? Education expenses should be planned not according to "how much we need to spend on shopping over a weekend in August", but rather "how much we are prepared to spend on education throughout the year".

Before the school year begins, it is useful to determine three things: the maximum amount the family is prepared to spend on education, mandatory payments, and expenses that can be reduced or postponed. This helps distinguish genuine necessities from purchases made "just in case".

If you are considering a private school or paid online education, it is worth calculating the full annual cost of the agreement in advance, including additional payments. Large one-off purchases — such as equipment, furniture or seasonal clothing — should also be kept separate from regular monthly expenses. This turns the school budget into a clear financial goal. And the earlier a family determines its cost, the easier it becomes to spread the financial burden throughout the year.

One more thing: I wouldn't recommend comparing the cost of education in 2026 with previous years based solely on the price of notebooks or backpacks. The cost of educating a schoolchild now includes the entire infrastructure that enables a child to learn safely throughout the year.

Translation into English was created with the help of artificial intelligence.