Men from all over the world dream of meeting a beautiful Ukrainian girl for dating, marriage, and a life of love. It makes perfect sense, as Ukraine is one of the most friendly countries to significant age gaps in couples. In other words, it’s not uncommon for older men to date younger women. But, there’s always the question of “how young is too young,” when it comes to the ladies. Today, we’re addressing the scandalous topic of the age of consent in Ukraine!
What is Are Age of Consent Laws?
Age of consent is a term that is used to describe whenever a person is old enough to legally consent to sex. Whether it’s a Ukrainian girl or an American girl, there’s always a law governing just when she’s “ready.”
Ironically, even if someone is not an adult, they may be considered to be old enough to legally consent to have sex with someone who is. In some places, the age of consent is dangerously young. In a place like Nigeria, the age of consent is 11.
Yeah…ew. No wonder that country is a total trainwreck.
Fortunately, Ukraine has age of consent laws that are rather similar to those that you find in the West.
In Ukraine, you are considered to be legally an adult at the age of 18. This means that a young person can move out of their parent’s house, drive a car, and purchase alcohol in Ukraine.
Ironically, Ukrainian women can be married at the age of 17, whereas boys have to wait until 18. Even still most Ukrainian women are between the ages of 25-27 when they are finally married. Most men, on the other hand, are usually 30.
This just goes to show that even though the country has modernized, Ukraine still has a culture that does not shy away from older men dating younger women.
So, what does that mean for someone who is interested in dating Ukrainian women?
What is the minimum age that you must abide by?
Ukraine’s Age of Consent: 16
Here’s the answer to the burning question that you’ve been looking for.
The age of consent in Ukraine is 16 years old. This is the minimum age a girl must be in order for you to engage with her on a sexual level in any way. While you could technically “date” a girl who is under 16, nothing sexual could take place when you two are together.
And, let’s be real, that’s not going to happen.
All in all, it’s pretty lax. Though, I’d imagine that the parents of most 16-year-old Ukrainian girls wouldn’t be too happy if she was casually dating a foreigner. At the very least, you can bet that they’d want to meet you to see who their daughter is spending time with.
But, we’re going to officially recommend you only pursue girls who are 18 and above. Our advice is to not try to be cute and find “technicalities” with the local laws.
Respect the local culture, and the people of Ukraine during your time there. While you may stumble into a situation where you meet a lovely 17-year-old lady and win the blessings of her parents, I’d suggest looking for women who are at least 18.
Here’s why…
Our Advice: Date 18+
First of all, the chances of meeting a girl who is under the age of 18 are generally just slimmer than a girl who is legally an adult.
Think about it: unless you’re totally blind, you’ll have a pretty good idea of how old a girl is when you first approach her. It’s not rocket science to tell a 16-year-old apart from an 18-year-old, and so forth.
Plus, Young girls in Ukraine are required to go attend primary school. So, you won’t even be running into younger girls during the hours of 7 AM – 4 PM most days, either.
Going out at night? Most of the girls you’ll see in the club are going to be 18. While there’s realistically nothing stopping a younger girl from going out, her parents probably aren’t going to want her hanging out at the town’s bars at such a young age.
Remember: traditionalism is alive and well in most of Ukraine. It very well may be the only country I’ve ever lived in where a 23-year-old girl is receiving calls from her mother while on dates.
Plus, how can you really believe that a girl is actually 16, and not 15? If a girl is 18 years old, there should be absolutely no reason that she shouldn’t have a government-issued ID. While younger girls can certainly have student ID cards, it’s not as common as women who are enrolled in college courses.
You’ll probably just be “taking her word for it.” And, I’m not exactly too keen to trust the word of a 16-year-old.
The worst-case scenario here is that, despite the fact that a girl tells you she is 16, she may be younger.
And, breaking those rules is not something you want to do.
What If You Violate the Age of Consent in Ukraine?
It should go without saying. You absolutely do not want to violate any laws regarding having sex with minors in a place like Ukraine.
Duh. I should not even have to type that. Don’t mess around with this stuff.
You could end up with fines, jail time, or possibly even getting a little roughed up by the cops. But in reality, the biggest problem you’d probably face is from the girl’s family.
The police in Ukraine are ridiculously ineffective and, by and large, a basket case. They can’t be bothered to do much of anything beyond writing traffic tickets, most of the time.
On top of that, the “rape culture” hysteria just does not exist in Ukraine. For better or for worse, a young girl in Ukraine may have a hard time explaining to a police officer or a judge that she was forced into non-consensual sexual activity if she willingly went to a man’s home at night, presumably while consuming alcohol.
I am not saying that this is right by any means. But based on my own experiences in the country, this is generally what I’ve observed.
It’s for this reason that, unless a girl is truly open to the idea of having sex with you, she’s likely not going to agree to come to your house by herself.
Of course, while dating in any country, clear and obvious consent should be your #1 priority. Violating her consent is not as much punished by the law, but instead by her family and community.
Her Family: The Real Barrier To Dating Young Women
The legal protections that women may have in uncomfortable situations may be lagging in Ukraine. But, you can be sure that if you should try to force yourself on a young girl in Ukraine, you’ll likely be hearing from her father not long afterward.
Don’t be surprised if someone’s showing up at your door to have a “talk” with you, in this case.
This isn’t normal, whatsoever. But, neither is trying to force yourself on a young girl who does not consent to your advances. It’s totally abnormal and NOT okay. I’m simplifying showing you that people in Ukraine are more likely to take things into their own hands than call the cops.
And, I can guarantee that you’ll be receiving absolutely no sympathy from the police in this case, either.
As a side note: even if you’re dating a girl in her 20’s, you can expect to have to meet her parents at one point or another. While you may shy away from this in the West, know that this is standard procedure for dating a Ukrainian girl.
The answer here is simple: do the right thing. Date girls who are enthusiastic about meeting you, and willing to let you escalate things on a physical level. Meet her parents if you have to. Take things slowly, and make an effort to learn about how to meet girls in Ukraine.
In fact, if you really want a younger, more inexperienced girl, you shouldn’t have a problem finding one that is at least 18 years old.
Even still, you should ask yourself if you really want to date a girl who is 18.
Do You Really Want To Date a Teenager?
Now, I don’t know about any of you, but spending time with a girl who is even just 18 years old can be a little bit…annoying.
While Ukrainian girls are far more mature than their American counterparts, you can still expect teenagers to be interested in teenage topics.
Listening to a girl talk about her favorite singers or how she likes watching the Vampire Diaries isn’t exactly my favorite past time. As someone who has dated 18-year-old Ukrainian girls, I can almost always say that I certainly enjoyed their company more as they got older.
But, there’s a huge benefit to cash in on by getting a girl when she’s younger. The other side of this is that if you meet a girl who has just turned 18, you can influence and shape her into the type of woman you prefer.
You can pretty much guarantee she’s going to be inexperienced in the bedroom, probably only moderately skilled in the kitchen (if at all), and still has a few years of discovering her own unique sense of fashion.
If you can intercept her at such a young age, you can train her to do exactly what you like. Plus, you can be sure you’re the only one who’s experienced her sexually.
And who dosen’t love that?
Virgin Girls in Ukraine
If you’re searching for a girl who’s a virgin, you are likely going to be looking for a younger lady. It’s basic math, after all!
Unlike in a country like Georgia, there is generally no expectation that women are to remain virgins until marriage in Ukraine. They are, however, expected to remain relatively chaste and not engage in the degeneracy of girls in Western countries.
It’s not uncommon for a young girl to have had a boyfriend or two prior to meeting you if she’s in her 20’s. While I personally prefer girls who have had few sexual partners as possible, I don’t mind if a girl has a small amount of experience prior to me dating her.
But, only a little bit. Nobody likes dating the town slut.
If you’re jet set on finding a virgin, I’d suggest checking out second-tier cities such as Kharkiv and Lviv as opposed to the more metropolitan minded Kiev. In fact, I’ve met girls up to the age of 20 who claim to be virgins in these places.
In my opinion, this is not a bad dating strategy whatsoever. While some girls in Ukraine will retain their virginity into their mid 20’s, you’re going to have your most luck hovering around the 18-year-old mark.
Best of all, you can even meet these women online.
How To Meet Younger Women in Ukraine
The safest way of dating younger women in Ukraine is, believe it or not, by using the internet.
Online dating is absolutely huge in Eastern Europe, and you can meet some seriously beautiful girls if you use the right apps.
I know this seems silly, but hear me out. Online dating sites like Ukraine Date have to verify the age and identity of every girl who uses the service. Instead of having to go through an awkward conversation where you ask to see her ID, you have total peace of mind from the time you send your first message.
Conclusion: Respect the Age of Consent in Ukraine!
While the letter of the law may state that girls as young as 16 are “up for grabs,” we’d recommend sticking to girls who are 18 and above.
Even still, it’s your life. You are free to make your own choices knowing the risks involved. As long as you are engaging in consensual, respectful relationships, you can technically do as you please.
If we can make any suggestions here, however, it would be to at least have a look at the girls whose age you can fully verify on a website like Ukraine Date.
That way, you know you’re being totally safe on your journey dating beautiful girls abroad. Just don’t forget to keep Ukraine’s age of consent in mind!
Let’s face it: everyone has heard about the women of Ukraine. But, while it seems that the whole world loves talking about Ukrainian women, there is significantly less info out there on their male counterparts. Unfortunately, in today’s day and age, the online dating community seems to portray Ukrainian men in a negative fashion that is generally unwarranted. In light of this, we’re going to flip the script up a little bit. Today we’re talking all about Ukrainian men.
Why The Bad Reputation?
In the online dating space, there’s an overarching sentiment that there is something wrong with Ukrainian men.
From negative stereotypes to outright lies, it is as if their women must be “rescued” by thirsty men from the West.
Aside from my own personal love of living in Ukraine, it’s obvious there’s a huge amount of exaggeration, and even some outright lies in sentiments such as these. Some have gone as far as to make sweeping generalizations. They say that Ukrainian men are alcoholics, that they are poor, or even that they are abusive.
As someone who loves Ukrainian women and is friends with plenty of Ukrainian men, I hate reading this stuff. It’s clear that people with these attitudes have taken little time to really understand the situation in Ukraine.
Unfortunately, there is typically a bit of truth in every stereotype that exists.
The first one has to do with alcohol consumption.
Higher Than Average Mortality Rate
One thing that we know for sure is that women generally outnumber men in Ukraine. For a Western man looking to date in the country, this is the first big advantage he will see. It’s not uncommon for two women to desire a relationship with the same man of higher value.
It’s a nice change of pace from things in the West.
But, that’s where the lightheartedness ends.
We have to consider why exactly this is. Sadly, it has much to do with alcohol consumption creating a much higher than normal mortality rate for men under the age of 35.
Ukraine has the world’s second-highest death rate, mostly related to drinking, smoking and physical activity. The stereotype about Ukrainians being a group that drinks heavily is certainly true.
The average person consumes 13 cubic liters of alcohol each year. Vodka is the national beverage. Alcoholism is rampant among older men. It’s sad, but true, and it’s left a bad taste in the mouths of many Ukrainian women.
Beyond boozing alone, men in Eastern Europe tend to be at more risk for serious injury and early death than almost any other population on earth.
It’s not easy for a country to have the world’s second-highest death rate, especially one that is relatively peaceful such as. Ukraine. To understand why this is, you have to take a look at youth culture among young Ukrainian guys.
Have you ever seen those crazy “Russian daredevil” videos, where some 20-year-old kid from Eastern Europe is seen hanging from the ledge of a 50 story building?
No? Okay, here you go. Watch this video.
As you can see, this stuff isn’t a joke. Every young man goes through a bit of a reckless phase at one point or another. But, it’s particularly pronounced in a place like Ukraine.
If you’re now thinking “why the hell are these guys so crazy,” you’re on the right track. Of course, you could blame a whole host of issues. But, I personally tend to think it has much to do with plain old poverty.
Poverty in Ukraine
Let me ask you this: have you ever been poor?
Not just “having to pay the rent a week late” poor. I’m talking about the point where your future is uncertain.
I speak from experience. Poverty seriously messes with your head.
You’re simply not going to be at your best when you are poor. Nobody who is struggling to make ends meet is dishing out their hard-earned cash for expensive gym memberships, cool clothes, and premium dating apps that help you meet women.
All in all, being poor is generally a disaster for your state of mind. It’s particularly terrible when trying to date and pick up women.
The Money-Mindset Connection
When you’re more worried about keeping the bills paid at your family’s apartment in Kyiv, chances are you aren’t going to be in the mood to go approach the hot Natasha that lives down the hallway.
Hell, even if a lot of these guys did manage to muster up the courage to do so, many can’t even afford to take a girl on a basic date.
This is not meant to denigrate Ukrainian men. For the locals, life is hard in Ukraine, and I’d argue it’s particularly tough for men who are expected to be masculine providers.
They’re expected to provide, but it’s insanely hard to find a good job unless they do some serious hustling online like their digital nomad counterparts.
As it turns out, in a traditional culture like Ukraine, your financial standing is generally seen as tantamount to being a good candidate for a long term relationship.
Ukrainian Women & Money: They’re NOT “Gold Diggers”
Just as there’s a negative conception of Ukrainian men being philandering alcoholics, there’s an equally harmful stereotype of Ukrainian women simply being “gold diggers.”
Granted, there are definitely some scummy women out there who want to take your hard-earned cash. It is, for this reason, there are really only a few dating sites that we suggest using. Each of these specifically screens all members of the site before they approve their accounts, ensuring the experience is as safe as it is rewarding.
But, we have to remember that the type of people who do this are a very small subset of the population. For the most part, most Ukrainian women will not simply date a man because he either has more money than her. Or, they won’t consider a man for marriage just because he is from a more prosperous country where his earning potential is higher.
If that were the case, all women on earth would be flocking to 60-year-old men with fat retirement accounts. That being said, every country will have a select few girls who are interested in sugar dating and sponsorship game.
Obviously, money isn’t everything. But, it is something.
One of my favorite quotes about the relationship between success with women and money is as follows…
“Money facilitates spontaneity. Women don’t care about money, they care about having fun.”
And it’s absolutely true. Like Cindy Lauper always says…
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
If you think you’re going to woo a Ukrainian woman (or any woman, for that matter) by flashing screenshots of your bank statement and your American passport, you’ve got another thing coming.
But, there’s not a woman in the world who wouldn’t appreciate a spontaneous trip to a new city, where you travel on a nice enough flight and stay at a comfortable hotel. You enjoy a few nice meals on the way, and lavish in each other’s presence. You fall in love.
It’s how these things work. Haven’t you ever seen a romantic comedy?
Women melt over this kind of thing.
Love and genuine bonding with any girl tend to come about as a result of shared experiences. In either case, without having money, facilitating experiences such as this is challenging, if not impossible.
Of course, no quality woman is going to outright DEMAND that you take her on a vacation. But no woman would reasonably refuse such an offer with a man she finds attractive, either.
As you can see, Western men in a poor country like Ukraine have a huge advantage with their financial situation. Therefore their prospects with women are far improved as well.
Western Men Have An Advantage Over Ukrainian Men
Now, think back to the prior example of being a foreigner in Ukraine. Due to just how cheap it is, if you’re making even a meager online salary, you have the ability to facilitate a great deal of spontaneity and show your Ukrainian love interest a very good time.
Think about it: if she dates a local man, there’s a very low chance he will have his own place that’s not shared with roommates or family. Alone time will be tough to come by. Their dates will consist of small walks around the town, attending events that take place locally and sitting in the park.
There’s nothing wrong with this. If a girl truly loves you, she’ll put up with whatever situation you find yourself in just to be around you.
But, let’s not kid ourselves. Being an attractive, well off man in a place where most men are not is clearly going to be a huge help.
Now, think about this: if she’s dating you, you’re almost guaranteed to have a private apartment that’s probably nicer than the one she’s grown up in. You’ll likely have no problem paying $25 for a nice meal for two, going to “expensive” cocktail bars where you’ll still only be paying $5-6 per drink, and perhaps even going on a few cool trips a year together.
Ukrainian women are not gold-diggers. But, they are human.
This whole notion that the amount of money you have has nothing to do with the type of woman that you attract is categorically false. It’s lofty idealism at it’s very best.
Money is like oxygen. Most women could care less about how much you have, or even how you made it.
What women do care about is how you make them feel, and the things you do together.
And money will improve both your ability to make a woman feel, and to have new experiences together.
Traditionalism
Let’s not forget that there’s a level of traditionalism that exists in Eastern Europe where men are expected to provide for their women.
Feminism never really took hold in Eastern Europe.
While women are certainly integrated into the workforce in many of these countries, it’s generally accepted that the man is to be the breadwinner in a relationship.
To qualify as a strong, masculine man, you generally have to have the ability to pay for dates. You also must show the potential of being a stable longterm provider.
As it turns out, the two go hand in hand.
Let’s think of all of the traits of a wealthy man. He’s ambitious, he goes after what he wants, and he’s not too afraid of standing up for himself.
A side effect of these traits is often that you’ll be in good financial standing, as they’re the skills you need to make it today. Coincidentally, these are also some of the traits that most women find attractive.
Unfortunately, our Ukrainian brethren have been getting the short end of this stick for decades. A local Ukrainian man may work in a factory for less than $3 per hour, while a Western “digital nomad” can quite easily make hundreds each day on the internet.
Your Life vs. The Life of a Ukrainian Man
While you’re enjoying a cappuccino in a coffee shop that most Ukrainians have to spend a day’s salary just to visit, many of the guys you’ll be competing with wasting their lives serving an economy that is fundamentally broken.
So, you tell me. If you are a woman, who would be your logical choice? Would you choose to be with a local man who, while she may have a strong initial attraction for him, can’t afford to take her on a basic date and has an unstable financial future?
You have to remember, Ukrainian women are always thinking logically about the men they choose to date. There’s always the thought in the back of their mind if the relationship they are in could turn into a lifelong commitment.
Or, would she rather choose a man who she may be equally attracted to, and has the potential to help to create a lifestyle that breaks the cycle of poverty her family has been stuck in for years?
A man who can open her eyes to new experiences is naturally going to have a huge leg up on the competition.
This ain’t gold-digging. It’s just basic, human reason.
She doesn’t choose you because of your money, but your money makes you easier to choose.
Younger Generations Improving
A common adage in the men’s dating community is that of the Pareto principle.
The Pareto principle states that 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.
This means that 20% of your customers provide 80% of your profit, that 20% of art is consumed by 80% of the population, and 20% of your products create 80% of your revenue.
When applied to dating, this means that 20% of the men are sleeping with 80% of the women.
Or, at the very least, 20% of men have the capability to sleep with 80% of the women.
In the United States and other sexually liberated countries, these numbers are even more extreme. Some estimate that it’s as high as 10% of the men sleeping with 90% of the women in more developed areas.
Ukraine is far, far more traditional than this.
Generally speaking, women are way less likely to sleep around. But, they will often knowingly go on dates and possibly sleep with one man while knowing that he is dating other women.
They know a truly high-value man is not as common in Ukraine, and that if they find one, they should hold onto him at all costs.
Even if it means he may date other women as well, many Ukrainian women will still stick by an above-average man.
For a man in this position, the world is quite literally his oyster.
The Top 20% of Ukrainian Men
As an expat in Ukraine, the path to becoming one of the top 20% of men in the country is relatively straightforward.
In the United States, a man may never reach his full potential. But, Ukraine offers a unique opportunity for expedited personal growth.
You could spend a few years working online. Saving your money, gradually scale your dainty income stream into a full-blown online business. You’d be amazed at what you can get paid for on the internet. You would be even more amazed at what you can outsource to others for half the cost.
Pro-tip: Check out our guide to working in Ukraine for some ideas on this.
Your living expenses would be 30% of what you’d pay in the USA. This allows you to reinvest your extra money back into yourself, or set it aside for savings.
You would start a rigorous physical fitness program, and maybe even hire a personal trainer for €5-€10 an hour. Maybe, you read a few books on fashion. And of course, go on plenty of dates and meet lots of Ukrainian women to improve your skills with them.
Even starting from scratch…you’d get there in 2-5 years, tops. You could have a ripped body, a fat savings account, and a few beautiful girlfriends in that time.
Here’s an analogy that I often swear by when I describe the experience of an expat in Ukraine…
Living in Ukraine as a foreigner is like living life on “easy mode.” Master easy mode, and you’ll eventually enter “god mode.”
The Upper Class in Ukraine
But, what about the native Ukrainian men who are in that upper 20%?
Individuals such as these typically come from families who are particularly industrious. They likely managed to take advantage of the developing market economies in countries like Ukraine.
When communism fell, many people became millionaires overnight. This is worthy of its own post in an of itself, but, just know this…
A select few were quite literally given massive amounts of property, factories, and other investments if they “knew someone” as the communist government imploded.
Talk about being in the right place at the right time!
It’s been 20 years since this happened, giving these new industries plenty of time to grow in the new capitalist economy. By now, these families are at oligarch level. They’re the ones buying $300,000 apartments in Kyiv and driving Bentley’s.
On the other hand, many of these guys may also just be members of criminal organizations who do engage in racketeering, oil smuggling, and perhaps even the drug trade.
It’s a bit more accepted to be involved in organized crime in Eastern Europe than in the West. If you’ve ever wondered how so many people manage to purchase exotic cars and have the latest iPhone in a country like Ukraine, this is also how.
Generally speaking, these are not people you have to worry much about, provided that you don’t get involved in what they’re doing. Even when dating abroad in a place like Ukraine, there is generally not much hostility towards foreigners dating their women.
In any case, a man like this will also do extremely well in Ukraine.
He will have his pick of the litter among the finest Ukrainian girls his city has to offer. His strong provider status, mixed with the fact that he’s a local where there is no real chance for miscommunications primes him for success.
As you can see, doing well in Ukraine has less to do with your foreign status, but more to do with your individual value as a man.
Be a High-Value Man
The moral of the story here is not to hate on any particular demographic. Instead, it’s simply to show that it pays to be a high-value man, no matter what culture you live in.
But, as a Westerner, it’s generally easier to become a high-value man while living in a place like Ukraine. This is due to the low cost of living, a traditional culture that values men, and an abundance of beautiful girls.
And of course, in a country where the local economy is in shambles and where women are encouraged to be as beautiful as possible, Ukraine presents a “perfect storm” of factors that make it extremely desirable for an ambitious man.
Like any other population of people, there’s going to be those who absolutely excel and those who lag behind. As a man, it’s your job to try to get into that upper echelon.
And, I tend to think that an expat lifestyle is the best way of doing so. But, you must also consider that expats are not the only ones who want to maximize their potential.
The Sins of Our Fathers
You have to remember that times are certainly changing in Ukraine.
“Forgive me for the sins of my father,” many young Ukrainian men seem to be saying. A whole legion of young guys have shaken off the communist mentality of their parents and want to participate in the new, global economy.
They too, want a piece of the action.
The problem with many poorer countries is that the best and brightest find a way to get out. Through sheer will, determination, and a few well-placed connections, they often find ways to get second passports, work abroad, and leave behind their home country.
This is great, for them. What is left, however, is a country that the most skillful and intelligent have abandoned. Perhaps this is why Ukrainian men get such a poor reputation…the best often leave the country.
And, what about for those unable to do this?
Sure, you have your hooligans and your higher than average alcohol consumption per capita. But, there’s an entire generation of young men in Ukraine who really not that different from you.
They’ve begun to wise up and stop looking for business opportunities in the country. They realize that their labor is worth far more on the internet when traded for US dollars. In this group, you’ll find bitcoin traders, digital marketers, drop shippers, and many other men who know what it means to put in the work needed.
Whether or not they will succeed, or they will fail, is another topic entirely. Their future, unfortunately, largely rests in forces that are outside their control.
Conclusion
There is always going to be a sect of women in the population who date men that are not native to their home countries.
For people from the West, this is a hard topic to understand as the country is literally made out of foreigners. Americans, as a whole, tend to not share much of national identity. Ukrainians, on the other hand, definitely do.
All in all, understanding the unique situation that Ukrainian men are in is essential when learning just why a place like Ukraine is so ripe for the picking. At the same time, we should understand the struggle that these men face, and realize that they’re not entirely different from us.
Real recognizes real, as they say.
As someone who’s living in Ukraine, I find it important to be respectful to the local culture, which largely involves establishing positive relationships with both Ukrainian women and men alike.
In the best of scenarios, you can spread prosperity in the region. As an ambitious man, you can create job opportunities for locals as a result of what I would hope to be a growing online business for yourself.
Above all else…I encourage expats to understand that, despite the fact that the word “privilege” is thrown around pretty mercilessly today, being a Westerner in a poor country certainly comes with a huge level of just that.
Privilege.
Privilege to have been born in America.
The privilege of being a native English speaker.
The privilege that comes from being from a capitalist country.
It’s real.
Use it wisely.
By the way, if you stumbled upon this article because you’re interested in dating Ukrainian women, I highly suggest you check out this website.
As more Westerners explore and set up shop in Eastern Europe, they often wonder if the services they use and rely on will work in countries like Ukraine. While millions of people rely on payment processing services each day, some are more well-received in certain countries than others. Today, we’re discussing one of the most popular questions we receive here at Expat Ukraine: “Does Paypal work in Ukraine?”
Does Paypal Work in Ukraine?
Like most things in Ukraine, it’s tricky.
The answer is: yes, and no.
You can certainly access Paypal from Ukraine, carry out transactions, and use the service. The website is not blocked, and the mobile app works just fine.
If you’re Ukrainian, you can basically forget about using Paypal. Ukrainians are not eligible to sign up for the service, due to ridiculous currency controls from the Ukrainian government. The great irony here is that this just further complicates the lives of people who are already struggling economically.
In other words, if you’re trying to send a little cash to a friend in Ukraine, chances are you won’t be using Paypal to do so.
On top of that, you cannot link a Ukrainian bank account to your Paypal account. Then again, there is absolutely no reason to use the banking system in Ukraine.
Unlike in the United States, the money you place into an account is not insured. In fact, during the last financial crisis, many of the largest banks in the country collapsed, and depositors lost a big chunk, if not all of their savings.
That’s right. Gone, just like that. Can you imagine? Better yet, plenty of people still use these very same banks today!
Like it or not, it’s things like this that make Ukraine akin to being the wild, wild West. And, like many things in a developing country, using Paypal will simply require a little ingenuity on your part.
How To Make Paypal Work in Ukraine
Fortunately for Westerners, there are a few easy tips you can follow to continue using Paypal while living in Ukraine. I have done so for years, and currently, I use the service each day.
1. Sign up for a Paypal account before going abroad.
2. Sign up for a Charles Schwab Investor Checking Account.
This is one of the only bank accounts that allow you to make surcharge-free withdrawals at any ATM on earth. The Charles Schwab Investor Checking Account is the best bank account you can have as an expat. Period.
That’s right. They will refund every ATM fee you may encounter, no questions asked.
There are no foreign transaction fees or anything like that. The account is fully FDIC insured. It’s a free account that charges you nothing to use your money, whatsoever. If you’re an expat with a normal bank account, chances are you’re getting slammed with extra fees every time you use your debit card or withdraw money from the ATM.
Best of all, if you make a withdraw in Ukraine, it will usually have the option of dispensing in either dollars or hryvnia, depending on the ATM.
3. Link the two.
Again, very obvious. You have to fund your Paypal account somehow.
This should take no more than 5 minutes.
4. Receive payments via Paypal, use Ukrainian ATMs to withdrawl cash, and rejoice.
And, now you have a completely free, safe way of sending and receiving money and getting cold, hard cash while living in one of the Easternmost parts of Europe.
I can get paid via Paypal, and withdraw cash in the Ukrainian currency whenever I need to pay rent, purchase groceries or hit the bars.
For years, this has one of the biggest hurdles of living in Ukraine. But today, it’s easily solved by a few simple steps.
Alternatives
If you haven’t already noticed, the steps above will only work if you’re a Westerner. Like I said earlier, if you’re Ukrainian, Paypal is generally off the table for you.
But honestly, that’s fine. There are numerous payment processors that you can use as a Ukrainian citizen, and Paypal kind of sucks for sending international transfers anyways.
If you’re sending money and it involves a currency exchange, you can pretty much guarantee that Paypal is going to gouge you on the exchange rate before charging a 3% fee, no matter the amount! It’s a total racket, and honestly, I avoid using Paypal from time to time for that reason.
Paypal is great for receiving and sending payments in one currency. But, you’ll find it pretty useless, if not cumbersome for anything beyond that.
If you’re ineligible to use Paypal in Ukraine, or you are getting paid by a Ukrainian company, I suggest checking out one of the following services instead…
TransferWise – My personal favorite. The lowest fees out of any money transfer service, wire transfers that take less than 24 hours, and grade A customer support. You can hook your TransferWise account to almost any bank account in the world.
Payoneer – A decent Paypal alternative for accepting payments. While I suggest you use Transferwise, Payoneer only charges a 1% transfer fee, maxing out at 10 euros.
Skrill – Another decent money transfer service where you can both send and receive international payments. While fewer people use the platform than either Transferwise or Payoneer, transfers are completely free if you meet a certain number of transactions each year.
Conclusion
With a little bit of finagling, you can certainly use Paypal while living in Ukraine. If you can’t seem to make it work, there are plenty of alternatives to ensure that you will still be able to send and receive payments while living abroad.
PS: If you’re reading this because you’re interested in meeting in Ukrainian women, I suggest you check out this website. You won’t be disappointed!
So, let’s say you’re ready to make the big move and start living abroad. Great news! Whether you’ve been tempted by low prices, a lovely culture or even just some seriously beautiful girls, there’s plenty of reasons to pack up and head to Ukraine. But, this leaves the issue of having to make money abroad. Today, we’re talking all about jobs in Ukraine and the many options that exist for ambitious expats who want to build a life outside of the USA.
Can You Get Jobs in Ukraine?
Generally speaking, it’s not worth it to get a job in Ukraine.
The fact of the matter is that the country is extremely poor and has an abysmal job market. Let’s not forget that the average person in Ukraine makes roughly $400 per month.
While most Ukrainian companies may welcome a foreigner with open arms, they’ll be confused as to why you would choose to work for such a low salary.
Chances are, you don’t want to be in this category. If you’re living in Ukraine and from the West, you want to take advantage of an extremely favorable exchange rate where the smallest internet-based income will put you in the top 20% of earners in the country.
What About Language Schools?
The classic “job” that most expats will get is teaching English.
It seems like the perfect gig…at first.
If you’re from the West, you have native proficiency in the language. It requires no additional skills to be learned and can serve as a way of networking in a new country. What’s not to love?
This can work in places like Russia, but the salary will often be abysmal in Ukraine. In fact, teaching English in Russia can actually be a pretty good deal if you get the required certifications.
It’s not uncommon for people to make as little as $2 an hour in entry-level teaching positions.
Why waste your time doing this?
If this is something you’re planning on doing, I suggest you reconsider. The fact is, there are far better alternatives out there than slaving away at a dead-end English teaching job in a developing country.
These days, however, it seems that the best opportunities are often online.
As such, one option is to secure a job that allows you to work from home prior to heading abroad.
Working Remote For A Company
Considering that millions of Americans are now working from home, what’s to stop you from working from Ukraine instead of working from wherever your company believes you are? It might be against company policy, or it might not.
You make that determination. I’ve met plenty of people doing just this.
If you can handle the time difference, it’s a perfectly viable option to simply log into work from your computer while living abroad. You’ll still be paid in the same fashion, and you generally have access to your US based bank accounts anywhere you are in the world today.
Granted, you’ll have to be in a position with a company that lets you do this in the first place.
Alternatively, you could search for a Western-based company that has offices in Ukraine.
Finding A Western Company in Ukraine
Plenty of US-based companies have begun setting up shop in Ukraine. This is largely to take advantage of cheap labor that exists there. Think about it: if a big company can employ Ukrainians for $5 an hour instead of paying Americans $15 for the same work, there’s a big win to be had profit-wise.
This is known as outsourcing, and it’s absolutely huge right now. Now, as I said before, you don’t want to be in the category of people working for $5 an hour. But foreign offices still need support from their American counterparts to function effectively from time to time.
Whether it’s just having a Western perspective on business decisions, or even a low-level secretarial job that requires perfect English, there are definitely opportunities here.
So, what’s stopping you from applying at one of these companies, with the explicit stipulation that you would like to work in Ukraine instead of locally in the United States? Granted, you will need a pretty strong resume to get your foot in the door. And, having Russian or Ukrainian language skills would certainly set you apart as well.
Even still, I’d imagine that most American workers are reluctant to take a foreign job assignment in a place like Ukraine. As someone who is applying with this goal in mind, you could very well stand out from the pack.
The following companies have established offices in Kyiv and Lviv.
But, let’s be honest. Some of us just don’t want to work corporate jobs. That’s why many of us wanted to move abroad in the first place. If this sounds like you, I implore you to consider becoming a freelancer when learning how to make money abroad.
Freelancing: The Bread and Butter of Learning How To Make Money Abroad
The majority of expats that you meet while traveling are freelancers. While this term might be intimidating, it simply means that they are an independent contractor who sells their services to businesses instead of working as an employee.
Let’s say you are a skilled graphic designer. You can likely take a corporate job and be their in-house guy to handle all design matters, or you can operate your own business which they consult with on a case-to-case basis.
Doing the second option would make you a freelancer. And, if you’ve haven’t already figured out, you can freelance from anywhere in the world that has an internet connection.
Think about your unique skillset. What are you good at? What can you become good at? The internet is a big, big place, and I personally believe that anybody can find a way to make a living with it.
While selling sunglasses at the mall isn’t exactly something you can start a freelancing business with, you can definitely work to pick up some marketable skills that will enable you to live anywhere you want.
In fact, let’s talk about some other freelancer careers that are popular among expats.
Copywriting
Copywriting is an interesting field. It generally means that you are writing technical, written works that can be used in advertising, websites, branding, or even academics.
Believe it or not, some freelance copywriters can make well over $100 per small blog post.
The dream scenario in a job like this is to pick up so many clients that you can begin hiring others to do the work.
This way, you can cash in on cheap labor in countries such as Ukraine, but only if their English levels are near perfect. This business model allows you to essentially scale to infinity, with some of the top performers making millions each year handling copywriting for businesses.
This is one that’s very easy to get started on. Even if you don’t aspire to run a large-scale agency, you can begin finding writing jobs online TODAY.
Sites such as Upwork are fantastic for this, and while you may have to do a few low paid, tedious jobs to get your foot in the door and build up your reputation, your efforts can pay off hugely in the future.
But, what if you’re not such a great writer? Well, one of the best (and most profitable) ways of improving your writing is by starting a blog.
Blogging
Blogging has forever been a long-time favorite for location independent entrepreneurs.
Not only does blogging allow you to sharpen your writing skills, but if you begin to build up an audience of readers, you can start monetizing it using sponsored posts, selling ad-space, and various other methods.
Some blogs exist only to make money. Others are for more artistic purposes. While Expat Ukraine makes a small amount of revenue each month, this is predominately a blog that’s designed to help others as a passion project.
The first thing you must do to get started is to choose what you are going to blog about! For someone who is actively traveling around, starting a blog about the places you visit can be a fantastic way to break in. While it’s a crowded market, it’s an evergreen one as well.
Once you’ve settled on a niche, you have to purchase hosting and a domain name. For these purposes, I suggest using Bluehost and GoDaddy. A year of hosting and a domain can host as little as $50, a fantastic investment if you consider some people make a full time living from blogging.
What’s more, is that once you have one blog up and running, you can very easily start another and continue building your online business repertoire.
Pro-tip: If you’re interested in productivity hacks, I highly suggest you check out Modafinil.
Teaching English Online: A Decent Enough Way To Make Money Abroad
Now, I know that we dismissed being an English teacher earlier on in this post. But, if you look at the options that exist for teaching English online, the deal becomes far sweeter.
Blogging and copywriting can take a little while to build up both a reputation and a client base, and some of us need to start getting paid ASAP. For someone in this situation, it makes far more sense to get a job teaching English online.
Some companies, such as VIPKid, allow you to connect with Chinese students where you can make as much as $18-$21 per hour teaching basic phrases, grammar, and sentence structure.
If you do the math, this can be a pretty nice side hustle, and a great way to get started making money online.
Assuming you’re making $20 an hour and working 5 hours a day, 5 days a week, you’re looking at $500 of weekly profit. For a country like Ukraine, that’s pretty huge. You’ll have absolutely no problem having a fantastic little lifestyle off of a salary like that.
While there are a few companies that are great for this, VIPKid constantly comes in as being the best service out there. It takes a few days to submit your documents and get approved, so I suggest starting ASAP if this is something you’re interested in.
Conclusion: Jobs in Ukraine Are Few & Far Between…
The title says it all. Moving abroad to get a job in Ukraine would classify as a downgrade for most people living in the West.
On the other hand, working online and earning a Western salary while living in Ukraine allows you to live like a king.
We choose to live abroad and have an international lifestyle because we want to live the best life we can. The best asset you have in a situation like this is a location independent income stream that lets you make money abroad. While it may take some thinking, and a fair amount of work to create, I can tell you that it is absolutely a worthwhile investment.
There are few countries that suffer from more stereotypes than Ukraine. Whenever I traveled to the country, I was literally overwhelmed with people listing every stereotype about Ukraine under the sun. Whether it was saying that the country is poor, that it’s dangerous, or even that it’s part of Russia, it was truly never-ending. Fortunately, in today’s post, we’re separating fact from fiction about what it’s actually like to live in Ukraine.
Ukraine Is Poor: Partially True
Sadly, this one hits the nail right on the head. Ukraine is the second poorest country in Europe, next to Moldova.
But, just because the country is poor does not mean that you have to be as well. Will the general poverty of the nation really impact your day to day life?
In our opinion, not really. Yes, the infrastructure isn’t the best. Dealing with everyday bureaucracy can be a serious pain, and you’ll be often be reminded of how the average person there is only making $400 a month.
But, these are all small concerns for someone who gets to reap the rewards of being a rich person.
Making as little as $40,000 a year will put you into the top 5% of earners in the country. The world will literally be your oyster, and you will often find that you can generally afford to purchase whatever you want without worrying about the costs.
Ukraine is great for someone who has a remote income source that pays a standard, Western wage in euros, pounds or dollars. As we’ve mentioned previously, it is extremely possible to have a very high standard of living in Ukraine for the fraction of the price that it would cost elsewhere.
If you walk down the street in Kyiv, you’ll see plenty of BMW’s, Mercedes, Maseratis and even a few Bentleys. Men will be wearing Rolexes, and women decked out in designer fashions.
Sometimes, it can be easy to forget you’re in a “poor” country.
Best of all, the country is far safer than most developed nations.
Ukraine Is Dangerous: The Most Inaccurate of the Stereotypes About Ukraine
Now this one is just funny.
The United States currently has a huge problem with mass shootings and violent crime. In the United States, there were 348 mass shootings in 2018. That’s nearly one for every single day of the year!
The United Kingdom, even though they’ve banned guns, there is an epidemic of stabbings and crimes involving knives. In 2018, there were over 40,000 violent crimes involving knives in the country.
There’s a strange trend that you see in the world, is that in the more developed countries, there tends to be a breakdown of the traditional values that once held society together. With this comes a whole host of consequences, and an increase in violent crime is one of them.
In Ukraine? There hasn’t been a mass shooting since 2004. There is no epidemic of knife crime either. The biggest problem that the country faces is corruption, or when an elected official will take money to carry out the agenda of some powerful oligarch.
Hardly something that you have to worry about.
Police taking street bribes is largely a thing of the past. While this was an issue in the early 2000s, Ukraine has actually done a pretty good job of cleaning up the police departments as to not scare away tourists.
That’s not to say that there is no crime in Ukraine whatsoever, but to say that it’s a dangerous country? That’s just ridiculous.
Now, there’s plenty of things to criticize Ukraine for, but safety is not one of them.
One of them that is pretty fair, however, are the cold winters the country faces.
It’s Cold in Ukraine: True
You know, as much as I love to debunk stereotypes, there’s a bit of truth here.
But, let’s keep in mind that Ukraine is only cold during the wintertime. If you’re from the Northern USA or Western Europe, you’ve absolutely experienced similarly cold temperatures.
In fact, Ukraine’s continental climate is extremely pleasant during the spring and summertime. During summer, temperatures will often reach as high as 26 ° C, or 78 ° F. It’s warm enough to be comfortable, but not hot enough to need air conditioning.
In fact, in regions like Odessa, the temperature is very reasonable most of the year. There’s a beach there, after all!
So yes, while Ukraine does have some brutal winters, it’s nothing you can’t handle. In fact, we dedicated a whole post on how to survive the Ukrainian winter.
Plus, with a few drinks with the locals, you’ll be keeping plenty warm.
Ukrainians Drink…A Lot: Partially True
If there’s another big stereotype that befalls Ukraine, it’s that people there drink excessively.
This is also partially true. Ukraine is the world’s sixth heaviest drinking country. The per capita consumption of alcohol is roughly 13 liters per year, a rather high number when compared to most Western countries.
Generally speaking, Ukrainians do drink more as a whole than other groups of people. Alcoholism, as a whole, tends to be a factor that impacts older men in Ukraine more so than any other demographic. Up to 38% of men are said to be heavy drinkers, with up to 5% of the male population being full-blown alcoholics.
Yikes. If you’ve ever hung around with an alcoholic, you know this is not a good thing.
But, let’s not forget about the binge drinking culture that exists in both the United States and the United Kingdom. Hell, half of all American college students are said to be guilty of regularly binge drinking.
If you visit the “party district” of any major American city, you’re going to see people literally passed out on the ground, puking their guts out.
This just doesn’t happen in Ukraine, for the most part. While the men do tend to drink more than average, you could say there’s a more mature drinking culture and people are far more capable of controlling their alcohol intake than the average Westerner.
Yes, it’s totally reasonable to say that alcohol can be a problem in Ukraine, but same with everywhere else on the planet.
What’s not nearly as reasonable is to think that Ukraine is part of Russia.
Ukraine is a Communist & Part of Russia: False
Okay, now this one is just plain dumb. Out of all of the stereotypes that exist about Ukraine, this one is by far the silliest.
Ukraine has been an independent country since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. For those who don’t know their history, this marked the fall of the last major large communist government on the planet.
There is, however, a territorial dispute with Russia over a region of Ukraine known as Crimea right now. While an entire post could be written on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Russia essentially annexed a seaside region of the country in 2014.
So yes, a small part of Ukraine has fallen under Russian control, though the conflict has largely gone cold. As of 2019, Ukraine is a strong, independent country that has opened its doors to business with the rest of the world.
While they have a long way to go before seeing Western levels of development (thankfully), you can be sure you won’t be running into many communists there.
Beautiful Girls – The Truest of the Stereotypes About Ukraine
Well, I’d be lying if I said that this wasn’t true.
Perhaps the biggest stereotype about Ukraine is that the women are drop-dead gorgeous. Luckily for you, this is absolutely true for the most part.
Ukrainian girls are, by and large, short, thin and grow their hair long. There is a fundamental belief in the country that women are to present themselves as being feminine, fashionable, and well kept. You see this as a trend all across Eastern Europe, with it being most pronounced in Ukraine.
While a girl in the United States may only get seriously dressed up a few times a month, many Ukrainian women will be dressed up like she’s going on a date for a simple trip to the grocery store.
This has much to do with a culture that values traditional gender roles and a general trend of Ukrainian women wanting to attract the highest quality man that they can.
Conclusion – Are The Stereotypes About Ukraine True?
The answer to this question, like many things in life, is not entirely black and white. The most common stereotypes about Ukraine range from being completely spot on to being 100% false. Like all countries in the world, you must take the good with the bad and accept the country for what it is.
While the country may have some faults, it is by and large a beautiful, inexpensive place to live that is filled to the brim with beautiful women.
And, if you want to meet some beautiful Ukrainian girls, or even just have a look at what the country has to offer, I encourage you to check out this website.
