Moving to Ukraine from Finland

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Finland to Ukraine — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Finland to Ukraine, you would find that Ukraine is 55.1% cheaper than Finland overall. A €67,000 salary in Finland would need to be roughly UAH1,510,000 in Ukraine to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Ukrainian.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Finland to Ukraine.

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → UAH1,510,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Ukraine

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 58.8% less

Groceries

pay 45.2% less

Transportation

pay 50.6% less

Housing

pay 62.0% less

Childcare

pay 38.1% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 71.7% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 50.32 UAH (October 2026)

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 36% less than cities in Finland.

Finland

Lahti 55%
Jyvaskyla 51%
Joensuu 51%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Ukraine

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Key Indicator Comparison

How Finland and Ukraine stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

FI
1.0
UA
3.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

FI
4.2
UA
10.5

Finland performs better than Ukraine across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

FI
$6,433
UA
$1,382
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

FI
36.1
UA
35.3

Finland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ukraine leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

FI
7.0
UA
66.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

FI
5.5t
UA
3.1t

Finland generally does better on environment, though Ukraine leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

FI
36.5
UA
21.6
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

FI
7.1%
UA
6.3%

Finland generally does better on infrastructure, though Ukraine leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

FI
9.5%
UA
9.8%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

FI
$56,149
UA
$5,866

Finland generally does better on employment & economy, though Ukraine leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

FI
82.3 yrs
UA
74.7 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

FI
1.9
UA
7.6

Finland performs better than Ukraine across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Finnish Tax Administration (2016), Ministry of Revenue and Duties of Ukraine (2016). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Helsinki Rain: 25.6 in/yr (650 mm)
48° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

Kiev Rain: 23.8 in/yr (605 mm)
56° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Helsinki Kiev
Jan–Mar 29°/18°F (-1°/-8°C) 36°/25°F (2°/-4°C)
Apr–Jun 58°/40°F (14°/4°C) 68°/51°F (20°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 65°/49°F (19°/10°C) 76°/58°F (24°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C) 43°/33°F (6°/1°C)
View all months
Month Helsinki Kiev
Jan 27°/17°F (-2.6°/-8.5°C) 31°/22°F (-0.7°/-5.5°C)
Feb 27°/15°F (-2.9°/-9.3°C) 33°/23°F (0.8°/-5.0°C)
Mar 34°/22°F (1.1°/-5.6°C) 44°/31°F (6.5°/-0.8°C)
Apr 46°/31°F (7.5°/-0.7°C) 59°/42°F (15.1°/5.7°C)
May 60°/40°F (15.5°/4.4°C) 70°/52°F (21.1°/10.9°C)
Jun 68°/49°F (19.8°/9.3°C) 76°/59°F (24.6°/14.8°C)
Jul 71°/53°F (21.8°/11.8°C) 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.6°C)
Aug 68°/51°F (19.9°/10.7°C) 79°/60°F (25.9°/15.7°C)
Sep 57°/43°F (14.0°/6.1°C) 68°/51°F (20.0°/10.6°C)
Oct 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.2°C) 55°/41°F (12.9°/5.1°C)
Nov 36°/28°F (2.5°/-2.4°C) 42°/33°F (5.3°/0.3°C)
Dec 31°/20°F (-0.8°/-6.6°C) 33°/26°F (0.5°/-3.5°C)

Data: Finnish Meteorological Institute Finnish Meteorological Institute, Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Finland 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.

Finland passport

Finland passport holder visiting Ukraine

Visa Free
Finland passport holders can enter Ukraine without a visa.
Ukraine passport

Ukraine passport holder visiting Finland

Visa Free
Ukraine passport holders can enter Finland without a visa.

Data: 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 Finland?

Generally yes: Ukraine runs about 55% cheaper than Finland on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Ukraine?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €67,000 comparable salary, that's around UAH377,500 in Ukraine for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Ukraine?

With 21.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Ukraine can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Finland and Ukraine.

Is Ukraine safe for expats?

Finland performs better than Ukraine across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ukraine is 3.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.0 in Finland.

How is healthcare in Ukraine compared to Finland?

Finland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ukraine leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 35.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Ukraine, compared to 36.1 in Finland. Ukraine scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Finland: 86).

What's the weather like in Ukraine compared to Finland?

The average high temperature in Kiev is 56°F, compared to 48°F in Helsinki. Kiev receives around 23.8 in of rainfall per year, while Helsinki gets 25.6 in.

What language do they speak in Ukraine?

The official language in Ukraine is Ukrainian. In Finland, the official languages are Finnish and Swedish.

Share this

At a Glance

FI UA
Population 5,646,436 38,980,376
Currency Euro (€) Ukrainian Hryvnia (UAH)
Languages Finnish, Swedish Ukrainian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +358 +380
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112