Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kyiv and Korolyov

For one person, living is cheaper in Kyiv: $996 a month against $1,326 in Korolyov, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Kyiv, Ukraine
Korolyov, Russia
Kyiv
🇺🇦 Ukraine
$996
/mo nomad
Korolyov
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,326
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kyiv and in Korolyov

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kyiv and in Korolyov actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $996 in Kyiv versus $1,326 in Korolyov.

  • Kyiv $996
  • Korolyov $1,326

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,575 in Kyiv versus $1,956 in Korolyov.

  • Kyiv $1,575
  • Korolyov $1,956

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,153 in Kyiv versus $2,585 in Korolyov.

  • Kyiv $2,153
  • Korolyov $2,585

Living in Kyiv costs roughly 25% less than in Korolyov, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kyiv 27% lower, Korolyov 3% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kyiv
Korolyov
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.78 ₴491
$12.33 ₽994
-12.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.91 ₴1,499
$60.9 ₽4,908
-45.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.54 ₴343
$7.52 ₽607
0.27%
Cappuccino
$1.81 ₴82.3
$2.84 ₽229
-36.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76 ₴34.82
$0.97 ₽78.2
-21.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₴26.70
$0.55 ₽44.64
7.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.34 ₴60.9
$1.00 ₽81.0
34.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 ₴90.7
$1.46 ₽118
36.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kyiv
Korolyov
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.34 ₴60.9
$1.26 ₽102
6.35%
White Bread (500g)
$0.83 ₴37.71
$0.85 ₽68.6
-2.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.49 ₴67.8
$1.27 ₽102
17.32%
Eggs
$2.03 ₴92.6
$1.60 ₽129
26.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.09 ₴460
$9.55 ₽770
5.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.11 ₴233
$6.15 ₽496
-16.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.65 ₴394
$12.18 ₽982
-28.98%
Apples (1kg)
$1.21 ₴55.2
$1.68 ₽136
-27.98%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 ₴71.2
$1.52 ₽123
2.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.84 ₴83.9
$1.60 ₽129
15.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.69 ₴123
$3.77 ₽304
-28.65%
Potato (1kg)
$0.58 ₴26.23
$0.75 ₽60.4
-22.67%
Onion (1kg)
$0.45 ₴20.45
$0.41 ₽33.09
9.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 ₴67.5
$1.46 ₽118
1.37%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.64 ₴29.26
$1.01 ₽81.6
-36.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.35 ₴153
$2.27 ₽183
47.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.42 ₴247
$11.30 ₽911
-52.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 ₴41.51
$0.76 ₽60.9
19.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 ₴61.5
$1.58 ₽127
-14.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Kyiv
Korolyov
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.69 ₴31.24
$1.01 ₽81.6
-31.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.38 ₴564
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.21 ₴100
$3.81 ₽307
-41.99%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 ₴20.69
$0.19 ₽15.40
136.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.70 ₴214
$3.69 ₽298
27.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.82 ₴82.7
$0.84 ₽67.8
116.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K ₴1.4M
$44.8K ₽3.6M
-30.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.2K ₴1.1M
$39.9K ₽3.2M
-36.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kyiv
Korolyov
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.8 ₴4,410
$131 ₽10.6K
-26.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.86 ₴312
$5.01 ₽404
36.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$6.30 ₴287
$8.81 ₽711
-28.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kyiv
Korolyov
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.13 ₴1,691
$149 ₽12.0K
-75.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.04 ₴822
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.60 ₴255
$5.68 ₽458
-1.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kyiv
Korolyov
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$424 ₴19.3K
$188 ₽15.2K
125.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.1K ₴688.1K
$3,666 ₽295.7K
312.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kyiv
Korolyov
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$73.2 ₴3,334
$62.5 ₽5,041
17.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.13 ₴1,782
$30.88 ₽2,490
26.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.9 ₴4,322
$148 ₽12.0K
-35.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 ₴5,379
$126 ₽10.2K
-6.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kyiv
Korolyov
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$647 ₴29.5K
$557 ₽44.9K
16.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$337 ₴15.3K
$456 ₽36.8K
-26.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,386 ₴63.1K
$851 ₽68.6K
62.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$651 ₴29.7K
$563 ₽45.4K
15.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,590 ₴117.9K
$2,483 ₽200.3K
4.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,160 ₴52.8K
$2,217 ₽178.8K
-47.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kyiv
Korolyov
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$820 ₴37.3K
$1,257 ₽101.4K
-34.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
17.88
19.58
-8.68%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kyiv: October 24, 2026

Last update for Korolyov: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kyiv
$337
Korolyov
$456 35.4% $119
Groceries & Markets
Kyiv
$188
Korolyov
$222 17.9% $34
Eating Out
Kyiv
$147
Korolyov
$169 15.5% $23
Clothing & Footwear
Kyiv
$146
Korolyov
$165 13% $19
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kyiv
$110
Korolyov
$145 31.7% $35
Sport & Entertainment
Kyiv
$48
Korolyov
$160 232% $112
Getting Around
Kyiv
$20
Korolyov
$8.8 * 55.1% $11

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $647 in Kyiv and $557 in Korolyov. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Korolyov pays 53% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $33 in Kyiv vs $61 in Korolyov for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $222 per month, with Kyiv cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇦 Kyiv
🇷🇺 Korolyov
🕒 Local time
17:48 5:48 PM
18:48 6:48 PM
1 h ahead of Kyiv
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,908,249 Capital
225,299
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to UAH – Ukrainian Hryvnia Converter

Ukrainian Hryvnia exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 45.54 UAH (100 UAH = 2.2 USD). 1 EUR = 50.68 UAH (100 UAH = 1.97 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 80.65 RUB (100 RUB = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 89.76 RUB (100 RUB = 1.11 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kyiv Korolyov 780 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Kyiv
  • Korolyov

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Kyiv vs Korolyov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kyiv or Korolyov?
Kyiv wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Korolyov. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Kyiv the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Kyiv or in Korolyov?
On paper, salaries run 35% lower in Kyiv. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Kyiv compared to Korolyov?
Rent for a central apartment: $647 in Kyiv versus $557 in Korolyov. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Kyiv or in Korolyov?
Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Korolyov. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Kyiv compared to Korolyov?
All in, you’ll spend $996 per month in Kyiv versus $1,326 in Korolyov – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Kyiv or Korolyov?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Should I move to Kyiv or to Korolyov?
It comes down to priorities – Kyiv wins on affordability, Korolyov on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

Kyiv vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?