Cost of Living Comparison Between Kyiv and Ulyanovsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Kyiv and Ulyanovsk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $986 in Kyiv versus $834 in Ulyanovsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,485 in Kyiv versus $1,238 in Ulyanovsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,984 in Kyiv versus $1,642 in Ulyanovsk.

Living in Kyiv is roughly 18% more expensive than Ulyanovsk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kyiv 27% lower, Ulyanovsk 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.21 ₴369

$9.04 ₽655

-9.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.19 ₴1,401

$32.14 ₽2,329

-2.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.94 ₴267

$5.63 ₽408

5.51%

Cappuccino

$1.62 ₴72.7

$2.31 ₽167

-29.87%

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

$0.62 ₴27.89

$1.09 ₽79.3

-43.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₴20.53

$0.45 ₽32.51

2.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 ₴50.4

$0.85 ₽61.8

31.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ₴82.4

$1.67 ₽121

9.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 ₴58.3

$1.12 ₽81.2

16.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 ₴35.03

$0.65 ₽47.10

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₴82.7

$1.24 ₽89.8

48.39%

Eggs

$1.96 ₴88.2

$1.53 ₽111

28.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.90 ₴445

$9.13 ₽662

8.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ₴197

$4.60 ₽333

-4.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.68 ₴345

$8.35 ₽605

-8.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 ₴46.03

$1.28 ₽93.1

-20.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₴71.6

$1.50 ₽109

6.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 ₴79.5

$1.51 ₽109

17.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₴104

$1.72 ₽125

34.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 ₴38.43

$0.68 ₽49.30

26.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ₴26.85

$0.43 ₽31.19

39.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ₴61.6

$1.74 ₽126

-21.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₴24.34

$0.53 ₽38.61

1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 ₴132

$1.43 ₽103

104.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 ₴258

$4.67 ₽338

23.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₴40.70

$0.86 ₽62.0

5.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ₴73.0

$1.76 ₽128

-7.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 ₴9.65

$0.44 ₽31.72

-52.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.62 ₴432

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 ₴94.2

$1.94 ₽140

8.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ₴15.69

$0.18 ₽13.17

94.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.25 ₴191

$3.82 ₽277

11.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 ₴64.0

$0.74 ₽53.9

91.89%

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

$31.2K ₴1.4M

$49.5K ₽3.6M

-36.92%

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

$25.0K ₴1.1M

$43.9K ₽3.2M

-43.11%

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

$111 ₴4,989

$103 ₽7,479

7.60%

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

$5.65 ₴254

$5.53 ₽401

2.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.96 ₴313

$5.53 ₽401

25.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ₴1,665

$36.13 ₽2,618

2.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.42 ₴738

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 ₴211

$4.01 ₽291

17.21%

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

$377 ₴16.9K

$88.9 ₽6,440

324.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,761 ₴348.7K

$6,024 ₽436.5K

28.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 ₴3,080

$98.8 ₽7,157

-30.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.94 ₴1,614

$47.37 ₽3,432

-24.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ₴4,630

$89.0 ₽6,446

15.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₴5,119

$74.7 ₽5,413

52.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$602 ₴27.0K

$322 ₽23.3K

87.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 ₴15.7K

$231 ₽16.7K

51.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 ₴57.9K

$567 ₽41.1K

127.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 ₴27.7K

$303 ₽21.9K

103.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,621 ₴117.7K

$2,392 ₽173.3K

9.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,148 ₴51.6K

$1,477 ₽107.0K

-22.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$757 ₴34.0K

$727 ₽52.7K

4.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.34

15.33

26.16%

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

Last update for Kyiv: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ulyanovsk: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $602 in Kyiv and $322 in Ulyanovsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kyiv pays 4% 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 $32.00 in Ulyanovsk. Groceries flip the comparison at $179 vs $168, with Ulyanovsk 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 Ulyanovsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ulyanovsk is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Kyiv pays 4% more on average, 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: $602 in Kyiv versus $322 in Ulyanovsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $377 in Kyiv versus $88.9 in Ulyanovsk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ulyanovsk – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $31.00 in Kyiv. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $834 in Ulyanovsk versus $986 in Kyiv, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ulyanovsk but tight or insufficient in Kyiv. The gap between the two cities makes Ulyanovsk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ulyanovsk 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.

Expats usually find Ulyanovsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Kyiv. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.