This study examines the revenue diversification of the Top 30 higher education institutions (HEIs) as identified in the 2025 Times Higher Education and QS World University Rankings. Faced with declining government appropriations, HEIs are strategically diversifying revenue streams. Our analysis of financial reports reveals substantial variability in revenue sources, with some institutions primarily relying on research grants, tuition, and government funding. In contrast, others prioritize income from endowments, services, or medical activities. While funding optimization strategies may prioritize single revenue sources for short-term convenience, our findings suggest they risk institutional fragility, highlighting the need for sustainable financial models that balance research productivity, teaching quality, and public service over the long term. This article emphasizes the vital importance of financial autonomy, which enables institutions to invest strategically in recruiting top academic and research staff, upgrading research infrastructure, and enhancing an institution’s overall performance. While strategic autonomy empowers institutions to achieve excellence and adapt flexibly to evolving societal needs, they must remain true to their core mission of public service as they diversify and optimize revenue sources.

Expenditures are one of the fundamental indicators of living standards and quality of life. According to Maslow, human needs can be divided into basic and higher-order needs. The structure of expenditures and its changes allow for the identification of economic and social differences between social groups. The study covered the period 2004–2023. The main indicators are the level, structure and relations of expenditures. Households of basic socio-economic groups and by place of residence (rural and urban) were compared. The study showed convergence of the standard of living of rural and urban inhabitants and of farmers and other groups of households. Convergence was primarily the result of a higher dynamics of growth of expenditure of rural in-habitants than of urban inhabitants and of farmers compared to other groups of households. However, significant differences in the expenditure structure remained, with agricultural households characterized by a higher share of basic expenditures, such as food.