Homemade Easter bread or store-bought: which is better for your wallet and your nerves?
9 April 10:38
ANALYSIS FROM 
In the run-up to Easter, Ukrainians traditionally face a dilemma: whether to spend a day kneading dough and baking at home or to leave this challenging task to professional bakers.
This year, this question has shifted from the realm of folk traditions to that of pure calculation. Against the backdrop of inflation (7.6%) and rising electricity rates (4.32 UAH/kWh), "Komersant Ukrainian" calculated the real cost of both options.
Homemade Easter Bread or “Off-the-Cuff” Math
According to UCAB analysts, in 2026, making 3–4 medium-sized homemade Easter cakes will cost approximately 357.2 UAH. This is 12.2% more expensive than last year.
Cost breakdown for a homemade set (classic recipe):
• Butter (200 g): ~100–120 UAH (13% over the year).
• Eggs (10): ~85–90 UAH.
• Flour, sugar, milk: ~60–70 UAH.
• Fillings (raisin and candied fruit mix): ~55 UAH (a record price jump for dried fruit—nearly 28%).
In addition, there is such a thing as hidden costs. Don’t forget to factor in energy costs when calculating. Baking in an electric oven (1.5–2 hours) will add about 10–15 UAH to the total cost (at the daytime rate). If you have a two-zone meter, baking at night will save you 50% on electricity. Overall, electricity and equipment depreciation add about 4–5% to the total cost.
Cost of 1 kg of homemade Easter bread: ~267 UAH (approximately).
The retail assortment ranges from budget to luxury
The market for ready-made products in 2026 shows clear segmentation. Retailers are trying to retain the mass market, while craft bakeries are targeting the premium segment.
Comparative price table (Kyiv, April 2026)
| CATEGORY | WEIGHT | PRICE | WHERE TO FIND |
| Budget | 100–150 g | 40-60 | Stores |
| Classic mid-range | 300–450 g | 90–160 | Supermarkets’ and stores’ in-house bakeries |
| Panettone (kraft) | 500–600 g | 400–800 | Specialized luxury bakeries |
| Premium | 600–800 g | 850–2000 | Pastry boutiques |
What to choose?
It’s more cost-effective to buy one if you live alone or as a couple. Buying a single medium-sized Easter cake for 150–200 UAH is significantly cheaper than purchasing a full set of ingredients for making dough from scratch (which will still cost 350 UAH). Especially since the full baking process (pre-dough, kneading, rising, baking, decorating) takes 5 to 8 hours. If you consider that you’ll have to take a day off work to bake the Easter cake, the cost of such a cake rises to several thousand hryvnias.
Baking at home is more cost-effective if you have a large family. If you need 5–7 large Easter cakes (for your family, parents, and friends), the cost of making them at home (at least 250 UAH/kg) becomes more attractive than the store price (which is on average 20–30% higher per unit of weight).
Also, when baking at home, you can precisely control the quality of the ingredients used, including the trans fat content and the amount of candied fruit. In budget store-bought options, for example, margarine or lower-quality dried fruit is often used instead of butter.
In any case, you need to define your goal and desired outcome. If your goal is to optimize your budget, choose ready-made products from large chains. If your goal is quality and authenticity, invest your time in making them yourself.
