Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sumy and Kyiv

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.

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

How much you'll spend in Sumy 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 Sumy and in Kyiv actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

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

  • Sumy $941
  • Kyiv $996

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

  • Sumy $1,610
  • Kyiv $1,575

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

  • Sumy $2,279
  • Kyiv $2,153

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

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sumy
Kyiv
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.89 ₴496
$10.78 ₴491
1.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.99 ₴1,502
$32.91 ₴1,499
0.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.49 ₴341
$7.54 ₴343
-0.66%
Cappuccino
$1.80 ₴81.7
$1.81 ₴82.3
-0.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 ₴35.63
$0.76 ₴34.82
2.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 ₴24.28
$0.59 ₴26.69
-10.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.33 ₴60.7
$1.34 ₴60.9
-0.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 ₴88.4
$1.99 ₴90.7
-2.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sumy
Kyiv
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.27 ₴58.1
$1.34 ₴60.9
-5.22%
White Bread (500g)
$0.84 ₴38.32
$0.83 ₴37.70
1.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 ₴64.8
$1.49 ₴67.8
-4.70%
Eggs
$1.95 ₴88.6
$2.03 ₴92.6
-3.94%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.13 ₴461
$10.09 ₴460
0.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.29 ₴241
$5.11 ₴233
3.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.46 ₴385
$8.65 ₴394
-2.20%
Apples (1kg)
$1.18 ₴53.7
$1.21 ₴55.2
-2.48%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 ₴68.6
$1.56 ₴71.1
-3.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.81 ₴82.3
$1.84 ₴83.9
-1.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.69 ₴122
$2.69 ₴123
-
Potato (1kg)
$0.58 ₴26.53
$0.58 ₴26.22
-
Onion (1kg)
$0.44 ₴20.12
$0.45 ₴20.45
-2.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 ₴67.4
$1.48 ₴67.5
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₴26.89
$0.64 ₴29.25
-7.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.85 ₴130
$3.35 ₴153
-14.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.47 ₴249
$5.42 ₴247
0.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.85 ₴38.84
$0.91 ₴41.50
-6.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.96 ₴43.65
$1.35 ₴61.5
-28.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Sumy
Kyiv
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.32 ₴14.42
$0.69 ₴31.24
-53.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.23 ₴420
$12.38 ₴564
-25.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.20 ₴100
$2.21 ₴100
-0.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.46 ₴20.95
$0.45 ₴20.69
2.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.20 ₴191
$4.70 ₴214
-10.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.57 ₴71.5
$1.82 ₴82.7
-13.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.6K ₴1.4M
$30.9K ₴1.4M
-1.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.1K ₴1.1M
$25.2K ₴1.1M
-4.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sumy
Kyiv
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$99.1 ₴4,510
$96.8 ₴4,409
2.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.80 ₴310
$6.86 ₴312
-0.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$6.53 ₴297
$6.30 ₴287
3.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sumy
Kyiv
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.27 ₴1,378
$37.13 ₴1,691
-18.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.95 ₴954
$18.04 ₴821
16.13%
Cinema Ticket
$3.60 ₴164
$5.60 ₴255
-35.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sumy
Kyiv
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$229 ₴10.4K
$424 ₴19.3K
-46.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.0K ₴682.6K
$15.1K ₴688.0K
-0.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sumy
Kyiv
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.7 ₴3,262
$73.2 ₴3,333
-2.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.39 ₴1,384
$39.13 ₴1,781
-22.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.6 ₴4,306
$94.9 ₴4,322
-0.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 ₴5,264
$118 ₴5,378
-2.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sumy
Kyiv
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$544 ₴24.8K
$647 ₴29.5K
-15.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$303 ₴13.8K
$337 ₴15.3K
-10.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$992 ₴45.2K
$1,386 ₴63.1K
-28.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$822 ₴37.4K
$651 ₴29.7K
26.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,081 ₴49.2K
$2,590 ₴117.9K
-58.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$845 ₴38.5K
$1,160 ₴52.8K
-27.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sumy
Kyiv
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$378 ₴17.2K
$820 ₴37.3K
-53.87%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
15.9
17.88
-11.07%

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

Last update for Sumy: October 26, 2026

Last update for Kyiv: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sumy
$303
Kyiv
$337 11.2% $34
Groceries & Markets
Sumy
$185
Kyiv
$188 1.6% $2.9
Eating Out
Sumy
$147
Kyiv
$147 0.3% $0.4
Clothing & Footwear
Sumy
$141
Kyiv
$146 4.2% $5.9
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sumy
$112
Kyiv
$110 2.1% $2.4
Sport & Entertainment
Sumy
$37
Kyiv
$48 28.9% $11
Getting Around
Sumy
$15
Kyiv
$20 30.7% $4.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $544 in Sumy and $647 in Kyiv. 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 Sumy vs $33 in Kyiv for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $188 per month, with Sumy cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇦 Sumy
🇺🇦 Kyiv
🕒 Local time
21:46 9:46 PM
21:46 9:46 PM
Same time as Sumy
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
267,633
2,908,249 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to UAH – Ukrainian Hryvnia Converter

Ukrainian Hryvnia exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 45.53 UAH (100 UAH = 2.2 USD). 1 EUR = 50.84 UAH (100 UAH = 1.97 EUR).

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

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
Sumy vs Kyiv: 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: Sumy or Kyiv?
On paper, salaries run 54% lower in Sumy. 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 Sumy and Kyiv?
Rent for a central apartment: $544 in Sumy versus $647 in Kyiv. 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 $229 in Sumy versus $424 in Kyiv. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $800 enough to cover costs in Sumy or in Kyiv?
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 Sumy or in Kyiv?
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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