Moving to Ukraine from Washington

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Washington to Ukraine, you would find that Ukraine is 59.3% cheaper than Washington. A $75,000 salary in Washington would need to be roughly UAH1,536,685 in Ukraine to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Ukrainian.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 UAH1,536,685

To maintain the same standard of living in Ukraine

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 69.5% less

Groceries

pay 58.4% less

Transportation

pay 38.2% less

Housing

pay 78.3% less

Childcare

pay 83.4% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 74.0% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 44.89 UAH (June 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 Ukraine cost about 64% less than cities in Washington.

Washington

Seattle 84%
Bellevue 81%
Redmond 79%

Ukraine

Kiev 36%
Vinnytsya 30%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Ukraine

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
2,782 ↑ 2% vs 2015

people born in United States live in Ukraine · UN DESA

Who's moving to Ukraine?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Ukraine compared to Washington.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

WA
31.1%
UA
24.1%

Ukraine performs significantly better than Washington across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

WA
93.1%
UA
94.5%

Ukraine performs significantly better than Washington across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

WA
5.3%
UA
9.8%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

WA
$87,768
UA
$16,200

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

WA
79.2 yrs
UA
73.5 yrs

Washington performs better than Ukraine across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Olympia Rain: 50.0 in/yr (1270 mm)
60° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Kiev Rain: 23.8 in/yr (605 mm)
56° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Olympia Kiev
Jan–Mar 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) 36°/25°F (2°/-4°C)
Apr–Jun 65°/43°F (18°/6°C) 68°/51°F (20°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 76°/49°F (24°/10°C) 76°/58°F (24°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/36°F (11°/2°C) 43°/33°F (6°/1°C)
View all months
Month Olympia Kiev
Jan 46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C) 31°/22°F (-0.7°/-5.5°C)
Feb 49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C) 33°/23°F (0.8°/-5.0°C)
Mar 54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C) 44°/31°F (6.5°/-0.8°C)
Apr 59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C) 59°/42°F (15.1°/5.7°C)
May 65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C) 70°/52°F (21.1°/10.9°C)
Jun 71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C) 76°/59°F (24.6°/14.8°C)
Jul 77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C) 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.6°C)
Aug 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C) 79°/60°F (25.9°/15.7°C)
Sep 72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C) 68°/51°F (20.0°/10.6°C)
Oct 60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C) 55°/41°F (12.9°/5.1°C)
Nov 50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C) 42°/33°F (5.3°/0.3°C)
Dec 44°/33°F (6.8°/0.3°C) 33°/26°F (0.5°/-3.5°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center 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

United States passport holder visiting Ukraine

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Ukraine without a visa.
Ukraine passport

Ukraine passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Ukraine passport holders need a visa to enter United States.

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 Ukraine than Washington?

On average Ukraine is about 54% less expensive than Washington, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Ukraine?

Budget about UAH384,171 for 3 months in Ukraine (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Ukraine?

From major Ukraine cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Washington and Ukraine are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Ukraine compared to Washington?

Ukraine performs significantly better than Washington across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Kiev is 56°F, compared to 60°F in Olympia. Kiev receives around 23.8 in of rainfall per year, while Olympia gets 50.0 in.

What language do they speak in Ukraine?

The official language in Ukraine is Ukrainian. In Washington, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

UA
Population 6,724,540 43,528,136
Currency United States Dollar ($) Ukrainian Hryvnia (UAH)
Languages English Ukrainian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +380
Time zones 11 1
Emergency number 911 112