Moving to Ukraine from Japan
What to Expect
Considering a move from Japan to Ukraine? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Japan to Ukraine, you would find that Ukraine is 37.4% cheaper than Japan overall. A ¥12,000,000 salary in Japan would need to be roughly UAH2,130,000 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 69°F in Tokyo, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Japan and Ukraine.
What does your salary buy?
¥12,000,000 → UAH2,130,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Ukraine
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 0.7% less
Groceries
pay 50.1% less
Transportation
pay 26.1% less
Housing
pay 44.7% less
Childcare
pay 39.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 54.2% 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 11% less than cities in Japan.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Ukraine compared to Japan.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Japan 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
Japan 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
Japan 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
Japan 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
Japan 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
Japan 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), National Tax Agency Japan (2016), Ministry of Revenue and Duties of Ukraine (2016), The World Factbook (2013). 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 | Tokyo | Kiev |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) | 36°/25°F (2°/-4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) | 68°/51°F (20°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) | 76°/58°F (24°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) | 43°/33°F (6°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tokyo | Kiev |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) | 31°/22°F (-0.7°/-5.5°C) |
| Feb | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) | 33°/23°F (0.8°/-5.0°C) |
| Mar | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) | 44°/31°F (6.5°/-0.8°C) |
| Apr | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) | 59°/42°F (15.1°/5.7°C) |
| May | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) | 70°/52°F (21.1°/10.9°C) |
| Jun | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) | 76°/59°F (24.6°/14.8°C) |
| Jul | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) | 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.6°C) |
| Aug | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) | 79°/60°F (25.9°/15.7°C) |
| Sep | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) | 68°/51°F (20.0°/10.6°C) |
| Oct | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) | 55°/41°F (12.9°/5.1°C) |
| Nov | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) | 42°/33°F (5.3°/0.3°C) |
| Dec | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) | 33°/26°F (0.5°/-3.5°C) |
Data:
Japan Meteorological Agency,
Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Japan 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.
Japan passport holder visiting Ukraine
Visa Free
Ukraine passport holder visiting Japan
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 Japan?
On average Ukraine is about 37% less expensive than Japan, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Ukraine?
Budget about UAH532,500 for 3 months in Ukraine (based on a ¥12,000,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Ukraine?
Connectivity is usually fine (Ukraine: 21.6 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Ukraine offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Ukraine safe for expats?
Japan performs better than Ukraine across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ukraine is 3.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Japan.
How is healthcare in Ukraine compared to Japan?
Japan 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 26.5 in Japan. Ukraine scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).
What's the weather like in Ukraine compared to Japan?
The average high temperature in Kiev is 56°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Kiev receives around 23.8 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.
What language do they speak in Ukraine?
The official language in Ukraine is Ukrainian. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.
