The United States is often referred to as the “greatest country on Earth.” While many Ukrainians want nothing else than to escape their country, plenty of Americans have set their sights on it. Today, we’re going to talk about what it’s really like living in Ukraine as an American. Whether they’ve come to Ukraine to start dating beautiful women, save money, or just a change of life…one question always remains.
“Why Ukraine?”
And to be honest, it’s an entirely fair question for somebody to ask!
The truth is that living in Ukraine offers benefits that most people don’t know exist.
Read on to find out what it’s really like living in one of the Easternmost parts of Europe as someone from the USA.
Table of Contents
The Land of Opportunity…Or Not?
Here’s one thing nobody tells you about America: most people there are actually rather poor, with many who are “just getting by.”
I know, I know. It sounds crazy. How can this be?
The shocking reality is that the richest country in the world is great at keeping people poor. The simple reality is that the cost of living in the United States is one of the highest in the world.
Between paying for health insurance, rent, car insurance, cell phone, and bills and utilities, the average American might have almost no money left over to keep for themselves at the end of the month.
On top of that, you’ll be working from 9-5, 5 days a week, with 2 weeks of vacation a year if you’re lucky.
Yeah…no thanks.
Even tap water is bad for you in many places in the United States. There’s no escaping the prison you are placed in by living in that country.
While people in the developing world may be making less money than people in America, many do not know how good they actually have it in terms of living in a normal society that has not yet been subverted.
Money, however, shouldn’t be a problem for any expat who wants to live in Ukraine long term.
The reality is, you’ll end up with loads of it.
Savings and Finances
Ukraine is incredibly cheap. With even a regular, kind of crappy salary, you can absolutely kill it in terms of your lifestyle, and even have money left over. This never ever happens in the United States.
If there is one thing we have hammered into the heads of our readers time and time again, it is that you can have a five-star lifestyle in Ukraine for a one-star price.
When I first arrived, I literally could not believe it.
Between luxury apartments that cost $400 a month, $4 meals and $3 cocktails, the savings you will accumulate will quickly start to pile up.
I don’t care if you’re doing freelance graphic design, writing college papers for lazy American students, or living off a pension: you’re going to have access to an excellent quality of life when living in Ukraine as an American.
Best of all: just because Ukraine is cheap does not mean the quality is suffering whatsoever.
Hell, if you’re ballsy, you can even stay at 5-star hotels for less than $100 a night.
Even the fanciest restaurants in town will hardly run you more than $80 for two people for a three-course meal, and perhaps even a bottle of wine or two.
Here’s a “typical” meal out for me that will cost no more than $12.
Try getting those prices in the USA.
All in all, you should spend no more than $1,500 for a seriously luxurious quality of life in Ukraine each month.
But what should I do with all this extra money?
Most expats in Ukraine end up with a surplus of money. How crazy is that?
Let’s do the math. If it costs $1,500 to have a “baller” lifestyle in Ukraine each year, you’re spending $18,000 a year in total living expenses. This includes housing, transportation, food, cell phone, you name it.
Even if you’re barely making $35,000 you will have $17,000 of leftover money each year!
Let me repeat: you can go to Ukraine as an American and live a rich person’s lifestyle while hardly ever working, and still have some money left over to invest.
This money can be used to pay off student loans, invest in the stock market, or buy real estate. For the first time ever, the choice is yours.
Quality of Life When Living in Ukraine as an American
My quality of life in Ukraine is higher than anywhere else I have ever lived.
I live in a brand new, one-bedroom apartment in the center of town.
It’s not uncommon for me to go out to eat just as much as I cook at home.
Taxi’s cost less than $5 each, and can you bet I’m not riding the bus.
I will often dine out at the nicest restaurants in town. I spend my evenings at cocktail bars and spend my days working in coffee shops drinking gourmet lattes.
All of this costs me a little less than $1,500 a month.
In the United States, it would cost at least $3,000 a month, probably more like $4,000.
And of course, let’s not forget what may be the best thing that Ukraine has to offer: the girls.
Beautiful, Feminine Women
One thing that many Ukrainians do not seem to realize about their country is that their women are a national treasure.
It is common for American girls to start having sex when they are as young as 13. By the time they are married, they may have slept with as many as 50 different men.
In some cases, the number can be as high as 100. That’s 100 different men an American girl has slept with before she turns 25.
This is not uncommon at all in the United States.
Imagine…the mother of your children has slept with 99 different men. Then, she finally chooses to have one or two kids with you (if they’re even really yours).
Even a prostitute in Ukraine may not have slept with 100 men in her life. American women, on the other hand, will give it away for free…but only to a few men.
But wait, isn’t that a good thing for me?
Listen, we all know that the most attractive women are only letting the top 20% of men sleep with them.
If you’re not an athlete, a business executive, a bar owner, a DJ, or just extremely good looking (like me), then you stand no chance with most of the American girls you actually want to have fun with.
We all know a guy like this, and he’s probably keeping most of the girls for himself. Who can blame him?
But you know what? Let him have all the American girls.
Go to Ukraine, and you can do better.
Ukrainian Women Actually Try To Look Good
On top of this, let’s talk about how American women present themselves versus women in Ukraine.
Picture how the normal American girl dresses. See her on an average day, and she’ll be wearing athletic shorts, a hoodie, and a ratty pair of sneakers. Her hair will not be done. She will look (and act) like she’s just rolled out of bed.
Let’s compare that to an average-looking Ukrainian girl.
Here, you have impeccable style, finely done hair and carefully applied makeup. All the normal things that quality girls do.
The differences are shocking. Let’s not forget that 50% of women under the age of 25 in the United States are overweight.
Obesity is literally an epidemic in the United States.
This is not to bash everyone who struggles with maintaining their weight, but, let’s be honest. Most men do not want to date a girl who has 25, if not 50 pounds to lose.
Luckily, Western men are free to visit countries like Ukraine, and can marvel at how much of normal body mass and size are supposed to look.
Conclusion: Living in Ukraine as an American is Excellent!
Living in Ukraine is not without it’s faults.
But let’s not forget that there are just as many (if not way more) with living in the United States.
Personally, I would rather not live in a country that is mostly full of fat people, promiscuous girls who don’t try to look good, and prices that prevent most average people from ever truly becoming rich.
It is almost like, by living in America, they want you to fail.
Instead, I live in a country that, while there are some overweight people, most people look rather normal in size.
Ukraine is a country where it is possible for the average guy to save over 70% of his income, investing it in the process and becoming far wealthier than ever before.
I choose a country where women are among the most beautiful in the world…and you should too.
Living in Ukraine as an American has made a life that I never could have imagined possible.
PS: If the idea of living in Ukraine interests you, I highly suggest you check out Ukraine Date to have a look at some of the beautiful women in the country. Signing up for an account is totally free, and we suggest everyone who is serious about learning about Ukraine have a look.
I’m traveling to Zaporozhye Ukraine at the end of January. Are there any Americans there I can visit with? I’m also thinking about living in Ukraine.
Let us know how it goes! Good luck man.
Sure. I’ve been here nearly 2 years and seen a lot. Happy to share or get a cup of tea.
Hello Aaron. I am traveling to Kiev on March 22nd. I am trying to meet some friends there and have some points of contacts. I am a disabled ARMY vet. I have been communicating with a girl there for a year and its finally time for me to head over and meet her face to face.
Good luck Tod!
I have been in Lviv about 5 month. I’m a fellow Veteran. Hie me up jp*****@ya***.com
What is the governments policy on Americans living in Ukraine how much Red Tape
What would it cost to ship my car and the policy of getting a drivers linc
Being a former US Marine would the government have a issue
When marring a lady from Ukraine how much Red Tape
My GF in Ukraine wants me to move there , It sounds good to me , My property taxes are $3600 a year here , How much does it cost to ship a Household there , including a 1928 Model A ?, Can I have My Gun Collection there ?
You probably can’t bring your guns to be honest. Shipping a car is going to cost well into the thousands as well. To be totally honest, most of us go there with nothing and just buy it all again, but if you’re an older dude with lots of prized possessions I’d suggest looking into a service like MEEST (Google it).
Totally agree. Forget the guns, because cannot own unless a citizen of Ukraine. Sell 99.99% of your goods. Better to come with nothing and start over. The money will help with starting a new life more than the albatross of bringing things. Tried to see about shipping my 2006 Ford Escape and it was $10k! I paid $10,500 for it in 2007! I’d sell all the guns, goods, and come. Seriously! This is good advice.
I would like to retire there. Any tips
Come and visit first. Live here a month or two.
That’s really the best advice we can give. This site is absolutely full of information, have a look around!
Read this entire site! On top of that, have a bunch of cash saved up, invest in a residency package early on, and do your best to learn the language.
I appreciate your insights into living in Ukraine and I agree with your description of it and the women there. They are well educated; naturally smart and wonderfully feminine. I will take you to task on your description of living in the USA. The cost of living in large cities is very high and so are the salaries and taxes. Americans are universally friendly and generous; except in California by and large. The USA is staggering in its natural beauty and diversity; oceans; lakes; prairies; majestic mountains; rivers and farms. As with any place; there is more than meets the eye. If people are struggling here; it is because they live beyond their means; which is different than not being able to afford to live. Where I live; people travel from the world over to see the spectacular scenery. I don’t know where you were; but it sounds as if you had a bad time of it. That is a shame.
Hey Philip.
There’s no denying the good old US of A is a scenic, aesthetically pleasing place to live.
I’m not saying it’s impossible to be successful in America. Not by a longshot. I’m simply saying that for many men, their efforts are better spent overseas and they will get a much higher return on the time they invest in terms of finances, women, and lifestyle.
I did have a bit of a rough time, but I also had a really great time in many ways. Many people don’t really understand why I left the USA when they look at my life there. To be honest, I ended up abroad by chance and began to see the benefits after being here for so long.
NO worries at all about your perspective. I just wanted your non-USA readers to know Americans are very friendly and accommodating. I have been studying about Ukraine for quite some time and am leaning towards perhaps living there after a visit or two. Working on my Russian….ugh. Keep up the good work!
Thank you, Phillip! I appreciate having you as a reader.
Whats in it for a single 76 year old overweight american woman?
Why do you want to go there in the first place if that’s really who you are?
Hey, I got offered a job to do my training here for 3 weeks and then 4weeks in Ukraine and can stay there for as long as I want and live out ther eand they will cover expenses and home and everything and full benefits about 60,000-80,000/ year. I am just wondering What do you think? would you recommend me going and studying Ukrainian or Russian and how is the American Community out there? and is it any kind of danger to Americans out there? and do ukranian love American people that come for work out there or not? and wher do you find most Americans there or middle eastern people. I am middle eastern but born in America and speak Arabic Armenian and English. What do you think?
Sounds like an excellent deal to me. Lots of people would kill to be in your shoes. I know many people doing remote work out there for big companies. If you don’t mind me asking, what is the job?
$60K – $80K is huge money in Ukraine. I’d suggest going and learning some Russian for sure. The American community all depends on which city you’re in, but they are present in Lviv, Kiev, Kharkov, and even some smaller towns as well, though in lesser numbers. Generally, it’s an extremely safe country, far moreso than America as a whole. I find Ukrainians to be welcoming to Americans, though they are skeptical of Turks due to sex tourism. Even still, if you’re an American with an American accent, you will do well. Some Ukrainian girls even prefer brown looking guys, so I’d say this sounds like a really solid option.
Good luck and feel free to comment with any further questions.
$60-80k a year in Ukraine is a crazy high salary. Not impossible but with only a few weeks training and then only four weeks I’d honestly be suspect until I knew more.
I am considering retiring there. All this is good news for me. Does the US Embassy help in any way to get settled there?
Hey Ronald. Honestly, I never tried, but I can’t imagine that they offer much. The best thing you can do is join the Facebook groups that are local to every city and ask questions there. Local intel is always the best.
In short? Hell to the no they don’t help, and to be honest they have much bigger problems to deal with than an American wanting to relocate. If you’re going to live in Ukraine expect some very harsh lessons in terms of what to expect with “help.”
People can be helpful, but remember you’re dealing with the second worst economy in Europe, and there is a war with Russia in the east, along with corruption. The economy officially sank 35% in a few months, and therefore expect scams, the likes of which you have never even heard about.
My advice is don’t expect help from ANYONE. I’ve been here two years’ and work online from home, and severely limit my contacts. It can be a decent place, but man…….walking in like a naive American expecting government to work properly is just not going to be a positive experience. If you’re the pioneering, do it yourself type, then maybe but expect some tuition to be paid at the school of “mutit.” (Means to trick).
Do you know if a foreigner in Ukraine can open a bank account (savings or checking)? Is temporary residency, or perhaps permanent residency a requirement?
Not sure honestly, but Ukrainian banks are not safe and I 100% don’t suggest keeping cash there.
Yes. Not a problem. There are limitations if you are a temp resident or tourist, like that all money must be deposited from OUTSIDE the country, and you won’t be able to deposit cash easily once inside the country. I freelance and paid electronically from abroad, so it’s no problem. You will also have difficulty transferring money to and from residents in the country electronically.
I have visited Ukraine many times and find it a very interesting country. Banks are undependable, my (USA) bank ATM card (best way to get cash while there) gets shut down and even phoning bank does not always get it back on. Even parts of Kharkov (and other parts of Ukraine) have such bad connections that hotels, restaurants can be cash only. Yes, prices for a North American are great. If more people understood what a bargain Ukraine is, rather than get freaked out because of some isolated problems, I think Ukraine would be a tourism hot spot. On most trips I have had an interpreter (expensive) but I have also managed alone, just fine, on others. It all started with a hunting trip 20 years ago for me. Most trips have been to see women (still single) and have ridden horses, down hill skied, rode ATVs, visited shooting ranges, gone bowling, visited some really great restaurants in cities, and out in country, gotten manicure, pedicure, messages, roasted in sauna, dunked in cold water, boiled in hot water, and drank some really good beer. Have toured Kiev, Kharkov, Livov, and a whole lot more and it has been great. Check it out, but stay there a while before making big plans. I enjoy it, I miss it, but I am now 69 and my health insurance only covers emergencies out of USA, here, I am minutes away from major health care center with no insurance problems. I am comfortably retired here in USA, but I enjoy traveling and Ukraine is one place I would like to get back to.
“Writing college papers for lazy American students…” I’m planning on going back to Ukraine early next year, but my income is marginal (650/month). A gig like that would be a godsend. Can you hook me up?
Mike, email me at ex************@gm***.com. I’d be happy to.
I have been to Kiev twice and enjoyed my stay both times. However, I only speak English. Is it safe for American men to live there alone? The locals seemed to be able to pick me out as a foreigner immediately, even if I had not spoken. I’m sure the local thugs/muggers can immediately recognize me as an American. As a tourist I stayed in central Kiev, near the government buildings that were heavily patrolled by police. My concern about living there is getting out into regular neighborhoods. In America I know what to look out for as danger signs in public. The language and customs are so foreign to me, I would not necessarily notice that I was in a bad area or whatever.
Is it safe for an American to live there?
This is some really great info. I am in the process of selling all of my crap here in Florida in the US. Plan to make a 1-month visit to Ukraine in August, determine where I want to live, then come back with minimal stuff very shortly after before it gets cold.
I am a Retired Marine, have $3,650 net per month income and about $100K in a trading account for fun. Zero bills as I have been a cash guy since 2008.
I do own a couple companies in the US I play around with. One has been around for over 10 years and I have a consulting company for teaching markets trading and education, either I could probably do in Ukraine.
Anyway, appreciate any tidbits or suggestions:)
I lived in Ukraine when as a Marine attached to the US Embassy 92/93, now I am retired and was thinking of moving to either in Kyiv or Odessa because I loved this country and the people, yet this Cost Of living makes it a better decision, yet then it could be 6 month in the US and 6 months in Ukraine. i also know that it is wise to know a lady from the area to make sure you get a fair deal on renting an apartment and I have written to two in these two cities for a while. What do you think would it work or would this be a great decision