Easter 2026 in Ukraine: prices for holiday baskets and reasons for their increase

Preparing for Easter in 2026 is a significant expense for Ukrainians. Experts note that even the minimum set of products for a holiday basket has become noticeably more expensive, and its expansion with fruit and wine can cost more than 2,300 hryvnias.

According to the National Research Center “Institute of Agrarian Economics”, the average cost of an Easter basket for a family of four at the end of March 2026 reaches 1,903.19 hryvnias. For comparison, in 2025 a similar basket cost 1,663.26 hryvnias, which means a price increase of 14.4%.

Paska remains one of the main attributes of a holiday basket. Homemade pastries weighing 1 kg according to a traditional recipe cost 266.89 hryvnias, which is 14.6% more than last year. The main reasons for the price increase are the increase in the price of ingredients: eggs increased by 19.3%, milk by 49.6%, flour by 38.6%, butter by 6.8%, yeast by 12.8%, raisins by 14.1%. At the same time, the price of sugar decreased by 18%.

If you decide to buy ready-made Easter cakes in a store, the cost will be even higher due to additional logistics costs and markups.

Among meat products, the most expensive remain boiled pork (353 UAH per 0.5 kg), homemade sausage (287.5 UAH per 0.5 kg) and lard (up to 123 UAH per 0.5 kg). Compared to last year, prices increased by 16.5%, 35.3% and 0.4%, respectively.

The cost of dairy products also significantly affects the total cost of a holiday basket. For example, hard cheese costs about UAH 298 per 0.5 kg, butter – UAH 292, soft cheese – UAH 157.5. Over the year, prices have changed as follows: hard cheese has increased in price by 3.7%, soft cheese – by 31.3%, butter – by 3.1%.

Additional elements of the basket, in particular horseradish (UAH 31 per 200 g) and salt (UAH 6.72 per 150-200 g), remain quite affordable.

If you add vegetables, fruits and traditional red wine (Cahors) to the standard set, the total amount can reach UAH 2,347.94, which is 16.8% more than in 2025. Vegetables have risen the most in price: tomatoes cost 187-278 UAH per kg, cucumbers – 175-275 UAH per kg. Apples now cost 25 UAH per 0.5 kg, which is 17.4% more expensive than last year. The average price of a bottle of Cahors is about 189 UAH.

Experts explain the increase in prices by the impact of the war. The main factors are the destruction of infrastructure, a decrease in production volumes, the rise in the cost of energy, logistical difficulties and general economic instability. This is most acutely felt in regions that have suffered from hostilities, as well as where many internally displaced persons live.

In such a situation, experts call for solidarity: to help families who have encountered difficulties in preparing a festive table, as well as to support the Ukrainian military.

Approaching Easter, which this year falls on April 12, Ukrainian supermarkets have already recorded a seasonal increase in prices for the main components of the holiday table.