Moving to Ukraine from Australia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Australia to Ukraine — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Australia to Ukraine, you would find that Ukraine is 58.1% cheaper than Australia overall. A A$107,450 salary in Australia would need to be roughly UAH1,644,414 in Ukraine to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Ukrainian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Kiev averages 56°F vs 67°F in Canberra, making it significantly cooler.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from Australia to Ukraine.
What does your salary buy?
A$107,450 → UAH1,644,414
To maintain the same standard of living in Ukraine
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 65.5% less
Groceries
pay 58.5% less
Transportation
pay 36.1% less
Housing
pay 73.0% less
Childcare
pay 75.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 73.3% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Ukraine cost about 53% less than cities in Australia.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Australia to Ukraine.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Australia performs better than Ukraine across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ukraine leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Australia generally does better on environment, though Ukraine leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Australia performs better than Ukraine across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Australia generally does better on employment & economy, though Ukraine leads in top income tax rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Australia performs better than Ukraine across all family life metrics.
Data: Australian Taxation Office, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Canberra | Kiev |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) | 36°/25°F (2°/-4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) | 68°/51°F (20°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) | 76°/58°F (24°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) | 43°/33°F (6°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Canberra | Kiev |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) | 31°/22°F (-0.7°/-5.5°C) |
| Feb | 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) | 33°/23°F (0.8°/-5.0°C) |
| Mar | 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) | 44°/31°F (6.5°/-0.8°C) |
| Apr | 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) | 59°/42°F (15.1°/5.7°C) |
| May | 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) | 70°/52°F (21.1°/10.9°C) |
| Jun | 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) | 76°/59°F (24.6°/14.8°C) |
| Jul | 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) | 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.6°C) |
| Aug | 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) | 79°/60°F (25.9°/15.7°C) |
| Sep | 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) | 68°/51°F (20.0°/10.6°C) |
| Oct | 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) | 55°/41°F (12.9°/5.1°C) |
| Nov | 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) | 42°/33°F (5.3°/0.3°C) |
| Dec | 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) | 33°/26°F (0.5°/-3.5°C) |
Data:
Bureau of Meteorology,
Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Australia and Ukraine. To live, work, or study long-term in Ukraine, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Ukraine's immigration authority.
Australia passport holder visiting Ukraine
Visa Free
Ukraine passport holder visiting Australia
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Ukraine than Australia?
Yes — Ukraine is on average about 51% cheaper than Australia. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Ukraine?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly UAH411,104 in Ukraine on a A$107,450 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Ukraine?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Ukraine has 18.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Ukraine safe for expats?
Australia performs better than Ukraine across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ukraine is 3.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Australia.
How is healthcare in Ukraine compared to Australia?
Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ukraine leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 29.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Ukraine, compared to 39.8 in Australia. Ukraine scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Australia: 87).
What's the weather like in Ukraine compared to Australia?
The average high temperature in Kiev is 56°F, compared to 67°F in Canberra. Kiev receives around 23.8 in of rainfall per year, while Canberra gets 24.8 in.
What language do they speak in Ukraine?
The official language in Ukraine is Ukrainian. In Australia, the official language is English.
