Only 7% of Ukrainians belong to the middle class: who falls into this category.

A person's belonging to the is determined not only by material wealth but also by purchasing power. Having savings does not always mean being able to spend that money on a desired gift or a trip abroad. Similarly, buying household appliances or a car is not a primary criterion for financial well-being.

The site Novyny.LIVE explains what real representatives of the middle class can afford.

What people in the middle class have

In many countries, the criteria for identification differ. However, the list of material goods and opportunities available to middle-class representatives is almost identical. For example, in the United States, both the amount of regular income and the purchasing power of citizens are taken into account.

To be considered middle class in the USA, one must be able to spend money on favorite food, clothing, housing rent, cars, appliances, travel, real estate investments, attending theaters and concerts, hiring private tutors, and other benefits.

In Europe, a similar identification method is used. A person will be considered poor if she lacks more than three items from the list:

• a phone;
• a television;
• a washing machine;
• a car;
• the ability to eat meat and fish at least every other day;
• the opportunity to vacation abroad for at least one week a year;
• the ability to cover unexpected expenses;
• funds for housing rent, mortgage payment, or utilities.

As for Ukraine, our middle class is defined by the presence of a personal car or funds for its purchase, a 'financial cushion', a set amount for vacation abroad or travel at least twice a year. Plus, one needs to have a steady income of 30,000 UAH per month. Not every citizen meets these criteria.

Is there a middle class in Ukraine

Experts do not agree on what percentage of Ukraine's population constitutes the middle class. People's Deputy from the 'Fatherland' party Andriy Nikolayenko said in the Novyny.LIVE broadcast that in 2024 such people were less than 7% (by income level). Another percent is the wealthy, and about 92% of the population are the poor class.

'The potential middle class — people who consider themselves as such in Ukraine — is over 40%. Those who are actually middle class by income are now less than 7%', Nikolayenko stated.

At the same time, analyst Oleksiy Kusch from the 'United Ukraine' center named different figures. In his opinion, the share of the middle class is at the level of 10-15%. After the start of the full-scale war, the number of so-called imitators sharply decreased, and people in the periphery are steadily moving into the caste of the poor.

What else Ukrainians should know

Recall that is Dieter Schwartz — the owner of popular supermarket chains Lidl and Kaufland. His fortune was estimated at 41 billion dollars as of 2025.

We also wrote that in 2024 was recorded in Hungary, Lithuania, and Sweden — over 15%. Meanwhile, in Turkey, the median wealth significantly fell — by 20.9%.

The article discusses what is considered the signs of belonging to the middle class in various countries, including the USA, Europe, and Ukraine. In Ukraine, the standards for recognizing an individual as middle class are quite high, which may limit the number of people who consider themselves members of this class. Experts ambiguously define the percentage ratio of the middle, wealthy, and poor classes of the population, but emphasize that the middle class in Ukraine is not dominant.