In cities near the front line in Ukraine, rental prices have reached record levels, surpassing even large regional centers and some European countries. Soldiers returning from the front lines for recovery are forced to rent housing at their own expense and face a severe shortage of available options.
This is reported by Finway
Housing Shortage and Inflated Prices
The demand for rentals has sharply increased, yet there are virtually no offers available. According to a serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and former Member of Parliament Ihor Lutsenko, property owners are taking advantage of the situation and setting prices that do not reflect reality.
“They ask for 20, 30, 40 thousand hryvnias for an ordinary rural house without water, in which no one has lived for years — this, unfortunately, is the norm,” says Armed Forces serviceman and former MP Ihor Lutsenko.
Lutsenko also notes that many landlords refuse to rent to military personnel solely because of their service. In some cases, military personnel are even evicted, and prices for them are set several times higher than for civilians. However, there are a few exceptions — individuals or communities that provide housing for free or organize assistance, but such cases are very rare. Lutsenko emphasizes that the state and local authorities are currently ignoring this problem.
Challenges in Finding Housing and High Costs
Serviceman Serhiy “Saigon” confirms the difficulty of finding housing and the reluctance of landlords to cooperate with military personnel. According to him, renting housing often costs as much as a good apartment in Zurich, while civilians rent for half the price. Most advantageous options are passed around “by word of mouth” and do not appear in open listings for military personnel. Another defender, Stas Derhach, recalls paying 20 thousand hryvnias for an old shack without electricity or water in Druzhkivka, and he had to install the stove heating himself.
Some military personnel note that in certain frontline areas, buying a home is becoming more advantageous than renting. For example, in Izium, a house can be rented for 15 thousand hryvnias, while purchasing it costs 300 thousand, with the price of a one-bedroom apartment being around 80 thousand. However, demand among military personnel remains very high.
In Pavlohrad, located in Dnipropetrovsk region, the situation is not better. Military serviceman Andriy Sychka reported that here, excessive amounts are requested for rent, and realtors take a 100% commission and demand payment for two months in advance. Available housing, regardless of its condition, costs at least 15–18 thousand hryvnias, while more or less acceptable options start from 22 thousand. For a house, one will have to pay from 40 thousand hryvnias per month. Local resident Natalia Cherpak confirms that she is forced to rent a two-bedroom apartment in Pavlohrad for 17 thousand hryvnias, despite the constant shelling of the city.