Moving to Belarus from Ukraine

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Ukraine to Belarus, you would find that Belarus is 5.2% more expensive than Ukraine overall. A UAH3,346,113 salary in Ukraine would need to be roughly BYN190,668 in Belarus to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Belarusian and Russian.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

UAH3,346,113 BYN190,668

To maintain the same standard of living in Belarus

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 1.4% more

Groceries

pay 7.1% less

Transportation

pay 20.7% less

Housing

pay 11.9% more

Childcare

pay 42.8% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 0.3% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 UAH = 0.0648 BYN (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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
222,436 ↓ 1% vs 2015

people born in Ukraine live in Belarus · UN DESA

Who's moving to Belarus?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

UA
3.8
BY
2.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

UA
10.5
BY
7.4

Belarus 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
BY
$2,194
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

affects wait times and access to care

UA
29.9
BY
44.7

Belarus 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
BY
68.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

UA
3.1t
BY
5.9t

Ukraine performs better than Belarus across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

UA
18.3
BY
32.8
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

UA
12.3%
BY
4.7%

Belarus generally does better on infrastructure, though Ukraine leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

UA
9.8%
BY
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

UA
$16,200
BY
$27,700

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

UA
73.5 yrs
BY
74.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

UA
7.3
BY
3.3

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

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

Minsk Rain: 26.7 in/yr (677 mm)
50° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kiev Minsk
Jan–Mar 36°/25°F (2°/-4°C) 29°/18°F (-1°/-8°C)
Apr–Jun 68°/51°F (20°/10°C) 62°/44°F (17°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 76°/58°F (24°/14°C) 68°/51°F (20°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 43°/33°F (6°/1°C) 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Kiev Minsk
Jan 31°/22°F (-0.7°/-5.5°C) 24°/14°F (-4.2°/-9.8°C)
Feb 33°/23°F (0.8°/-5.0°C) 28°/16°F (-2.5°/-8.9°C)
Mar 44°/31°F (6.5°/-0.8°C) 36°/23°F (2.4°/-4.8°C)
Apr 59°/42°F (15.1°/5.7°C) 52°/35°F (10.9°/1.8°C)
May 70°/52°F (21.1°/10.9°C) 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C)
Jun 76°/59°F (24.6°/14.8°C) 70°/52°F (21.3°/11.1°C)
Jul 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.6°C) 72°/55°F (22.3°/12.6°C)
Aug 79°/60°F (25.9°/15.7°C) 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.7°C)
Sep 68°/51°F (20.0°/10.6°C) 62°/46°F (16.5°/7.8°C)
Oct 55°/41°F (12.9°/5.1°C) 50°/38°F (9.9°/3.3°C)
Nov 42°/33°F (5.3°/0.3°C) 38°/30°F (3.1°/-1.3°C)
Dec 33°/26°F (0.5°/-3.5°C) 29°/21°F (-1.5°/-6.2°C)

Data: Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center, Republican center for hydrometeorology, control of radioactive contamination and enviromental monitoring Republican center for hydrometeorology, control of radioactive contamination and enviromental monitoring

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Ukraine passport

Ukraine passport holder visiting Belarus

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

Belarus passport holder visiting Ukraine

Visa Free
Belarus 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 Belarus than Ukraine?

Yes — Belarus is on average about 12% cheaper than Ukraine. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Belarus?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly BYN47,667 in Belarus 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 Belarus?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Belarus has 32.8 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 Belarus safe for expats?

Belarus performs significantly better than Ukraine across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Belarus is 2.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.8 in Ukraine.

How is healthcare in Belarus compared to Ukraine?

Belarus generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ukraine leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 44.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Belarus, compared to 29.9 in Ukraine. Belarus scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ukraine: 76).

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

The average high temperature in Minsk is 50°F, compared to 56°F in Kiev. Minsk receives around 26.7 in of rainfall per year, while Kiev gets 23.8 in.

What language do they speak in Belarus?

The official languages in Belarus are Belarusian and Russian. In Ukraine, the official language is Ukrainian.

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At a Glance

UA BY
Population 43,528,136 9,413,505
Currency Ukrainian Hryvnia (UAH) New Belarusian Ruble (BYN)
Languages Ukrainian Belarusian, Russian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +380 +375
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112