Cost of Living Comparison Between Sumy and Kharkiv Cost of Living Comparison Between Sumy and Kharkiv

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $972 per month in Sumy vs $674 in Kharkiv, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,640 per month in Sumy vs $1,044 in Kharkiv, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,309 per month in Sumy vs $1,413 in Kharkiv, rent included.

Sumy costs about 44% more than Kharkiv, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sumy and Kharkiv are more affordable than the global median – Sumy 29% lower, Kharkiv 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.39 ₴509

$6.71 ₴300

69.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.14 ₴1,479

$31.18 ₴1,392

6.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.89 ₴307

$5.05 ₴225

36.44%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ₴76.6

$1.61 ₴72.0

6.83%

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

$0.79 ₴35.17

$1.02 ₴45.73

-22.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₴24.29

$0.55 ₴24.40

-1.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 ₴61.3

$0.98 ₴43.88

39.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ₴92.5

$1.72 ₴76.6

20.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 ₴57.2

$1.08 ₴48.08

18.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 ₴36.57

$0.65 ₴29.18

26.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 ₴66.2

$1.29 ₴57.6

14.73%

Eggs

$2.08 ₴92.8

$1.72 ₴76.7

20.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.28 ₴459

$8.54 ₴381

20.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 ₴243

$4.28 ₴191

27.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.71 ₴389

$7.08 ₴316

23.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ₴54.9

$1.41 ₴62.8

-12.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₴69.7

$1.59 ₴71.1

-1.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 ₴85.9

$1.62 ₴72.4

18.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 ₴113

$2.02 ₴90.2

24.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 ₴26.83

$0.72 ₴32.26

-16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 ₴20.53

$0.49 ₴21.68

-6.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ₴62.0

$1.26 ₴56.5

10.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₴27.67

$0.59 ₴26.32

5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 ₴130

$2.75 ₴123

5.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.55 ₴248

$4.51 ₴201

23.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ₴39.80

$0.83 ₴37.08

7.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 ₴43.83

$1.25 ₴55.7

-21.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ₴14.57

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.86 ₴395

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 ₴102

$1.38 ₴61.6

65.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 ₴20.85

$0.32 ₴14.44

46.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 ₴192

$2.28 ₴102

88.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ₴66.4

$1.74 ₴77.7

-14.37%

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

$28.9K ₴1.3M

$29.7K ₴1.3M

-2.88%

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

$22.4K ₴999.3K

$22.6K ₴1.0M

-0.80%

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

$94.6 ₴4,224

$95.9 ₴4,281

-1.33%

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

$6.99 ₴312

$6.16 ₴275

13.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.72 ₴300

$7.04 ₴314

-4.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.38 ₴2,070

$21.65 ₴966

114.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.12 ₴987

$15.31 ₴683

44.48%

Cinema Ticket

$3.66 ₴163

$4.80 ₴214

-23.75%

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

$234 ₴10.5K

$285 ₴12.7K

-17.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ₴662.9K

$2,897 ₴129.3K

412.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.2 ₴3,135

$56.0 ₴2,500

25.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.86 ₴1,377

$41.71 ₴1,862

-26.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.4 ₴4,216

$91.7 ₴4,093

2.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ₴5,315

$97.8 ₴4,365

21.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$558 ₴24.9K

$244 ₴10.9K

128.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₴13.8K

$145 ₴6,454

113.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,021 ₴45.6K

$517 ₴23.1K

97.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$839 ₴37.4K

$210 ₴9,379

299.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,665 ₴74.3K

$1,055 ₴47.1K

57.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,369 ₴61.1K

$578 ₴25.8K

137.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$385 ₴17.2K

$541 ₴24.1K

-28.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.9

17.89

-11.12%

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

Last update for Sumy: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kharkiv: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $558 in Sumy versus $244 in Kharkiv. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 40% higher in Kharkiv, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Sumy versus $31.00 in Kharkiv. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $162 – making Kharkiv the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Sumy vs Kharkiv: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sumy costs about 44% more than Kharkiv, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,458 per month in Sumy and $1,010 in Kharkiv. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kharkiv, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Sumy and $31.00 in Kharkiv. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Sumy, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kharkiv, where all-in costs run around $674, than in Sumy at $972. In Kharkiv it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sumy it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kharkiv costs $674 versus $972 in Sumy. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Kharkiv. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sumy makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.