Moving to Canada from Ukraine

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Ukraine to Canada, you would find that Canada is 3.0 times more expensive than Ukraine overall. A UAH3,340,036 salary in Ukraine would need to be roughly CA$210,591 in Canada to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and French.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

UAH3,340,036 CA$210,591

To maintain the same standard of living in Canada

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 2.9 times more

Groceries

pay 2.8 times more

Transportation

pay 2.7 times more

Housing

pay 5.3 times more

Childcare

pay 2.7 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.6 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 UAH = 0.0318 CAD (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 Canada cost about 103% more than cities in Ukraine.

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 Canada.

Moved in 2023
3,110 ↓ 13% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to Canada?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Canada compared to Ukraine.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

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

per 100,000 people per year

UA
10.5
CA
4.7

Canada performs significantly better than Ukraine across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

UA
$1,382
CA
$7,646
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

UA
29.9
CA
25.0

Ukraine generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada 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

UA
66.0
CA
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

UA
3.1t
CA
14.0t

Ukraine generally does better on environment, though Canada 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
CA
42.6
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

UA
12.3%
CA
3.7%

Canada 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%
CA
5.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

UA
$16,200
CA
$55,800

Ukraine generally does better on employment & economy, though Canada 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
CA
83.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

UA
7.3
CA
4.4

Canada generally does better on family life, though Ukraine leads in education spending.

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

Ottawa Rain: 37.1 in/yr (943 mm)
52° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kiev Ottawa
Jan–Mar 36°/25°F (2°/-4°C) 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C)
Apr–Jun 68°/51°F (20°/10°C) 64°/45°F (18°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 76°/58°F (24°/14°C) 75°/55°F (24°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 43°/33°F (6°/1°C) 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C)
View all months
Month Kiev Ottawa
Jan 31°/22°F (-0.7°/-5.5°C) 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C)
Feb 33°/23°F (0.8°/-5.0°C) 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C)
Mar 44°/31°F (6.5°/-0.8°C) 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C)
Apr 59°/42°F (15.1°/5.7°C) 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C)
May 70°/52°F (21.1°/10.9°C) 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C)
Jun 76°/59°F (24.6°/14.8°C) 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C)
Jul 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.6°C) 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C)
Aug 79°/60°F (25.9°/15.7°C) 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C)
Sep 68°/51°F (20.0°/10.6°C) 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C)
Oct 55°/41°F (12.9°/5.1°C) 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C)
Nov 42°/33°F (5.3°/0.3°C) 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C)
Dec 33°/26°F (0.5°/-3.5°C) 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C)

Data: Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center, Meteorological Service of Canada Meteorological Service of Canada

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Ukraine passport

Ukraine passport holder visiting Canada

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

Canada passport holder visiting Ukraine

Visa Free
Canada 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 Canada than Ukraine?

On average Canada is around 98% pricier than Ukraine, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Canada?

Budget about CA$52,648 for 3 months in Canada (based on a UAH3,340,036 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Canada?

Connectivity is usually fine (Canada: 42.6 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Canada offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Canada safe for expats?

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

How is healthcare in Canada compared to Ukraine?

Ukraine generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index. There are 25.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Canada, compared to 29.9 in Ukraine. Canada scores 91 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ukraine: 76).

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

The average high temperature in Ottawa is 52°F, compared to 56°F in Kiev. Ottawa receives around 37.1 in of rainfall per year, while Kiev gets 23.8 in.

What language do they speak in Canada?

The official languages in Canada are English and French. In Ukraine, the official language is Ukrainian.

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At a Glance

UA CA
Population 43,528,136 38,232,593
Currency Ukrainian Hryvnia (UAH) Canadian Dollar (CA$)
Languages Ukrainian English, French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +380 +1
Time zones 1 6
Emergency number 112 911