Moving to Ukraine from New York

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from New York to Ukraine? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from New York to Ukraine, you would find that Ukraine is 59.0% cheaper than New York. A $75,000 salary in New York would need to be roughly UAH1,488,972 in Ukraine to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Ukrainian.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between New York and Ukraine.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 UAH1,488,972

To maintain the same standard of living in Ukraine

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 68.4% less

Groceries

pay 60.4% less

Transportation

pay 31.8% less

Housing

pay 78.4% less

Childcare

pay 83.8% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 75.9% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 44.89 UAH (June 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 62% less than cities in New York.

New York

Queens 73%
Ithaca 62%

Ukraine

Kiev 36%
Vinnytsya 30%

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

Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from New York to Ukraine.

Living there in 2020
2,782 ↑ 2% vs 2015

people born in United States live in Ukraine · UN DESA

Who's moving to Ukraine?

Top countries of origin for Ukraine's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Ukraine compared to New York.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

NY
29.9%
UA
24.1%

Ukraine performs significantly better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

NY
89.7%
UA
94.5%

Ukraine performs significantly better than New York across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

NY
4.4%
UA
9.8%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

NY
$91,992
UA
$16,200

New York generally does better on employment & economy, though Ukraine leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

NY
77.7 yrs
UA
73.5 yrs

New York performs better than Ukraine across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Albany Rain: 39.4 in/yr (1000 mm)
58° / 39°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Albany Kiev
Jan–Mar 37°/19°F (2°/-7°C) 36°/25°F (2°/-4°C)
Apr–Jun 68°/47°F (20°/8°C) 68°/51°F (20°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 78°/58°F (26°/14°C) 76°/58°F (24°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) 43°/33°F (6°/1°C)
View all months
Month Albany Kiev
Jan 31°/15°F (-0.8°/-9.7°C) 31°/22°F (-0.7°/-5.5°C)
Feb 35°/17°F (1.4°/-8.2°C) 33°/23°F (0.8°/-5.0°C)
Mar 44°/26°F (6.9°/-3.5°C) 44°/31°F (6.5°/-0.8°C)
Apr 58°/37°F (14.6°/2.9°C) 59°/42°F (15.1°/5.7°C)
May 69°/47°F (20.8°/8.4°C) 70°/52°F (21.1°/10.9°C)
Jun 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.6°C) 76°/59°F (24.6°/14.8°C)
Jul 82°/61°F (27.9°/16.3°C) 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.6°C)
Aug 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.5°C) 79°/60°F (25.9°/15.7°C)
Sep 72°/52°F (22.3°/10.9°C) 68°/51°F (20.0°/10.6°C)
Oct 60°/40°F (15.4°/4.2°C) 55°/41°F (12.9°/5.1°C)
Nov 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.3°C) 42°/33°F (5.3°/0.3°C)
Dec 36°/21°F (2.1°/-6.0°C) 33°/26°F (0.5°/-3.5°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.

United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Ukraine

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Ukraine without a visa.
Ukraine passport

Ukraine passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Ukraine passport holders need a visa to enter United States.

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 New York?

On average Ukraine is about 56% less expensive than New York, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Ukraine?

Budget about UAH372,243 for 3 months in Ukraine (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Ukraine?

From major Ukraine cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in New York and Ukraine are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Ukraine compared to New York?

Ukraine performs significantly better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Ukraine compared to New York?

The average high temperature in Kiev is 56°F, compared to 58°F in Albany. Kiev receives around 23.8 in of rainfall per year, while Albany gets 39.4 in.

What language do they speak in Ukraine?

The official language in Ukraine is Ukrainian. In New York, the official language is English.

Share this

At a Glance

UA
Population 19,378,102 43,528,136
Currency United States Dollar ($) Ukrainian Hryvnia (UAH)
Languages English Ukrainian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +380
Time zones 11 1
Emergency number 911 112