Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kyiv and Sumy

For one person, living is cheaper in Sumy: $941 a month against $996 in Kyiv, rent and utilities included – about $660 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kyiv, Ukraine
Sumy, Ukraine
Kyiv
🇺🇦 Ukraine
$996
/mo nomad
Sumy
🇺🇦 Ukraine
$941
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kyiv and in Sumy

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 Sumy actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $996 in Kyiv versus $941 in Sumy.

  • Kyiv $996
  • Sumy $941

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,575 in Kyiv versus $1,610 in Sumy.

  • Kyiv $1,575
  • Sumy $1,610

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,153 in Kyiv versus $2,279 in Sumy.

  • Kyiv $2,153
  • Sumy $2,279

Living in Kyiv is roughly 6% more expensive than in Sumy, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kyiv 27% lower, Sumy 31% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kyiv
Sumy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.78 ₴491
$10.89 ₴496
-1.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.91 ₴1,499
$32.99 ₴1,502
-0.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.54 ₴343
$7.49 ₴341
0.67%
Cappuccino
$1.81 ₴82.3
$1.80 ₴81.7
0.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76 ₴34.82
$0.78 ₴35.63
-2.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₴26.69
$0.53 ₴24.28
11.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.34 ₴60.9
$1.33 ₴60.7
0.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 ₴90.7
$1.94 ₴88.4
2.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kyiv
Sumy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.34 ₴60.9
$1.27 ₴58.1
5.51%
White Bread (500g)
$0.83 ₴37.70
$0.84 ₴38.32
-1.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.49 ₴67.8
$1.42 ₴64.8
4.93%
Eggs
$2.03 ₴92.6
$1.95 ₴88.6
4.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.09 ₴460
$10.13 ₴461
-0.39%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.11 ₴233
$5.29 ₴241
-3.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.65 ₴394
$8.46 ₴385
2.25%
Apples (1kg)
$1.21 ₴55.2
$1.18 ₴53.7
2.54%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 ₴71.1
$1.51 ₴68.6
3.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.84 ₴83.9
$1.81 ₴82.3
1.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.69 ₴123
$2.69 ₴122
-
Potato (1kg)
$0.58 ₴26.22
$0.58 ₴26.53
-
Onion (1kg)
$0.45 ₴20.45
$0.44 ₴20.12
2.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 ₴67.5
$1.48 ₴67.4
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.64 ₴29.25
$0.59 ₴26.89
8.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.35 ₴153
$2.85 ₴130
17.54%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.42 ₴247
$5.47 ₴249
-0.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 ₴41.50
$0.85 ₴38.84
7.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 ₴61.5
$0.96 ₴43.65
40.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Kyiv
Sumy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.69 ₴31.24
$0.32 ₴14.42
115.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.38 ₴564
$9.23 ₴420
34.13%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.21 ₴100
$2.20 ₴100
0.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 ₴20.69
$0.46 ₴20.95
-2.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.70 ₴214
$4.20 ₴191
11.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.82 ₴82.7
$1.57 ₴71.5
15.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K ₴1.4M
$30.6K ₴1.4M
1.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.2K ₴1.1M
$24.1K ₴1.1M
4.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kyiv
Sumy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.8 ₴4,409
$99.1 ₴4,510
-2.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.86 ₴312
$6.80 ₴310
0.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$6.30 ₴287
$6.53 ₴297
-3.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kyiv
Sumy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.13 ₴1,691
$30.27 ₴1,378
22.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.04 ₴821
$20.95 ₴954
-13.89%
Cinema Ticket
$5.60 ₴255
$3.60 ₴164
55.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kyiv
Sumy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$424 ₴19.3K
$229 ₴10.4K
85.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.1K ₴688.0K
$15.0K ₴682.6K
0.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kyiv
Sumy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$73.2 ₴3,333
$71.7 ₴3,262
2.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.13 ₴1,781
$30.39 ₴1,384
28.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.9 ₴4,322
$94.6 ₴4,306
0.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 ₴5,378
$116 ₴5,264
2.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kyiv
Sumy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$647 ₴29.5K
$544 ₴24.8K
19.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$337 ₴15.3K
$303 ₴13.8K
11.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,386 ₴63.1K
$992 ₴45.2K
39.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$651 ₴29.7K
$822 ₴37.4K
-20.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,590 ₴117.9K
$1,081 ₴49.2K
139.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,160 ₴52.8K
$845 ₴38.5K
37.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kyiv
Sumy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$820 ₴37.3K
$378 ₴17.2K
116.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
17.88
15.9
12.45%

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

Last update for Kyiv: October 24, 2026

Last update for Sumy: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kyiv
$337
Sumy
$303 10% $34
Groceries & Markets
Kyiv
$188
Sumy
$185 1.6% $2.9
Eating Out
Kyiv
$147
Sumy
$147 0.3% $0.4
Clothing & Footwear
Kyiv
$146
Sumy
$141 4% $5.9
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kyiv
$110
Sumy
$112 2.2% $2.4
Sport & Entertainment
Kyiv
$48
Sumy
$37 22.4% $11
Getting Around
Kyiv
$20
Sumy
$15 23.5% $4.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $647 in Kyiv and $544 in Sumy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kyiv pays about 2.2 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $33 in Kyiv vs $33 in Sumy. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $185, with Sumy cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇦 Kyiv
🇺🇦 Sumy
🕒 Local time
12:43 12:43 PM
12:43 12:43 PM
Same time as Kyiv
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,908,249 Capital
267,633
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to UAH – Ukrainian Hryvnia Converter

Ukrainian Hryvnia exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 45.53 UAH (100 UAH = 2.2 USD). 1 EUR = 50.81 UAH (100 UAH = 1.97 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kyiv Sumy 310 km
From you
  • Kyiv
  • Sumy

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 Sumy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sumy cheaper than Kyiv?
Sumy is about 6% cheaper overall, especially in leisure, clothing, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Kyiv or Sumy?
Average pay in Kyiv is about 2.2 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Kyiv and Sumy?
Rent for a central apartment: $647 in Kyiv versus $544 in Sumy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Sumy runs roughly 25% less than in Kyiv. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $424 in Kyiv versus $229 in Sumy. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $800 enough to cover costs in Kyiv or in Sumy?
Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Sumy is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Is it better to live in Kyiv or in Sumy?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Sumy wins on affordability, Kyiv on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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