Cost Of Living For a Student in Ukraine 2024
Average Monthly Expenditure
Currency: UAH
Average monthly spending for students in Ukraine
How much money does a student need in a month to survive in Ukraine?
Students in Ukraine spend around 23,000 UAH per month on average. Depending on the lifestyle, a student can survive with a monthly budget as low as 3,400 UAH or as high as 150,000 UAH. Location is a very important factor and has a huge influence on expenditure and budget.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Ukraine
Dining, food, and beverages costs
Fast food combo meal
Restaurant meal for one
Fine dining meal for one
| 300 UAH | 450 UAH | 1,800 UAH |
Cappuccino or latte
Grocery and market costs
Milk large bottle
12 eggs
Fresh whole chicken
Pack of beef
Medium bag of rice
Bag of tomatos
Bag of apples
Commute, travel, and transportation costs
20 minutes taxi ride
Average car full tank
Average car 1-day rental
Average car price
| 110,000 UAH | 230,000 UAH | 300,000 UAH |
Bus ticket one way
Car Service
Utility cost (monthly)
Utility Bill - Student
| 140 UAH | 910 UAH | 6,100 UAH |
Internet and cable
Mobile phone charges
Leisure and activities costs
Movie ticket
One month gym membership
Cloths and accessories costs
Pair of jeans or pants
Woman dress
| 250 UAH | 350 UAH | 1,100 UAH |
Woman shoes
Men's shoes
Men suit
| 230 UAH | 280 UAH | 1,500 UAH |
Regular t-shirt
Housing costs / monthly rent
Studio apartment
| 3,800 UAH | 5,600 UAH | 15,000 UAH |
1-bedroom apartment
| 5,600 UAH | 9,000 UAH | 23,000 UAH |
2-bedroom apartment
| 7,500 UAH | 11,000 UAH | 30,000 UAH |
Housing costs / Buying
Studio apartment
| 750,000 UAH | 1.1M UAH | 2.3M UAH |
1-bedroom apartment
| 900,000 UAH | 1.5M UAH | 5.6M UAH |
2-bedroom apartment
| $39,000 | $120,000 | $230,000 |
Furniture Costs
King Size Bed
| 4,500 UAH | 5,600 UAH | 7,500 UAH |
Double Bed
| 3,000 UAH | 4,500 UAH | 5,600 UAH |
Single Bed
| 2,600 UAH | 3,500 UAH | 4,500 UAH |
Living Room
| 5,000 UAH | 6,400 UAH | 23,000 UAH |
Dining Table
| 2,300 UAH | 3,000 UAH | 5,600 UAH |
Sofa or Couch
| 3,000 UAH | 4,100 UAH | 9,000 UAH |
Electronics and House Appliance Costs
TV Set
| 3,000 UAH | 4,500 UAH | 9,000 UAH |
Fridge or Freezer
| 2,600 UAH | 4,100 UAH | 5,600 UAH |
Washing Machine
| 3,500 UAH | 5,000 UAH | 9,000 UAH |
Stove or Cooker
| 3,200 UAH | 4,100 UAH | 5,600 UAH |
Mobile Phone
| 3,800 UAH | 4,500 UAH | 6,400 UAH |
Laptop or Computer
| 4,100 UAH | 5,000 UAH | 9,000 UAH |
How do students spend their money in Ukraine?
We asked thousands of students about their spending habits and expenditure break down.
Housing and accomodation expenditure for students
Accomodation Cost18%
18% of total expenses on average (13% to 24%)
| LOW | $21 830 UAH |
| AVERAGE | $140 5,500 UAH |
| HIGH | $950 37,000 UAH |
| Per Month |
Students in Ukraine typically spend from 13% to 24% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 18% being the average. The average monthly spend on housing is 5,500 UAH with expenditure ranging from 830 UAH to 37,000 UAH. This cost mainly goes for rent but it also includes other accommodation-related expenses.
Electricity, utilities, energy, water, internet, and mobile expenditure for students
Cost of utilities7%
7% of total expenses on average (5% to 11%)
| LOW | $3.6 140 UAH |
| AVERAGE | $24 910 UAH |
| HIGH | $160 6,100 UAH |
| Per Month |
Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in Ukraine ranges from 5% to 11% of total expenses with 7% being the average for most students. The average monthly cost of utilities is 910 UAH with 140 UAH and 6,100 UAH being the upper and lower limits for a student of four.
Transport, fuel, and commute expenditure for students
Cost of transport and fuel4%
4% of total expenses on average (4% to 10%)
| LOW | $6.3 240 UAH |
| AVERAGE | $42 1,600 UAH |
| HIGH | $280 11,000 UAH |
| Per Month |
Fuel consumption and cost of transport depend heavily on whether a student resides near school and work, but roughly speaking a student would expect to spend from 240 UAH to 11,000 UAH in a month on commuting with 1,600 UAH being the norm for most students. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 4% of total spending on average but can go as low as 4% or as high as 10%.
Food, groceries, and basic shopping expenditure for students
Food and Groceries Cost23%
23% of total expenses on average (17% to 27%)
| LOW | $18 690 UAH |
| AVERAGE | $120 4,600 UAH |
| HIGH | $790 30,000 UAH |
| Per Month |
The average outlay on groceries and basic houshold items for a typical student in a month in Ukraine is 4,600 UAH. The cost of groceries can range between 690 UAH to 30,000 UAH. Students spend on average about 23% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 17% and 27% respectively.
Healthcare and medical services expenditure for students
Cost of healthcare9%
9% of total expenses on average (6% to 12%)
| LOW | $5.4 210 UAH |
| AVERAGE | $36 1,400 UAH |
| HIGH | $240 9,100 UAH |
| Per Month |
Students in Ukraine allocate 6% to 12% of their total monthly expenditure to healthcare including health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The average spending on medical services and clinic visits is around 9%. The range of medical expenses range from 210 UAH to 9,100 UAH with 1,400 UAH being the norm for most students.
Leisure and shopping expenditure for students
Cost of leisure and shopping2%
2% of total expenses on average (2% to 6%)
| LOW | $4.5 170 UAH |
| AVERAGE | $30 1,100 UAH |
| HIGH | $200 7,600 UAH |
| Per Month |
This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 170 UAH to 7,600 UAH with 1,100 UAH being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 2% to 6% of total expenses with an average of 2% for most students.
Education and schooling expenditure for students
Cost of education and schooling18%
18% of total expenses on average (11% to 23%)
| LOW | $17 650 UAH |
| AVERAGE | $110 4,300 UAH |
| HIGH | $750 29,000 UAH |
| Per Month |
Spending on education can vary drastically between different students. On average, education constitutes 18% of the monthly expenditure of students with 11% and 23% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 4,300 UAH per month with 650 UAH being the minimum spent amount and 29,000 UAH being the maximum.
Other Expenses19%
19% of total expenses on average (13% to 25%)
| LOW | $13 520 UAH |
| AVERAGE | $89 3,400 UAH |
| HIGH | $600 23,000 UAH |
| Per Month |
A typical and healthy budgeting structure
The 50/30/20 rule
Spending among different people can vary significantly based on factors such as their income, lifestyle,
location, and personal preferences. A commonly used guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule,
which suggests allocating your income into three main categories in the following percentages.
50% for needs and financial obligations
This category includes essential expenses like housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.
30% for wants and discretionary spending
This category covers discretionary spending on non-essential items, such as dining out, entertainment, travel, and other lifestyle choices.
20% for savings and emergency fund
This is the percentage that must be allocated to savings, emergency funds, and retirement accounts.
About financial planning, money management, and household budgeting
The 50/30/20 rule is used as a general guideline but may not be the best choice for all people. There are in fact many budgeting plans out there like the 70/20/10 and the 60/20/20 rules, all claiming to be the best. More important than all of this is to establish financial discipline by creating a budget tailored to your specific financial goals and situation. It is very important that your financial outflow be less than your income to maintain a healthy cash flow.
Affordable living in Ukraine
Income and cost of living compatibility
We asked students one simple question and recorded their answers.
Is it affordable or economical to live in Ukraine?
Around 49% of surveyed students think that living in Ukraine is affordable with proper budgeting while 51% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.
Low-cost alternatives in Ukraine
People are always looking for ways to cut down expenses and reduce expenditures. The hallmark of any affordable place is the availability of discount stores, bargain deals, smart or secondhand shopping, refurbished items, and couponing. We asked students how easily cost-cutting is and the answers were distributed as follows:
Plenty of low-cost options53%
Few low-cost options47%
Based on the survey, 53% of the students living in Ukraine have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 47% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.
Emergency Funds For Students
An emergency fund is a financial safety net comprised of easily accessible savings set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, typically amounting to three to six months' worth of living expenses. We asked students of Ukraine whether they have an emergency fund and the answers were as follows.
Yes45%
No55%
Based on the survey, 55% of the students living in Ukraine said that they don't have an emergency fund while 45% said that they do.
Financial Literacy in Ukraine
Financial literacy is the knowledge of concepts and principles related to personal finance that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding their money such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, managing debt, financial risk management, and planning.
Financial Leteracy44%
We asked student guardians and parents in Ukraine whether they acquired any adequate personal financial training in their lives. Approximately 56% of the people who participated in the survey said that they are not well informed about the topics of budgeting, saving, etc., and just manage things based on their own experience, while 44% said that they know about the general principles of personal finance from sources other than their own experience.
Difficulty in Budgeting and Financial Planning
We wanted to understand whether students of Ukraine have problems or difficulties in managing their expenditures and savings so we asked people one simple question: do you struggle with your personal finances? 57% of the participants reported that they indeed struggle in creating budgets and in organizing their finances while 43% said that they have everything under control.
Struggles with finance57%
Easily manages finances43%
Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in Ukraine
Rental costs and house/apartment prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Rent Cost in Ukraine
Monthly Rent Prices
Studio apartment monthly rent cost
| 3,800 UAH | 5,600 UAH | 15,000 UAH |
1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 5,600 UAH | 9,000 UAH | 23,000 UAH |
2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 7,500 UAH | 11,000 UAH | 30,000 UAH |
3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 9,000 UAH | 15,000 UAH | 41,000 UAH |
Furnished apartment monthly rent cost
| 18,000 UAH | 45,000 UAH | 90,000 UAH |
Townhouse monthly rent cost
| 15,000 UAH | 23,000 UAH | 64,000 UAH |
House monthly rent cost
| 18,000 UAH | 45,000 UAH | 90,000 UAH |
Villa monthly rent cost
| 23,000 UAH | 56,000 UAH | 90,000 UAH |
The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in Ukraine ranges between 3,800 UAH and 15,000 UAH, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 5,600 UAH to 23,000 UAH. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 7,500 UAH and 30,000 UAH per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 9,000 UAH to 41,000 UAH. The average rent of a townhouse in Ukraine is around 23,000 UAH while house rental costs can be as high as 45,000 UAH per month. Finally, if you want to rent a villa, expect to pay anywhere from 23,000 UAH to 90,000 UAH per month.
Apartment and house prices in Ukraine
Cost of buying a property
Studio apartment price
| 750,000 UAH | 1.1M UAH | 2.3M UAH |
1-bedroom apartment price
| 900,000 UAH | 1.5M UAH | 5.6M UAH |
2-bedroom apartment price
| $39,000 | $120,000 | $230,000 |
3-bedroom apartment price
| $130,000 | $200,000 | $590,000 |
Townhouse price
House price
Villa price
The average price of a studio apartment in Ukraine can range from 750,000 UAH to 2.3M UAH depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 900,000 UAH to 5.6M UAH. A villa can cost you 50M UAH on average with prices ranging from 9M UAH to 75M UAH.
If you're leasing or purchasing, housing costs in Ukraine will probably constitute your biggest expenditure, yet it's an area where you wield considerable influence. This is due to the substantial variance in housing prices across communities. Keep in mind the location of your workplace and the accessibility of essential amenities to prevent negating the savings from lower rental rates with increased transportation expenses.
House / apartment prices to income ratio
Property price to income ratio
( average property price / average monthly income ) x 100
| 31 | x85 monthly income | 191 |
Property prices in Ukraine can be x85 to x191 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x85 multiples of the average monthly salary in Ukraine.
Rent to income ratio
Rent to income ratio
( monthly rental / monthly income ) x 100
The average rent-to-income ratio in Ukraine is around 29%. This means that people pay 29% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 19% to 39% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.
The housing-to-income ratio is a very important metric to evaluate and measure how affordable living is in a particular area, city, or country since housing comprises the biggest chunk of expenditure. A higher housing to income ratio means that the place is relatively expensive. The figure by itself does tell much. It only starts to make sense when comparing the housing to income ratio across different locations.
Housing affordability index
The housing affordability index measures how affordable accommodation is in a particular place. This can measured in multiple ways, the most common being housing expenditure to total expenditure ratio and the rent to income ratio. The housing expenditure ratio is a figure reported by individuals on the percentage they allocate for housing. Rent to income ratio is calculated by dividing the average monthly rent by the average income. Because these values are both percentages, we can find their average and get the best of the two worlds.
Housing Affordability Index
27% Property Taxes
Real estate owners pay property taxes to local tax authorities, which are determined by the assessed value of their property. Typically, these taxes are paid once a year. Property tax funds contribute to community development, financing infrastructure improvements, public services, and local education initiatives.
Home Maintenance Costs
Home maintenance costs encompass various expenses associated with the upkeep and repair of a residence. These expenditures include regular tasks such as lawn care, pest control, and HVAC system servicing, as well as occasional repairs and renovations like fixing leaks, painting, or replacing appliances.
Urban vs. rural living costs
Urban living typically entails higher housing and transportation costs due to demand and limited space, while rural areas generally offer lower housing expenses but may have higher prices for goods and services. The differnce in rental rates between urban areas and rural areas can be as high as 300% in some cases.
Monthly costs and expenses of energy and basic utilities in Ukraine
Utilities expenditure can vary slightly between different areas and locations.
Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in Ukraine
Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Student
| 140 UAH | 910 UAH | 6,100 UAH |
Internet and cable cost
Mobile phone bill and charges
Because most utility bills club electricity, water, and gas costs in one bill, we can't provide a breakup for each type of utility and will display electricity, gas, and water as single cost.
The average monthly energy and water consumption of students is around 910 UAH. The cost of internet and WiFi ranges from 230 UAH to 600 UAH with 450 UAH being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 300 UAH but can range between 180 UAH and 900 UAH depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.
Energy / Utility expense to income ratio
( monthly utility expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average utility-to-income ratio in Ukraine is around 7%. This means that people pay 7% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 4% to 11% depending on salary and location.
Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in Ukraine
Grocery / Food expenditure and prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Ukraine
Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.
Fast food combo meal price
The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in Ukraine is approximatly 90 UAH with meal cost ranging from 45 UAH to 150 UAH. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.
Restaurant meal for one price
If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 150 UAH and 450 UAH with 230 UAH being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in Ukraine.
Fine dining meal for one price
| 300 UAH | 450 UAH | 1,800 UAH |
The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 300 UAH to 1,800 UAH with the average cost being 450 UAH for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in Ukraine.
Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..
The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in Ukraine is around 60 UAH. Price ranges between 38 UAH and 90 UAH depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.
Grocery and market costs
Large bottle of milk price
The average price of a large bottle of milk in Ukraine is 36 UAH. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 45 UAH and the minimum being 30 UAH depending on the brand of milk and other properties.
12 eggs price
A dozen eggs costs around 30 UAH on average with 23 UAH and 45 UAH being the lower and upper limits respectively.
Fresh whole chicken price
The price range of a fresh whole chicken in Ukraine is between 51 UAH and 94 UAH depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 66 UAH.
Pack of beef price
The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 90 UAH. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.
Medium bag of rice price
A bag of rice in Ukraine costs around 33 UAH on average with prices rangeing between 24 UAH and 47 UAH depending on the brand and quality.
Bag of tomatos price
A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 9 UAH to 23 UAH. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Bag of apples price
A bag of apples costs 21 UAH on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Grocery and food expenditure to income ratio
( monthly grocery expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average grocery-to-income ratio in Ukraine is around 27%. This means that students spend 27% of their income on grocery and basic household items. The expenditure can range from 19% to 33% depending on salary and location.
Expenditure on food and grocery for students
Students' spending on grocery ranges from 690 UAH to 30,000 UAH with the location, income, and size of the student being the most determinite factors.
