Moving to Ukraine from United States
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United States to Ukraine — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from United States to Ukraine, you would find that Ukraine is 57.2% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly UAH1,358,949 in Ukraine to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Ukrainian. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Kiev averages 56°F vs 66°F in Washington, making it significantly cooler.
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 United States to Ukraine.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → UAH1,358,949
To maintain the same standard of living in Ukraine
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 68.0% less
Groceries
pay 56.7% less
Transportation
pay 29.8% less
Housing
pay 78.5% less
Childcare
pay 81.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 71.8% less
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 Ukraine cost about 69% less than cities in United States.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from United States to Ukraine, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to Ukraine?
Top countries of origin for Ukraine's foreign-born residents.
- 3,330,586
- 249,641
- 225,962
- 223,491
- 152,249
- 83,674
- · · ·
-
23.2,782
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
How United States and Ukraine stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Ukraine performs significantly better than United States across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
United States generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ukraine leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
United States generally does better on environment, though Ukraine leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
United States generally does better on infrastructure, though Ukraine leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
United States generally does better on employment & economy, though Ukraine leads in top income tax rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
United States performs better than Ukraine across all family life metrics.
Data: Internal Revenue Service, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Washington | Kiev |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 36°/25°F (2°/-4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 68°/51°F (20°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 76°/58°F (24°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 43°/33°F (6°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Kiev |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 31°/22°F (-0.7°/-5.5°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 33°/23°F (0.8°/-5.0°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 44°/31°F (6.5°/-0.8°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 59°/42°F (15.1°/5.7°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 70°/52°F (21.1°/10.9°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 76°/59°F (24.6°/14.8°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.6°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 79°/60°F (25.9°/15.7°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 68°/51°F (20.0°/10.6°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 55°/41°F (12.9°/5.1°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 42°/33°F (5.3°/0.3°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) | 33°/26°F (0.5°/-3.5°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and Ukraine. To live, work, or study long-term in Ukraine, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Ukraine's immigration authority.
United States passport holder visiting Ukraine
Visa Free
Ukraine passport holder visiting United States
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Ukraine than United States?
Generally yes: Ukraine runs about 59% cheaper than United States on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Ukraine?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around UAH339,737 in Ukraine for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Ukraine?
With 18.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Ukraine can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in United States and Ukraine.
Is Ukraine safe for expats?
Ukraine performs significantly better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ukraine is 3.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.4 in United States.
How is healthcare in Ukraine compared to United States?
United States generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ukraine leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 29.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Ukraine, compared to 36.1 in United States. Ukraine scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Ukraine compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Kiev is 56°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Kiev receives around 23.8 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.
What language do they speak in Ukraine?
The official language in Ukraine is Ukrainian. In United States, the official language is English.
