In 2025, only 17% of Ukrainians will be satisfied with their lives: results of a sociological survey

In 2025, the standard of living in Ukraine has significantly decreased, which is confirmed not only by economic indicators, but also by sociological data. In accordance with survey, conducted by the European Business Association together with Gradus Research, only 17% of citizens are satisfied with the general standard of living. The study covers various areas – security, income, social relations, health, education, environment and the legal system – and shows deterioration or stagnation in most of them. The lowest ratings are for safety, financial situation, and the state of the environment. Regional and age differences also matter: residents of the east and south are much less satisfied than youth and residents of the west of the country.

According to the results of the survey, only 17% of Ukrainians answered that they were satisfied with the general standard of living in the country. This is the lowest indicator in recent years. And while the respondents were already used to living in a state of war, general fatigue, economic exhaustion and uneven access to basic services shaped a new reality in which life satisfaction became the exception rather than the rule.

Ukrainians rated the level of security the worst — only 10% of respondents said they were satisfied with how protected they felt. This is the most alarming signal in the structure of results, since security is the main condition for stability in all other areas. Particularly low indicators were recorded in the southern and eastern regions, where the shelling does not stop, and the infrastructure is under constant threat of destruction. In Kyiv, in the west of Ukraine, and among young people, the level of relative sense of security is somewhat higher, but it is also far from acceptable.

31% of respondents gave a positive answer to the question about work. That is, almost two-thirds of Ukrainians are not satisfied with their position in the professional sphere or do not have a stable place of work. This can mean either the complete absence of employment, or being in conditions of partial employment, low wages or unstable contracts. The situation is complicated by the growth of labor emigration and the reduction of businesses in the front-line areas.

Only 15% of respondents stated that their income level is acceptable. In most cases, people earn less than 20,000 hryvnias per month, which, in the face of inflation, the rising cost of rent, utilities and food, turns every month into financial survival. A large number of families spend all their money on basic needs — without any possibility of saving, planning for recreation or investing in development. The situation is even worse in regions that are constantly being destroyed: there, the economy is a semi-living organism.

In terms of social life — meetings, communities, mutual support — 33% of respondents expressed satisfaction. This is slightly more than last year, but given the overall context, the result is more a reflection of adaptation to a new reality than an improvement. People try to hold on to each other, form new circles of support, maintain family ties, but at the same time live in social instability, fear for loved ones and constant anxiety.

Only 26% of Ukrainians are satisfied with the health care system, while 38% reported a negative experience. This is a particularly painful area due to the overload of the medical system, evacuation of doctors, shortage of equipment, delays in medicines and chronic underfunding. In many regions — particularly in the south and in the center — it is physically impossible to get professional medical care. People often rely on volunteers or self-diagnosis.

Among those who assessed the quality and accessibility of education, 31% gave a positive assessment, which is more than last year, when it was only 20%. Presumably, the stabilization of distance learning formats, better technical support of schools and the efforts of educational institutions to support children in difficult circumstances had an impact here. But even with this growth, most Ukrainians still see problems in education — primarily in practical access for children from war zones or evacuated families.

In the field of law and justice, the share of satisfied people increased from 12% to 19%. This is still too low for a state that claims the rule of law, but in the conditions of war, it is a noticeable dynamic. It may be related to reforms in the anti-corruption sphere, new cases regarding collaborators, accountability of the police and military structures in the rear zones.

In terms of the state of the environment, the situation remains critical: only 10% of respondents said they were satisfied with the environmental situation. Most see deterioration: from water and air pollution to uncontrolled deforestation and destruction of ecosystems in frontline zones. The consequences of military actions, the blowing up of the Kakhovskaya HPP, chemical emissions, fires at industrial facilities — all this creates a feeling of an ecological disaster that unfolds gradually, but unceasingly.

The highest indicators of overall satisfaction with life are in the age group of 16–25 years (29%) and in the western regions (23%). Young people show higher adaptability, more digital skills, higher mobility and less attachment to war-torn institutions. In the west of the country, there is a relatively stable infrastructure, better access to medical and educational services, and a lower level of military threat.

The survey was conducted in May 2025 among 1,000 Ukrainians over the age of 16 who live in cities with a population of over 50,000 (excluding temporarily occupied territories and zones of active hostilities). This is an annual survey, which until 2022 was called the “Happiness Barometer”, and now – the “Quality of Life Barometer”. Its purpose is to record the state of public well-being in various areas, from economy and security to ecology and social life.

So, in 2025, the barometer showed a deep crisis in which Ukrainian society found itself. And although some areas show slight positive changes, the general picture is alarming. Living conditions have become more difficult. And Ukrainians don’t just see it, they feel it every day.