Cost of Living Comparison Between Kyiv and Poltava Cost of Living Comparison Between Kyiv and Poltava

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,015 in Kyiv versus $483 in Poltava.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,600 in Kyiv versus $816 in Poltava.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,185 in Kyiv versus $1,149 in Poltava.

Living in Kyiv is roughly 110% more expensive than in Poltava, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kyiv 26% lower, Poltava 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.18 ₴498

$5.74 ₴256

94.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.43 ₴1,489

$33.69 ₴1,501

-0.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.70 ₴298

$6.91 ₴308

-3.04%

Cappuccino

$1.73 ₴77.1

$1.72 ₴76.6

0.58%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 ₴32.53

$0.79 ₴35.18

-7.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₴24.71

$0.55 ₴24.65

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 ₴58.4

$0.95 ₴42.46

37.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₴91.1

$2.07 ₴92.2

-1.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 ₴60.8

$1.09 ₴48.51

24.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 ₴36.72

$0.77 ₴34.13

6.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 ₴65.7

$1.49 ₴66.3

-1.34%

Eggs

$2.01 ₴89.6

$2.04 ₴90.7

-1.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.89 ₴441

$9.56 ₴426

3.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.45 ₴243

$5.37 ₴239

1.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.81 ₴393

$6.71 ₴299

31.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₴54.4

$1.19 ₴53.0

2.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 ₴68.3

$1.50 ₴66.7

2.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 ₴86.0

$1.83 ₴81.3

5.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 ₴122

$1.33 ₴59.2

105.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₴29.17

$0.47 ₴20.82

38.30%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 ₴21.52

$0.28 ₴12.55

71.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ₴65.8

$1.40 ₴62.3

5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₴27.56

$0.66 ₴29.31

-6.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 ₴146

$3.44 ₴153

-4.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.74 ₴256

$5.11 ₴228

12.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₴40.03

$0.85 ₴37.73

5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 ₴64.2

$1.43 ₴63.7

0.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 ₴22.14

$0.27 ₴11.88

85.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.45 ₴510

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₴99.7

$2.22 ₴98.9

0.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ₴19.57

$0.44 ₴19.51

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 ₴191

$4.36 ₴194

-1.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 ₴75.6

$1.36 ₴60.8

25.00%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.9K ₴1.3M

$29.2K ₴1.3M

2.27%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.2K ₴1.2M

$22.3K ₴993.0K

17.36%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$96.7 ₴4,309

$63.5 ₴2,830

52.23%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$6.83 ₴304

$4.31 ₴192

58.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.66 ₴297

$4.79 ₴213

39.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.55 ₴1,628

$17.48 ₴779

109.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.77 ₴792

$5.51 ₴245

222.50%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 ₴258

$3.16 ₴141

83.23%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$402 ₴17.9K

$283 ₴12.6K

42.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ₴659.2K

$14.9K ₴661.8K

-0.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.0 ₴3,163

$63.0 ₴2,806

12.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.90 ₴1,778

$40.53 ₴1,806

-1.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 ₴4,217

$66.5 ₴2,963

42.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₴5,232

$84.7 ₴3,773

38.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 ₴28.7K

$320 ₴14.2K

101.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 ₴16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 ₴60.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$664 ₴29.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,633 ₴117.3K

$899 ₴40.1K

192.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,144 ₴51.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$801 ₴35.7K

$418 ₴18.6K

91.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.25

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

Last update for Kyiv: September 5, 2026

Last update for Poltava: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $644 in Kyiv and $320 in Poltava. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kyiv pays 92% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Kyiv vs $34.00 in Poltava. Groceries flip the comparison at $191 vs $170, with Poltava cheaper for home cooking.

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 Poltava: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Poltava is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 110% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 92% higher in Kyiv, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $644 in Kyiv versus $320 in Poltava. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $402 in Kyiv versus $283 in Poltava. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Poltava – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $33.00 in Kyiv. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $483 in Poltava versus $1,015 in Kyiv, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Poltava but tight or insufficient in Kyiv. The gap between the two cities makes Poltava the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Poltava is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kyiv, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kyiv and Poltava are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Poltava gentler on the wallet – expenses run 110% less than in Kyiv. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.