Cost of Living Comparison Between Kyiv and Saransk Cost of Living Comparison Between Kyiv and Saransk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Kyiv versus $1,069 in Saransk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,562 in Kyiv versus $1,693 in Saransk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,111 in Kyiv versus $2,316 in Saransk.

Living in Kyiv costs roughly 5% less than in Saransk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kyiv 26% lower, Saransk 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.13 ₴497

$14.08 ₽1,190

-20.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.91 ₴1,514

$53.6 ₽4,531

-36.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.66 ₴297

$7.01 ₽592

-4.99%

Cappuccino

$1.65 ₴73.6

$3.23 ₽273

-48.92%

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

$0.78 ₴35.04

$1.69 ₽143

-53.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₴24.69

$0.71 ₽59.7

-22.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 ₴61.0

$1.85 ₽157

-25.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₴91.0

$3.76 ₽318

-45.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 ₴60.5

$1.12 ₽94.9

21.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₴39.88

$0.77 ₽65.3

15.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 ₴66.2

$1.41 ₽119

4.96%

Eggs

$1.99 ₴88.8

$1.52 ₽129

30.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.28 ₴459

$11.52 ₽973

-10.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.31 ₴237

$4.68 ₽396

13.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.99 ₴401

$13.53 ₽1,143

-33.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₴53.4

$1.60 ₽135

-25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 ₴68.6

$1.63 ₽138

-5.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ₴81.1

$1.78 ₽150

2.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 ₴114

$3.37 ₽285

-24.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 ₴26.83

$0.65 ₽54.9

-7.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 ₴20.21

$0.55 ₽46.13

-18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ₴63.3

$1.26 ₽107

12.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₴26.88

$0.67 ₽56.6

-10.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.43 ₴153

$2.98 ₽252

15.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.47 ₴244

$8.38 ₽708

-34.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₴42.67

$1.12 ₽94.4

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 ₴64.1

$2.39 ₽202

-39.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 ₴25.52

$0.55 ₽46.13

3.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.00 ₴491

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 ₴99.2

$2.13 ₽180

4.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ₴19.47

$0.43 ₽36.34

2.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 ₴200

$7.07 ₽597

-36.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 ₴74.8

$0.84 ₽70.6

98.81%

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

$30.1K ₴1.3M

$41.1K ₽3.5M

-26.89%

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

$26.3K ₴1.2M

$31.9K ₽2.7M

-17.75%

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

$93.2 ₴4,161

$126 ₽10.6K

-26.04%

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

$6.76 ₴302

$5.76 ₽487

17.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.59 ₴294

$7.59 ₽641

-13.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.37 ₴1,534

$35.25 ₽2,979

-2.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.54 ₴783

$25.65 ₽2,167

-31.62%

Cinema Ticket

$5.47 ₴244

$6.78 ₽573

-19.32%

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

$398 ₴17.8K

$303 ₽25.6K

31.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ₴652.7K

$6,892 ₽582.3K

112.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.1 ₴3,129

$67.2 ₽5,676

4.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.39 ₴1,803

$54.2 ₽4,577

-25.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 ₴4,152

$138 ₽11.7K

-32.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ₴5,200

$80.8 ₽6,825

44.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 ₴28.5K

$463 ₽39.1K

38.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 ₴16.1K

$312 ₽26.3K

15.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 ₴59.8K

$824 ₽69.6K

62.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 ₴28.9K

$568 ₽48.0K

13.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,711 ₴121.0K

$2,362 ₽199.6K

14.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,157 ₴51.6K

$1,527 ₽129.0K

-24.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$794 ₴35.5K

$650 ₽54.9K

22.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.38

-11.68%

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

Last update for Kyiv: September 14, 2026

Last update for Saransk: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $639 in Kyiv and $463 in Saransk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kyiv pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Kyiv vs $54.0 in Saransk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $214 per month, with Kyiv 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 Saransk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kyiv is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 22% 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: $639 in Kyiv versus $463 in Saransk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $398 in Kyiv versus $303 in Saransk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kyiv – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $54.0 in Saransk. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,013 in Kyiv versus $1,069 in Saransk, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kyiv but tight or insufficient in Saransk. The gap between the two cities makes Kyiv the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Kyiv gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Saransk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.