Job listings promise UAH 45,000–70,000 per month, and these figures are not made up. The problem is that they describe gross revenue or work under maximum workload conditions, and there are four deductions between these figures and the money in your pocket. Let us break down the entire process using specific numbers.

A Real Day for One Driver

Let us start with an example published by a taxi driver from Kyiv in October 2026. During one working day, he completed 12 trips and collected UAH 5,638. The service commission took UAH 1,410, leaving UAH 4,228. Next, the fleet operator took 40% because the driver was working with a rented car, meaning another UAH 1,691 was deducted. Fuel cost UAH 550, and the car was a gas-powered hybrid, one of the most economical options. The net amount left for the day was UAH 2,047. In other words, out of UAH 5,638 in gross revenue, the driver received approximately 36%.

Where Exactly the Money Disappears

The service commission is the first and largest deduction. In Kyiv, it is 20% for Bolt and 25% for Uklon and Uber. With Uklon, an additional 2% is charged for processing cashless payments on top of the base rate, bringing the actual rate to approximately 27%. By comparison, Uklon's commission drops to 5–19% in other cities, meaning the capital is the most expensive market for drivers. If you work with a rented car, the fleet operator takes the largest share after the commission, and in the example above, this amounted to 40% of the amount remaining after the service commission. Fuel costs approximately UAH 550–900 per shift, depending on the type of fuel and mileage. Depreciation, car washes, and maintenance are rarely included in calculations, although per trip they amount to approximately UAH 12 for depreciation and the same amount for washing. Taxes are added separately, and changes to taxation for drivers have been announced for 2027.

Your Own Car Versus a Rental

Gross revenue per shift is the same in both cases, amounting to approximately UAH 1,800–3,000. The difference starts afterward. With your own car, approximately UAH 1,450–2,725 remains after the commission, and from this amount you pay for fuel, depreciation, repairs, insurance, and taxes. The net amount per shift comes to approximately UAH 900–1,800. With a rented car, approximately half of what remained after the commission is left after deducting the fleet operator's share, and you still have to pay for fuel out of that amount. The net amount comes to approximately UAH 700–1,400 per shift. In other words, your own car generates approximately 25% more net income, but you bear all the risks, meaning a UAH 20,000 breakdown is entirely your responsibility. Renting generates less income but offers predictability, and in the event of a serious breakdown, you simply receive another car. The practical conclusion: renting makes sense for those who are trying the job or working irregularly, while owning a car makes sense for those who drive every day and can afford repairs.

How Much Is That Per Month?

A journalist who worked as a taxi driver in Kyiv for six incomplete days earned approximately UAH 5,000, of which about one-third went toward gasoline and another UAH 2,000 went toward repairing a wheel. Taxi drivers who use their own cars report an average net income of approximately UAH 20,000 per month, provided they work at least six hours every weekday. To earn more, they need to work up to 12 hours a day. According to job-search platforms, the average salary for a taxi driver in Kyiv is approximately UAH 45,000, but these are gross figures from job listings, which employers quote based on a maximum-workload scenario. A realistic range looks like this: approximately UAH 20,000–25,000 net for a six-hour working day and approximately UAH 35,000–45,000 for full shifts of 10–12 hours every day.

Which Service Is More Profitable?

Bolt has the lowest commission in Kyiv, at 20%, and a very high volume of orders during peak hours. Cashless funds are paid out once a week. Vehicle branding is desirable because there is no access to bonuses without it. Uklon has a base commission of 15–19% across the country, but in Kyiv it reaches 25% plus a 2% payment-processing fee. The order flow is consistently high, daily payouts are available to any card, and branding is optional and provides a commission discount. Uber charges 25% in Kyiv. New players have also appeared with commissions of around 8–10%, but they have a lower volume of orders, meaning the lower commission is partly offset by more idle time. The practical approach used by most experienced drivers is to work in several apps at once, switching between them during quieter hours.

How to Increase Net Income

Fuel is the largest expense after commissions, and this is where the greatest potential savings lie. Service loyalty programs offer discounts of up to approximately UAH 5 per liter, with limits on the number of refueling stops per day and the number of liters per month. Fleet operators offer even larger discounts, with some offers listing UAH 7 off per liter of gas and UAH 14 off per liter of gasoline. Switching to gas or a hybrid cuts fuel costs approximately in half, which is why the driver in the example above spent only UAH 550 on 12 trips. Vehicle branding reduces the commission with certain services. Route planning reduces dead mileage, meaning kilometers for which nobody pays you. Working during peak hours, namely mornings, evenings, and bad weather, provides higher fares.

What You Should Consider in Advance

The barrier to entry is low, which is both an advantage and a warning. One journalist noted that there was no interview and nobody asked about his driving experience, even though he had held a license for only one year. This means competition is high because practically anyone can enter the market. Depreciation is a real expense, even if you do not feel it every month. After two or three years of intensive work, the car will require substantial investment, which is precisely why calculations that exclude this expense always look more attractive than reality. You are not an employee, meaning there is no paid sick leave, vacation, or social protection. Income is directly proportional to the hours worked, meaning every day without work is a day without money.

Summary

Of a Kyiv taxi driver's gross revenue, approximately one-third to one-half reaches the driver, with the exact share depending primarily on whether they use their own car or a rented one. A real example of one working day looks like this: UAH 5,638 in revenue, UAH 2,047 net, or approximately 36% after the service commission, the fleet operator's share, and fuel costs. Realistic monthly income is approximately UAH 20,000–25,000 for a six-hour working day and approximately UAH 35,000–45,000 for full shifts of 10–12 hours. This is the difference between the gross earnings promised in job listings and the net result that should be included in your calculations before you start driving.

Sources

Publicly available data from a Kyiv driver on earnings during one working day, October 2026. Kyiv Smart City data on service commissions in Kyiv as of 2026. An experiment by a journalist from Ekonomichna Pravda on working as a taxi driver. Work.ua data on salaries listed in job vacancies. Calculations of the shares were performed by the editorial team.