Moving to Ukraine from Hungary
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Hungary to Ukraine — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Hungary to Ukraine, you would find that Ukraine is 36.5% cheaper than Hungary overall. A HUF24,000,000 salary in Hungary would need to be roughly UAH2,100,000 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?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Hungary to Ukraine.
What does your salary buy?
HUF24,000,000 → UAH2,100,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Ukraine
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 39.2% less
Groceries
pay 33.9% less
Transportation
pay 26.0% less
Housing
pay 44.2% less
Childcare
pay 19.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 47.9% 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 21% less than cities in Hungary.
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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Hungary to Ukraine.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Hungary 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
Ukraine generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Hungary leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Hungary 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
Hungary generally does better on infrastructure, though Ukraine leads in water stress level.
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
Hungary performs better than Ukraine across all employment & economy metrics.
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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Hungary generally does better on family life, though Ukraine leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2021), National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary (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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Budapest | Kiev |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/31°F (6°/-1°C) | 36°/25°F (2°/-4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 68°/51°F (20°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 78°/59°F (26°/15°C) | 76°/58°F (24°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 49°/37°F (9°/3°C) | 43°/33°F (6°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Budapest | Kiev |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°/27°F (2.6°/-3.0°C) | 31°/22°F (-0.7°/-5.5°C) |
| Feb | 41°/29°F (5.1°/-1.8°C) | 33°/23°F (0.8°/-5.0°C) |
| Mar | 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.0°C) | 44°/31°F (6.5°/-0.8°C) |
| Apr | 63°/44°F (17.1°/6.8°C) | 59°/42°F (15.1°/5.7°C) |
| May | 72°/53°F (22.4°/11.5°C) | 70°/52°F (21.1°/10.9°C) |
| Jun | 78°/58°F (25.3°/14.4°C) | 76°/59°F (24.6°/14.8°C) |
| Jul | 82°/62°F (27.9°/16.4°C) | 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.6°C) |
| Aug | 81°/61°F (27.4°/16.0°C) | 79°/60°F (25.9°/15.7°C) |
| Sep | 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.8°C) | 68°/51°F (20.0°/10.6°C) |
| Oct | 61°/45°F (16.1°/7.0°C) | 55°/41°F (12.9°/5.1°C) |
| Nov | 47°/36°F (8.5°/2.3°C) | 42°/33°F (5.3°/0.3°C) |
| Dec | 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.7°C) | 33°/26°F (0.5°/-3.5°C) |
Data:
Hungarian Meteorological Service,
Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Hungary 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.
Hungary passport holder visiting Ukraine
Visa Free
Ukraine passport holder visiting Hungary
Visa FreeData: 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 Hungary?
Yes — Ukraine is on average about 37% cheaper than Hungary. 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 UAH525,000 in Ukraine on a HUF24,000,000 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 21.6 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?
Hungary performs better than Ukraine across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ukraine is 3.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Hungary.
How is healthcare in Ukraine compared to Hungary?
Ukraine generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Hungary leads in health coverage index. There are 35.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Ukraine, compared to 34.6 in Hungary. Ukraine scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Hungary: 79).
What's the weather like in Ukraine compared to Hungary?
The average high temperature in Kiev is 56°F, compared to 60°F in Budapest. Kiev receives around 23.8 in of rainfall per year, while Budapest gets 21.0 in.
What language do they speak in Ukraine?
The official language in Ukraine is Ukrainian. In Hungary, the official language is Hungarian.
