Moving to Ukraine from Turkey

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Turkey to Ukraine, you would find that Ukraine is 25.9% cheaper than Turkey overall. A TRY3,523,838 salary in Turkey would need to be roughly UAH2,264,277 in Ukraine to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Ukrainian.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Turkey and Ukraine.

What does your salary buy?

TRY3,523,838 UAH2,264,277

To maintain the same standard of living in Ukraine

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 23.4% less

Groceries

pay 1.5% less

Transportation

pay 32.3% less

Housing

pay 23.8% less

Childcare

pay 53.1% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 37.6% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 TRY = 0.9478 UAH (July 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 42% less than cities in Turkey.

Turkey

Istanbul 49%

Ukraine

Kiev 36%
Vinnytsya 30%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Turkey to Ukraine.

Living there in 2020
1,376 ↑ 2% vs 2015

people born in Turkey 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 Turkey.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

TR
2.7
UA
3.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

TR
6.5
UA
10.5

Turkey 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

TR
$1,769
UA
$1,382
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

TR
21.7
UA
29.9

Ukraine generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Turkey leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

TR
39.0
UA
66.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

TR
5.4t
UA
3.1t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

TR
22.3
UA
18.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

TR
43.4%
UA
12.3%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

TR
9.4%
UA
9.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

TR
$34,400
UA
$16,200

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

TR
76.2 yrs
UA
73.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

TR
19.4
UA
7.3

Ukraine generally does better on family life, though Turkey leads in life expectancy.

Data: Revenue Administration, Government of Turkey, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Ankara Rain: 15.0 in/yr (382 mm)
64° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Ankara Kiev
Jan–Mar 45°/28°F (7°/-2°C) 36°/25°F (2°/-4°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) 68°/51°F (20°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 83°/57°F (29°/14°C) 76°/58°F (24°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 55°/37°F (13°/3°C) 43°/33°F (6°/1°C)
View all months
Month Ankara Kiev
Jan 39°/26°F (4.1°/-3.5°C) 31°/22°F (-0.7°/-5.5°C)
Feb 43°/27°F (5.9°/-2.8°C) 33°/23°F (0.8°/-5.0°C)
Mar 52°/32°F (11.1°/0.2°C) 44°/31°F (6.5°/-0.8°C)
Apr 63°/41°F (17.3°/5.1°C) 59°/42°F (15.1°/5.7°C)
May 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C) 70°/52°F (21.1°/10.9°C)
Jun 80°/55°F (26.4°/12.6°C) 76°/59°F (24.6°/14.8°C)
Jul 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.4°C) 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.6°C)
Aug 86°/60°F (30.0°/15.4°C) 79°/60°F (25.9°/15.7°C)
Sep 78°/52°F (25.8°/11.3°C) 68°/51°F (20.0°/10.6°C)
Oct 68°/44°F (20.0°/6.8°C) 55°/41°F (12.9°/5.1°C)
Nov 55°/36°F (12.9°/2.4°C) 42°/33°F (5.3°/0.3°C)
Dec 43°/30°F (6.3°/-0.9°C) 33°/26°F (0.5°/-3.5°C)

Data: Turkish State Meteorological Service Turkish State Meteorological Service, Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Turkey 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.

Turkey passport

Turkey passport holder visiting Ukraine

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

Ukraine passport holder visiting Turkey

Visa Free
Ukraine passport holders can enter Turkey 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 Turkey?

On average Ukraine is about 32% less expensive than Turkey, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Ukraine?

Budget about UAH566,069 for 3 months in Ukraine (based on a TRY3,523,838 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: 18.3 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?

Turkey performs better than Ukraine across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ukraine is 3.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.7 in Turkey.

How is healthcare in Ukraine compared to Turkey?

Ukraine generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Turkey leads in health coverage index. There are 29.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Ukraine, compared to 21.7 in Turkey. Ukraine scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Turkey: 76).

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

The average high temperature in Kiev is 56°F, compared to 64°F in Ankara. Kiev receives around 23.8 in of rainfall per year, while Ankara gets 15.0 in.

What language do they speak in Ukraine?

The official language in Ukraine is Ukrainian. In Turkey, the official language is Turkish.

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At a Glance

TR UA
Population 83,047,706 43,528,136
Currency Turkish Lira (TRY) Ukrainian Hryvnia (UAH)
Languages Turkish Ukrainian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +90 +380
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112