Moving to Belgium from Ukraine

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Ukraine to Belgium, you would find that Belgium is 2.6 times more expensive than Ukraine overall. A UAH3,400,000 salary in Ukraine would need to be roughly €173,000 in Belgium to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch, French and German.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

UAH3,400,000 → €173,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Belgium

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 2.9 times more

Groceries

pay 2.0 times more

Transportation

pay 84.3% more

Housing

pay 3.4 times more

Childcare

pay 3.5 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.8 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 UAH = 0.0199 EUR (October 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 Belgium cost about 64% more than cities in Ukraine.

Belgium

Brugge 56%
Hasselt 55%
Mons 53%
Charleroi 52%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
11,972 ↓ 76% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to Belgium?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Belgium compared to Ukraine.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

UA
3.8
BE
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

UA
10.5
BE
4.6

Belgium 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
BE
$7,489
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

UA
35.3
BE
35.7

Belgium 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
BE
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

UA
3.1t
BE
7.3t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

UA
21.6
BE
44.2
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

UA
6.3%
BE
52.8%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

UA
9.8%
BE
5.9%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

UA
$5,866
BE
$60,750

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

UA
74.7 yrs
BE
82.3 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

UA
7.6
BE
3.1

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

Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Ministry of Revenue and Duties of Ukraine (2016), Service Public Fédéral Finances (2016). How we calculate this

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

Brussels Rain: 32.3 in/yr (820 mm)
57° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kiev Brussels
Jan–Mar 36°/25°F (2°/-4°C) 45°/34°F (7°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 68°/51°F (20°/10°C) 63°/47°F (17°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 76°/58°F (24°/14°C) 70°/54°F (21°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 43°/33°F (6°/1°C) 50°/40°F (10°/4°C)
View all months
Month Kiev Brussels
Jan 31°/22°F (-0.7°/-5.5°C) 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C)
Feb 33°/23°F (0.8°/-5.0°C) 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C)
Mar 44°/31°F (6.5°/-0.8°C) 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C)
Apr 59°/42°F (15.1°/5.7°C) 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C)
May 70°/52°F (21.1°/10.9°C) 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C)
Jun 76°/59°F (24.6°/14.8°C) 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C)
Jul 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.6°C) 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C)
Aug 79°/60°F (25.9°/15.7°C) 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C)
Sep 68°/51°F (20.0°/10.6°C) 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C)
Oct 55°/41°F (12.9°/5.1°C) 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C)
Nov 42°/33°F (5.3°/0.3°C) 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C)
Dec 33°/26°F (0.5°/-3.5°C) 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C)

Data: Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center, Institut Royal Météorologique Institut Royal Météorologique

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Ukraine passport

Ukraine passport holder visiting Belgium

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

Belgium passport holder visiting Ukraine

Visa Free
Belgium 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 Belgium than Ukraine?

On average Belgium is around 156% pricier than Ukraine, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Belgium?

Budget about €43,250 for 3 months in Belgium (based on a UAH3,400,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Belgium?

Connectivity is usually fine (Belgium: 44.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Belgium offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Belgium safe for expats?

Belgium performs significantly better than Ukraine across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Belgium is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.8 in Ukraine.

How is healthcare in Belgium compared to Ukraine?

Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ukraine leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 35.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Belgium, compared to 35.3 in Ukraine. Belgium scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ukraine: 76).

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

The average high temperature in Brussels is 57°F, compared to 56°F in Kiev. Brussels receives around 32.3 in of rainfall per year, while Kiev gets 23.8 in.

What language do they speak in Belgium?

The official languages in Belgium are Dutch, French and German. In Ukraine, the official language is Ukrainian.

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At a Glance

UA BE
Population 38,980,376 11,941,781
Currency Ukrainian Hryvnia (UAH) Euro (€)
Languages Ukrainian Dutch, French, German
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +380 +32
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112