Moving to Australia from Ukraine

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Ukraine to Australia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Ukraine to Australia, you would find that Australia is 3.6 times more expensive than Ukraine overall. A UAH3,346,113 salary in Ukraine would need to be roughly A$218,642 in Australia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Canberra averages 67°F vs 56°F in Kiev, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Ukraine to Australia.

What does your salary buy?

UAH3,346,113 A$218,642

To maintain the same standard of living in Australia

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 3.5 times more

Groceries

pay 2.8 times more

Transportation

pay 3.2 times more

Housing

pay 5.0 times more

Childcare

pay 4.4 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 5.2 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 UAH = 0.0321 AUD (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 Australia cost about 111% more than cities in Ukraine.

Ukraine

Kiev 36%
Vinnytsya 30%

Australia

Sydney 64%
Melbourne 60%
Perth 57%
Brisbane 57%
Adelaide 55%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Ukraine to Australia, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
439 ↑ 15% vs 2022

people moved from Ukraine to Australia · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Australia?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Ukraine to Australia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

UA
3.8
AU
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

UA
10.5
AU
4.5

Australia performs significantly better than Ukraine across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

UA
$1,382
AU
$7,691
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

UA
29.9
AU
39.8

Australia 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

UA
66.0
AU
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

UA
3.1t
AU
14.1t

Ukraine generally does better on environment, though Australia leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

UA
18.3
AU
35.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

UA
12.3%
AU
4.6%

Australia performs significantly better than Ukraine across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

UA
9.8%
AU
3.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

UA
$16,200
AU
$59,500

Ukraine generally does better on employment & economy, though Australia leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

UA
73.5 yrs
AU
83.1 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

UA
7.3
AU
3.0

Australia performs significantly better than Ukraine across all family life metrics.

Data: Ministry of Revenue and Duties of Ukraine, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Canberra Rain: 24.8 in/yr (629 mm)
67° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kiev Canberra
Jan–Mar 36°/25°F (2°/-4°C) 80°/54°F (26°/12°C)
Apr–Jun 68°/51°F (20°/10°C) 61°/39°F (16°/4°C)
Jul–Sep 76°/58°F (24°/14°C) 56°/35°F (13°/1°C)
Oct–Dec 43°/33°F (6°/1°C) 73°/47°F (23°/9°C)
View all months
Month Kiev Canberra
Jan 31°/22°F (-0.7°/-5.5°C) 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C)
Feb 33°/23°F (0.8°/-5.0°C) 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C)
Mar 44°/31°F (6.5°/-0.8°C) 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C)
Apr 59°/42°F (15.1°/5.7°C) 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C)
May 70°/52°F (21.1°/10.9°C) 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C)
Jun 76°/59°F (24.6°/14.8°C) 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C)
Jul 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.6°C) 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C)
Aug 79°/60°F (25.9°/15.7°C) 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C)
Sep 68°/51°F (20.0°/10.6°C) 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C)
Oct 55°/41°F (12.9°/5.1°C) 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C)
Nov 42°/33°F (5.3°/0.3°C) 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C)
Dec 33°/26°F (0.5°/-3.5°C) 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C)

Data: Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center, Bureau of Meteorology Bureau of Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ukraine and Australia. To live, work, or study long-term in Australia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Australia's immigration authority.

Ukraine passport

Ukraine passport holder visiting Australia

Visa Required
Ukraine passport holders need a visa to enter Australia.
Australia passport

Australia passport holder visiting Ukraine

Visa Free
Australia passport holders can enter Ukraine 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 Australia than Ukraine?

No — Australia is on average about 103% more expensive than Ukraine. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Australia?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly A$54,660 in Australia on a UAH3,346,113 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Australia?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Australia has 35.1 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 Australia safe for expats?

Australia performs significantly better than Ukraine across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Australia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.8 in Ukraine.

How is healthcare in Australia compared to Ukraine?

Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ukraine leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 39.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Australia, compared to 29.9 in Ukraine. Australia scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ukraine: 76).

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

The average high temperature in Canberra is 67°F, compared to 56°F in Kiev. Canberra receives around 24.8 in of rainfall per year, while Kiev gets 23.8 in.

What language do they speak in Australia?

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

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At a Glance

UA AU
Population 43,528,136 26,141,369
Currency Ukrainian Hryvnia (UAH) Australian Dollar (A$)
Languages Ukrainian English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +380 +61
Time zones 1 8
Emergency number 112 000