How Much Does It Cost to Live In Kiev?
Besides buying food and eating out, there are many other expenses that you should take into consideration as is important fields of everyday life.
Actually, without an accommodation it would be difficult to survive wherever you are.
That is why, people who want to relocate have to have in mind all the possible costs that might appear, and the best way to do that is to get acquainted with the living costs before coming to the particular city.
Ukraine : Cost of Living by City
RESTAURANTS
One thing that you do have to keep in mind in Kiev is that restaurant prices are higher than in all other cities in the country.
Domestic dishes can be affordable, while eating out in one of the nice international restaurants will cost you more than $13 per person.
MARKETS
If you prefer cooking yourself, then this will be a huge advantage for your budget.
You will find out that groceries in Kiev are much cheaper than in some other European countries and you will be spending an average of $6 per day on them.
A good advice is to do a weekly grocery shopping at the local markets or huge supermarkets.
TRANSPORTATION
While the rent is more expensive in Kiev, on the other hand, prices for public transportation are almost the same.
The system of buses and trams is so inexpensive throughout Ukraine, so driving is not suggested unless you have pretty high salaries.
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
The whole country has almost equal utilities prices.
You will need around $100 for basic services, having in ming that the bills might grow during winter days due to the bad weather conditions.
The unlimited Internet connection is really a bargain, as it costs only $4.60 per month.
SPORTS & LEISURE
The cost of entertainment differs from one person to another.
Actually, it all depends on what you like doing as people who consider going to the cinema as an ideal means of entertainment would spend much less than those whose life style is related to sports.
CLOTHING & SHOES
There are tons of interesting things to do during the daytime in Kiev and one of them is shopping.
For people with low income, purchasing designer clothing items would not be possible.
They will be satisfied with low-cost clothes, as branded apparel is quite expensive here.
RENT PER MONTH
When you compare all the cities in Ukraine, Kiev, which is the capital, is way more expensive in terms of renting any type of accommodation.
Due to the extremely low monthly wages, people with the average one will be able to afford only the smallest apartments.
Cost of Living Averages Table for Kiev
*Note: All prices are indicated in USD.| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $5.51 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $0.92 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $0.38 | Average Market Prices |
| Milk (1 Liter) | $0.87 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $0.47 |
| Eggs (12) | $1.20 | Average Transport Prices |
| One Way Ticket | $0.29 |
| Monthly Pass | $12.85 |
| Gasoline | $1.15 | Average Utilities Prices |
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $99.48 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.03 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $4.60 | Average Leisure Prices |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $19.63 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $9.62 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $3.67 | Average Clothing Prices |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $63.94 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $40.39 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $93.85 | Average Rent Prices |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $493.48 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $297.17 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $945.35 |
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Kiev?
Unlike in other Ukraine’s cities, where the food takes the most of monthly budget, in Kiev you will spend the most on accommodation.
As a foreigner, those expenses might be even greater than for residents.
Other great expenses are transportation and restaurants, even though the prices of monthly tickets and domestic meals are not too high.
People in Kiev spend equal amount of money on sports and clothing, which is not a frequent case in the world.
Utilities are not extremely expensive, so they take around 6% off the budget.
Average Costs Breakdown
Kiev: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
Kiev really is the only major European city that would allow you live like a king if you earn your salary at a more developed country or if you are lucky enough to get a well paid job here.
However, people who live on a budget would not have countless option, but would rather try to make use of what they have.
Buying a property so as to save on rent in Ukraine’s capital is not advisable due to the high mortgage interest rates that are almost 20%.
Cost of Living by City in Kiev
| City | Cost of Living Index |
|---|---|
| Dnipro | 27.96 |
| Kharkiv | 26.71 |
| Lviv | 27.24 |
| Odessa | 30.13 |
| Sumy | 23.84 |
