Asking someone which is the best city to live anywhere, is like asking someone their favorite food.
We all have our own favorites and what we consider the “best”.
However, in regards to talking about the best places and the best cities to live in Ukraine, for me the best city to live in Ukraine is of course Kyiv, the capital.
Contents
What is the best city in Ukraine to live?
Kyiv in my opinion and from my own personal experience is the best city in Ukraine to live. Why?
First, it is the capital of the country and has this history of over a thousand years.
Although you sometimes wouldn’t know it because of the overwhelming amount of Soviet architecture that still dots the city.
However, there are glims and glams of pre-soviet architecture that will fascinate anyone.
Personally, I’m quite a fan of Soviet architecture as well as symbolisms.
Partly because I grew up in a country where the Soviet Union was our “enemy” and it’s always fascinated me.
Getting to more practical matters of why I think Kyiv is the best city in Ukraine to live is because it is the concentration of the country’s wealth, which alone has a whole host of rippling benefits to the quality of life there.
It has the most developed infrastructure, meaning transportation, including a very extensive, fast, efficient and best of all, cheap subway system.
Kyiv is very well connected to the internet and finding high speed internet is not too difficult.
In addition, it has a variety of places to live from the opulent to the very basic. As far as dining options, Kyiv has dramatically improved over the last 15 to 20 years.
You can find all kinds of international cuisine that would match anywhere in Western Europe or North America.
You can also of course find local Ukrainian cuisine as well. As far as shopping is concerned, Ukraine has a wide variety of clothing shops as well as western foods, appliances and electronics. Basically most things you could find in the West you can find in Kyiv.
You also have access to two international airports, Zhuliany or now called the Igor Sikorsky International Airport. Zhuliany is the smaller of the two and is located Kyiv rather than Boryspil International Airport, which is located outside the city.
However, Boryspil does have the majority of international flights and is a very modern and huge airport.
Kyiv is also well connected by rail to not only other cities in Ukraine, but also to cities and countries east and west.
What is the most beautiful city in Ukraine?
Ukraine has many beautiful cities. So trying to decide which is the most beautiful city in Ukraine is very difficult.
I have been to most of the major cities in Ukraine including Kharkiv, Donetsk, Odessa, Dnepropetrovsk and Lviv. I’ve even been to some lesser known gems like Chernivtsi.
However, many may disagree with me .The two most beautiful cities in Ukraine in my opinion and for different reasons are Kyiv and Chernivtsi.
I like Chernivtsi because it was mainly untouched by the Second World War and contains a variety of Pre-Soviet architecture.
Chernivtsi is quite unique because, although the city is in the heart of Western Ukraine, the people speak mostly Russian. It was also part of the Austro-Hungarian empire.
However, unlike Lviv, formerly known as Lemberg, it has remained mostly untouched by mass tourism or the Ukrainian version of mass tourism. It’s a small and easily walkable city as well.
Though, of course the most beautiful city for me is still Kyiv. Situated on the river Dnieper it has many beautiful parks as well as views of the river Dnieper itself.
For me there’s no better view to looking out over the Dnieper than from the viewpoints on top of the funicular that you can catch at Poshtova Ploscha in the Podil district to Sofievskaya Cathedral.
Kyiv also has a new pedestrian-bicycle, partially transparent bridge between Volodymyrska Hill and the People’s Friendship Arch.
This bridge gives you very unique views of the city and I’ve never been on a bridge quite like it. It was only recently completed in the last couple of years.
Looking out over the Dnieper from those viewpoints in the autumn is probably the best view I’ve ever seen in all of Ukraine.
The colors of the leaves on the trees turning can rival those of even a New England Autumn. The views of the river and the bridges from that viewpoint are breathtaking.
Is it dangerous to live in Ukraine?
Ukraine is no more or less dangerous than any other capital cities. In some ways it’s actually less dangerous than many Western capitals.
However, Ukraine is still a developing country and still has quite a high rate of poverty. Whenever you are in a city with higher numbers of poverty, you’re going to have more instances of petty crime like pick pocketing, wallet scams etc. Just keep your wits about you and you’ll be fine.
Though with the above said, I personally have never truly felt unsafe living in Ukraine even after 20 years.
Is Kiev a good place to live?
Kyiv in general, can be a very great place to live. Whether you choose to live in the center or in the outer districts of the city, Kyiv can seem quite overwhelming in it’s size, though you can pretty much get around quite easily on foot, Metro or taxi as well as other forms of public transportation.
Actually in the days before the smartphone and taxi apps, you could easily just hold out your hand on the side of a road.
Anyone driving by who was looking to pick up a few extra bucks would just stop. You would then negotiate a fare to where you were going and if they were going in that direction, they would simply give you a ride. Then you would pay them almost like a taxi.
In fact, many people with their own cars still pick up extra money this way.
However, with the prevalence of smartphones and 4G, there are quite a few taxi apps that you can just download on your phone and not even need to speak a word of Ukrainian or Russian to get where you want to go.
The beauty of taxis in Ukraine, especially in Kyiv, is that you can get anywhere in the city for under 5 to 6 dollars per ride, even less.
What’s the best city in Ukraine to find a wife?
Since I have never sought out to find a wife in Ukraine, I’m not exactly the expert in giving this type of advice.
However, the two most popular cities that men go to in order to find a wife in Ukraine are Kyiv and Odessa.
I believe many think that Odessa is the best city in Ukraine to find a wife. In fact, there are many dating and marriage agencies based out of Odessa.
However, in my opinion, the best city to find a wife in Ukraine would probably be Kyiv.
Women from all over Ukraine come to Kyiv. First to study at University, then to settle and find opportunities.
Also people who come to Kyiv from all over the country are a little more open-minded and are looking for new experiences and to meet new and interesting people.
I usually find that women based in provincial cities tend to be a little more closed-minded and are not open to meeting foreigners as a whole. Although some do, it’s very difficult to put a blanket statement over things like matters of the heart.
How much is rent in Kyiv, Ukraine?
Three main things will determine how much you pay for rent in Kiev. The first is how close or far from the city center your place is.
The second is how far or close you are to a Metro station. You see, even if you were on the furthest stretches of Kyiv, most subways will get you to the very center or a point in the center within 20 to 30 minutes.
That is of course if you take a direct line. If you have to switch lines, then of course this will take you a little longer.
However, you will save yourself loads more time than if you were to take a taxi or drive yourself. Kyiv is plagued with so many traffic jams that even the very rich in their Mercedes can’t avoid them.
The third is how modern or renovated your apartment is.
There are different types of renovations that people in Kyiv classify their apartments as. One is known as a cosmetic renovation. This means basically a redecorating job. The other is a full renovation or known as “Remont”.
This is when the apartment is basically gutted and refurbished with all the modern conveniences like: air conditioning, modern heating, flooring, modern appliances and fixtures, plumbing etc. Of course, the more modern or renovated an apartment is, the more expensive it will be.
The above being said, you can find apartments to rent for as little as $300 a month, but they’re going to be situated far from the city center and will not be renovated at all.
Are clothes cheap in Ukraine?
If you shop in the outdoor markets clothes can be very cheap. Kyiv has loads of counterfeit and cheap clothing from places like China, that these outdoor marketplaces are brimming with.
You can also find designer clothing at upscale shops in the center or at the various modern shopping malls that now dot the city as well.
It’s funny because many Ukrainians will tell you that they usually window shop in these beautiful modern stores with high prices, but then look for the cheaper options at the outdoor markets. This kind of drives shop owners a little crazy.
How much does a beer cost in Ukraine?
The cost of a half liter local Ukrainian beer is less than a dollar. However, imports at an Expat Pub or nicer restaurants can cost $4 to $6 a pint.
The best city in Ukraine to live, conclusions.
As you can see the best city in Ukraine to live, in my opinion, is of course the capital, Kyiv.
However, I implore you to discover your own “best city” in Ukraine to live. You may find living in the capital of Kyiv a bit too much like living in the capital of any country.
You may discover the best city in Ukraine to live for you could be in Western Ukraine. Formerly a part of the Austro-Hungarian empire along with its leftovers of architecture. You’ll hear more Polish on the streets than Russian, for example.
You may choose to go east. You may discover that Kharkiv is the best city in Ukraine to live for you. Kharkiv was the former Ukrainian capital under the Soviet Union where you’ll hear much more Russian on the streets than Ukrainian.
Perhaps you wish to be by the seaside. Maybe you find a Port City more to your liking and sense of adventure.
Odessa with its party beaches, streets and all their restaurants and cafes teeming with tourists and beautiful Ukrainian women alike. You may find Odessa to be your dream city.
Whichever city you decide to live in Ukraine, always do your homework and you too, will soon have your own “best city” in Ukraine to live in.