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: $977 in Kyiv versus $651 in Poltava.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,498 in Kyiv versus $1,027 in Poltava.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,018 in Kyiv versus $1,403 in Poltava.

Living in Kyiv is roughly 50% more expensive than in Poltava, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kyiv 27% lower, Poltava 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.44 ₴379

$5.92 ₴266

42.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.48 ₴1,414

$24.13 ₴1,084

30.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.18 ₴278

$4.51 ₴203

37.03%

Cappuccino

$1.61 ₴72.5

$1.34 ₴60.3

20.15%

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

$0.62 ₴27.78

$0.64 ₴28.75

-3.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₴20.61

$0.45 ₴20.42

2.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ₴49.55

$0.96 ₴43.30

14.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₴85.9

$1.66 ₴74.6

15.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ₴55.9

$1.02 ₴45.77

21.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 ₴36.18

$0.65 ₴28.99

24.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 ₴81.1

$1.29 ₴58.1

40.31%

Eggs

$2.05 ₴92.0

$1.74 ₴78.0

17.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 ₴447

$8.19 ₴368

21.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₴199

$3.69 ₴166

20.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 ₴351

$5.28 ₴237

47.92%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 ₴43.60

$0.75 ₴33.54

29.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 ₴69.0

$1.20 ₴53.9

28.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 ₴83.7

$1.28 ₴57.4

45.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₴100

$1.47 ₴66.3

51.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ₴38.26

$0.40 ₴17.85

112.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 ₴24.95

$0.58 ₴26.17

-3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ₴61.6

$0.71 ₴31.72

92.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₴25.76

$0.58 ₴26.21

-1.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.83 ₴127

$2.07 ₴93.0

36.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.53 ₴249

$5.06 ₴227

9.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₴37.40

$0.83 ₴37.36

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₴69.8

$1.55 ₴69.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 ₴7.65

$0.23 ₴10.32

-26.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.40 ₴422

$14.35 ₴645

-34.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 ₴93.4

$1.97 ₴88.6

5.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ₴16.89

$0.15 ₴6.62

153.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 ₴199

$4.22 ₴190

4.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ₴64.7

$1.36 ₴60.9

5.88%

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

$31.6K ₴1.4M

$27.2K ₴1.2M

16.20%

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

$24.5K ₴1.1M

$20.3K ₴914.0K

20.21%

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

$110 ₴4,947

$95.4 ₴4,284

15.49%

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

$5.59 ₴251

$4.31 ₴194

29.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.20 ₴324

$4.73 ₴212

52.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.87 ₴1,702

$13.78 ₴619

174.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.64 ₴748

$9.06 ₴407

83.66%

Cinema Ticket

$4.96 ₴223

$4.71 ₴211

5.31%

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

$386 ₴17.3K

$275 ₴12.4K

40.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,654 ₴343.9K

$7,852 ₴352.8K

-2.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 ₴3,054

$69.6 ₴3,126

-2.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.38 ₴1,589

$26.49 ₴1,190

33.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 ₴4,584

$76.8 ₴3,450

32.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ₴5,165

$81.5 ₴3,662

41.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$600 ₴26.9K

$261 ₴11.7K

130.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₴16.0K

$155 ₴6,963

130.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 ₴57.7K

$448 ₴20.1K

186.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 ₴27.8K

$310 ₴13.9K

99.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,630 ₴118.2K

$879 ₴39.5K

199.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,119 ₴50.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$763 ₴34.3K

$438 ₴19.7K

74.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.34

17.5

10.51%

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

Last update for Kyiv: July 25, 2026

Last update for Poltava: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $600 in Kyiv and $261 in Poltava. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kyiv pays 74% 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: $31.00 in Kyiv vs $24.00 in Poltava for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $178 vs $141 per month, with Poltava cheaper across the board.

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, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 74% 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: $600 in Kyiv versus $261 in Poltava. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Kyiv. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Poltava – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $31.00 in Kyiv. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $651 in Poltava versus $977 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 50% less than in Kyiv. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.