Moving to Hungary from Ukraine

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Ukraine to Hungary — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Ukraine to Hungary, you would find that Hungary is 75.8% more expensive than Ukraine overall. A UAH3,340,036 salary in Ukraine would need to be roughly HUF31,106,016 in Hungary to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Hungarian.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Ukraine to Hungary.

What does your salary buy?

UAH3,340,036 HUF31,106,016

To maintain the same standard of living in Hungary

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 2.0 times more

Groceries

pay 63.1% more

Transportation

pay 85.0% more

Housing

pay 2.1 times more

Childcare

pay 41.0% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.1 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 UAH = 6.99 HUF (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.

Get free moving quotes to Hungary

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Ukraine to Hungary, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
4,273 ↓ 71% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to Hungary?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Ukraine and Hungary stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

UA
3.8
HU
1.0
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

UA
10.5
HU
7.4

Hungary 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
HU
$2,875
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

UA
29.9
HU
33.0

Hungary 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
HU
42.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

UA
3.1t
HU
4.5t

Ukraine generally does better on environment, though Hungary 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
HU
35.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

UA
12.3%
HU
8.1%

Hungary 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%
HU
4.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

UA
$16,200
HU
$40,600

Hungary 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
HU
77.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

UA
7.3
HU
4.6

Ukraine generally does better on family life, though Hungary 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

Budapest Rain: 21.0 in/yr (534 mm)
60° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kiev Budapest
Jan–Mar 36°/25°F (2°/-4°C) 43°/31°F (6°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 68°/51°F (20°/10°C) 71°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 76°/58°F (24°/14°C) 78°/59°F (26°/15°C)
Oct–Dec 43°/33°F (6°/1°C) 49°/37°F (9°/3°C)
View all months
Month Kiev Budapest
Jan 31°/22°F (-0.7°/-5.5°C) 37°/27°F (2.6°/-3.0°C)
Feb 33°/23°F (0.8°/-5.0°C) 41°/29°F (5.1°/-1.8°C)
Mar 44°/31°F (6.5°/-0.8°C) 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.0°C)
Apr 59°/42°F (15.1°/5.7°C) 63°/44°F (17.1°/6.8°C)
May 70°/52°F (21.1°/10.9°C) 72°/53°F (22.4°/11.5°C)
Jun 76°/59°F (24.6°/14.8°C) 78°/58°F (25.3°/14.4°C)
Jul 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.6°C) 82°/62°F (27.9°/16.4°C)
Aug 79°/60°F (25.9°/15.7°C) 81°/61°F (27.4°/16.0°C)
Sep 68°/51°F (20.0°/10.6°C) 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.8°C)
Oct 55°/41°F (12.9°/5.1°C) 61°/45°F (16.1°/7.0°C)
Nov 42°/33°F (5.3°/0.3°C) 47°/36°F (8.5°/2.3°C)
Dec 33°/26°F (0.5°/-3.5°C) 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.7°C)

Data: Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center, Hungarian Meteorological Service Hungarian Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Ukraine passport

Ukraine passport holder visiting Hungary

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

Hungary passport holder visiting Ukraine

Visa Free
Hungary 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 Hungary than Ukraine?

Day-to-day costs in Hungary run about 33% higher than Ukraine on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to Hungary?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a UAH3,340,036 comparable salary, that's around HUF7,776,504 in Hungary for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Hungary?

With 35.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Hungary can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Ukraine and Hungary.

Is Hungary safe for expats?

Hungary performs significantly better than Ukraine across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Hungary is 1.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.8 in Ukraine.

How is healthcare in Hungary compared to Ukraine?

Hungary generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ukraine leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 33.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Hungary, compared to 29.9 in Ukraine. Hungary scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ukraine: 76).

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

The average high temperature in Budapest is 60°F, compared to 56°F in Kiev. Budapest receives around 21.0 in of rainfall per year, while Kiev gets 23.8 in.

What language do they speak in Hungary?

The official language in Hungary is Hungarian. In Ukraine, the official language is Ukrainian.

Share this

At a Glance

UA HU
Population 43,528,136 9,699,577
Currency Ukrainian Hryvnia (UAH) Hungarian Forint (HUF)
Languages Ukrainian Hungarian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +380 +36
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112