In Poland, from On 1 January 2027, the minimum wage will be 4,950 zlotys gross per month. According to a rough estimate, this is approximately 58,000 hryvnias. In Ukraine, the draft state budget for next year sets the minimum wage at 9,546 UAH. Thus, in nominal terms, the Polish figure will be approximately six times higher than the Ukrainian one.
- In Poland, the minimum wage will be 4,950 zlotys.
- That’s around 58,000 UAH.
- In Ukraine, the budget is set at 9,546 UAH.
- The difference is about sixfold.
How much will people be paid in Poland?
The Polish authorities have finalised the minimum wage for 2027. From On 1 January, it will amount to 4,950 zlotys gross, and the minimum hourly rate for the relevant civil law contracts is — 32.30 zlotys. The relevant decree of the Council of Ministers has already been published.
In 2026, the minimum wage in Poland is 4,806 zlotys. It will therefore rise by 144 zlotys, or approximately 3%. According to the Polish government’s estimates, the pay rise will affect approximately 1.58 million workers.
During the negotiations, the trade unions proposed setting the minimum wage at no less than 5,200 zlotys; however, the employers and the trade unions were unable to agree on a single figure. Ultimately, the final decision was taken by the government.
In Ukraine, there are plans to raise the minimum wage to 9,546 UAH
In Ukraine, from 1 January 2027 minimum wage are planning to set at the level of 9,546 UAH per month.
This figure is set out in the budget estimates for 2027. Compared with 2026, when the minimum wage stands at 8,647 UAH, it is proposed to increase it by 899 UAH, or 10.4%.
At the same time, there is a significant difference between the figures for Poland and Ukraine. In Poland, the minimum wage for 2027 has already been set by a government decree. In Ukraine 9,546 UAH remains, for the time being, the figure quoted in the draft state budget, which parliament has yet to consider and adopt. Bill No. 16000 was tabled in the Verkhovna Rada on 15 September and is currently under consideration.
The difference is about six times
If 4,950 zlotys are converted into hryvnias at the current indicative exchange rate, the Polish minimum wage is approximately 58,000 UAH.
Compared with the Ukrainian 9,546 UAH, this is approximately 6.1 times more.
However, such a comparison only shows the nominal difference in salaries. It does not take into account the cost of rent, food, transport, taxes and the general price level in the two countries.
In addition, 4,950 zlotys is the gross salary, that is, before tax and social security contributions. The Ukrainian minimum wage is also set as the gross amount before tax.
Poland is raising its minimum wage more slowly than Ukraine
In percentage terms, the situation looks different. In Poland, the minimum wage in 2027 will rise by approximately 3%, whereas in Ukraine the government has budgeted for an increase of approximately 10,4%. However, due to the significantly lower starting point, the absolute gap between salaries remains very wide.
The final amount of the Ukrainian minimum wage will be announced once the Verkhovna Rada has approved the state budget for 2027.
