Preparing a first-grader for school in Ukraine has become 30% more expensive in a year

Preparing a first-grader for school in 2026 will cost an average of 12,923 hryvnias — about 30% more than last year.

This conclusion was reached by analysts at Codes.com.ua following a monitoring of prices on school goods.

The calculations used median prices on marketplaces and in retail chains, statistics from the State Statistics Service, and Google search query data.

Over six years, back-to-school preparation has become more than four times more expensive

In 2020, full preparation of a first-grader was estimated at approximately 2,500–3,000 hryvnias. By 2026, the calculated cost of the Codes basket has reached 12,923 hryvnias. Taking the upper limit of 2020 — 3,000 hryvnias — as the baseline, the increase amounts to approximately 331%, and the current sum is 4.3 times higher.

The main findings of the study are as follows: the calculated cost of a full first-grader’s basket in 2026 is 12,923 hryvnias; growth compared to 2025 is 30%; growth compared to 2020 is more than 333%, or 4.33 times. The most expensive item is clothing, which accounts for about 65% of the basket and showed the largest price increase — up 40%. The share of government assistance (the “Pakunok Shkolyara” package for first-graders) in total expenditure is 38.7%.

The analysts note a caveat: the cost of the basket is calculated on the assumption that all listed items are purchased new. In practice, clothing, footwear, or stationery are often carried over from previous years or bought in advance. At the same time, the calculation does not include special expenses — for example, for a new laptop or a sports uniform for an extracurricular club.

The real range of spending is from 5,000 to 30,000 hryvnias

The figures cited describe an average budget in which parents choose quality items at moderate prices. With strict economy, a first-grader can be prepared for as little as 5,000 hryvnias. An expanded budget, without focusing on median prices, can amount to 20,000–30,000 hryvnias or more.

The burden on family budgets varies significantly by region. In a number of oblasts, the cost of preparing a child for school exceeds half of the average salary: Kirovohrad Oblast — 61.0%, Chernivtsi — 59.6%, Ivano-Frankivsk — 54.4%, Odesa — 53.2%, Kharkiv — 52.4%, Poltava — 51.8%. In Kyiv, this figure stands at 26.9%, and the national average is 42.35%.

Government assistance covers about 39% of the basket

The “Pakunok Shkolyara” payment of 5,000 hryvnias covers approximately 38.7% of the calculated cost of the full basket. The basic set — school supplies, a backpack, and a bag for indoor shoes — is estimated at approximately 2,773 hryvnias, meaning the payment is sufficient to cover the main school purchases and direct the remainder toward other needs, such as clothing.

The analysts identify five of the most effective ways to reduce expenses: use the “Pakunok Shkolyara” (up to 5,000 hryvnias), take advantage of store sales with discounts of around 10–20%, organize group purchases of stationery (savings of up to 20–30%), buy second-hand clothing and accessories (savings of around 30–50% or more), and use promo codes, cashback, and price comparison across different platforms.