Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lviv and Kyiv

For one person, living costs are similar in Lviv and in Kyiv: $1,009 and $998 a month, rent and utilities included.

Lviv
🇺🇦 Ukraine
$1,009
/mo nomad
Kyiv
🇺🇦 Ukraine
$998
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lviv and in Kyiv

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lviv and in Kyiv actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,009 in Lviv versus $998 in Kyiv.

  • Lviv $1,009
  • Kyiv $998

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,537 in Lviv versus $1,570 in Kyiv.

  • Lviv $1,537
  • Kyiv $1,570

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,065 in Lviv versus $2,141 in Kyiv.

  • Lviv $2,065
  • Kyiv $2,141

Living in Lviv is roughly 1% more expensive than in Kyiv, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lviv 25% lower, Kyiv 26% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lviv
Kyiv
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.62 ₴297
$10.97 ₴493
-39.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.09 ₴1,620
$33.87 ₴1,520
6.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.47 ₴290
$7.60 ₴341
-14.87%
Cappuccino
$2.17 ₴97.2
$1.67 ₴74.9
29.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 ₴59.9
$0.79 ₴35.25
68.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 ₴61.2
$0.56 ₴25.02
142.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.51 ₴113
$1.31 ₴58.7
91.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03 ₴136
$1.99 ₴89.2
52.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lviv
Kyiv
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.24 ₴55.7
$1.31 ₴58.7
-5.34%
White Bread (500g)
$0.83 ₴37.23
$0.90 ₴40.60
-7.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 ₴75.5
$1.48 ₴66.6
13.51%
Eggs
$2.11 ₴94.9
$2.06 ₴92.7
2.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.84 ₴397
$10.07 ₴452
-12.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.94 ₴222
$5.16 ₴232
-4.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.55 ₴339
$8.81 ₴395
-14.30%
Apples (1kg)
$1.32 ₴59.0
$1.19 ₴53.6
10.92%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 ₴70.4
$1.51 ₴67.9
3.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.72 ₴77.0
$1.80 ₴80.9
-4.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.65 ₴119
$2.71 ₴122
-2.21%
Potato (1kg)
$0.84 ₴37.66
$0.60 ₴26.91
40.00%
Onion (1kg)
$0.58 ₴26.04
$0.45 ₴20.24
28.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.51 ₴67.8
$1.46 ₴65.4
3.42%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ₴23.48
$0.62 ₴27.82
-16.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.23 ₴145
$3.52 ₴158
-8.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.76 ₴303
$5.61 ₴252
20.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.98 ₴44.13
$0.88 ₴39.57
11.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 ₴72.0
$1.44 ₴64.5
11.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Lviv
Kyiv
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.57 ₴25.74
$0.59 ₴26.33
-3.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.61 ₴880
$11.32 ₴508
73.23%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.96 ₴133
$2.18 ₴98.1
35.78%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.34 ₴15.45
$0.42 ₴18.77
-19.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.29 ₴193
$4.35 ₴195
-1.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.69 ₴76.0
$1.73 ₴77.6
-2.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.5K ₴1.3M
$29.5K ₴1.3M
0.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.4K ₴1.1M
$26.4K ₴1.2M
-7.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lviv
Kyiv
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.7 ₴3,755
$98.3 ₴4,411
-14.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.01 ₴270
$6.97 ₴313
-13.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.35 ₴330
$6.77 ₴304
8.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lviv
Kyiv
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.82 ₴1,428
$36.79 ₴1,651
-13.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.18 ₴637
$18.38 ₴825
-22.85%
Cinema Ticket
$4.55 ₴204
$5.45 ₴245
-16.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lviv
Kyiv
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$332 ₴14.9K
$403 ₴18.1K
-17.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,236 ₴324.8K
$15.0K ₴671.1K
-51.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lviv
Kyiv
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 ₴3,941
$75.4 ₴3,383
16.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.50 ₴1,952
$40.07 ₴1,798
8.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.3 ₴4,368
$95.5 ₴4,286
1.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$100 ₴4,498
$119 ₴5,347
-15.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lviv
Kyiv
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$503 ₴22.6K
$621 ₴27.9K
-19.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$385 ₴17.3K
$337 ₴15.1K
14.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$934 ₴41.9K
$1,252 ₴56.2K
-25.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$627 ₴28.1K
$630 ₴28.3K
-0.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,014 ₴90.4K
$2,648 ₴118.9K
-23.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,263 ₴56.7K
$1,131 ₴50.8K
11.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lviv
Kyiv
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$669 ₴30.0K
$813 ₴36.5K
-17.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.33
17.88
-25.45%

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

Last update for Lviv: October 11, 2026

Last update for Kyiv: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lviv
$385
Kyiv
$337 12.6% $49
Groceries & Markets
Lviv
$183
Kyiv
$189 3% $5.5
Clothing & Footwear
Lviv
$148
Kyiv
$149 0.4% $0.6
Eating Out
Lviv
$128
Kyiv
$146 14.7% $19
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lviv
$97
Kyiv
$112 15.5% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Lviv
$41
Kyiv
$48 16.5% $6.8
Getting Around
Lviv
$27
Kyiv
$18 32.5% $8.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $503 in Lviv and $621 in Kyiv. 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: $36.00 in Lviv vs $34.00 in Kyiv. Groceries flip the comparison at $183 vs $189, with Lviv cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇦 Lviv
🇺🇦 Kyiv
🕒 Local time
11:38 11:38 AM
11:38 11:38 AM
Same time as Lviv
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
728,350
2,908,249 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to UAH – Ukrainian Hryvnia Converter

Ukrainian Hryvnia exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 44.89 UAH (100 UAH = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 50.54 UAH (100 UAH = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Lviv vs Kyiv: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kyiv cheaper than Lviv?
Kyiv is cheaper overall, especially in transport. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Lviv or Kyiv?
On paper, salaries run 22% lower in Kyiv. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Lviv and Kyiv?
Rent for a central apartment: $503 in Lviv versus $621 in Kyiv. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Lviv and in Kyiv?
Shoppers in Lviv pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is eating out cheaper in Lviv or in Kyiv?
Dining out is cheaper in Kyiv – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $36.00 in Lviv. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Lviv or in Kyiv?
At $998 in Kyiv versus $1,009 in Lviv, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kyiv but tight or insufficient in Lviv. The gap between the two cities makes Kyiv the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Lviv or Kyiv more family-friendly?
For families, Kyiv is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lviv, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Lviv or Kyiv?
Safety-wise, Lviv and Kyiv are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Kyiv gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Lviv. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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