Ukraine

Eastern Europe

EuropeNon-EU

A low-cost European country with a 5-year citizenship path, a startup visa and low university tuition, but case-by-case immigration and tax rules.

Overall score

Moderate · 97% data coverage

Language

Ukrainian

Currency

UAH

Citizenship

5 years

Personal tax

18% plus military levy

Cost of living

$800 / mo (single; location and security matter)

Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.

Score breakdown

Access

17%

61Residence12%

70Citizenship and passport5%

Earning power

25%

48Salary and work12%

78Buying power13%

Business and wealth

20%

70Taxes7%

48Business8%

28Investment5%

Daily life

25%

69Quality of life18%

81Education7%

Rights and institutions

13%

54Freedom6%

35Rule of law7%

Pros

A 5-year citizenship path
A startup visa
Low university tuition

Cons

Case-by-case immigration and tax rules

Best for

FoundersStudents

Score profile

Access

Residence

Citizenship

Passport

Earning power

Salary & work

Buying power

Cost of living

Economy

Business and wealth

Taxes

Personal tax

Corporate tax

Business

Investment

Wealth building

Daily life

Safety

Healthcare

Environment

Infrastructure

Education

HDI

Rights and institutions

Freedom

Rule of law

How the scores are calculated

Access

Residence

Openness to residents

Moderate

Migrant stock13.4% of population (2024)

Regulatory quality-0.30 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways

EmploymentStudyFamily reunificationBusiness or investment where eligible

Student	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Work	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Self-employed	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Permanent	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

Citizenship

Citizenship accessibility

Good

Years required	5 years
Dual allowed	Yes
Language	Check the current naturalisation rules for the selected route
Residence	Typical headline route: 5 years; qualifying residence and absence rules apply
Notes	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

Passport

Passport power

Good

144 / 198

Mobility

#33

Global rank

Yes

Biometric

Visa-free96
On arrival44
eTA4
Visa required54

Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work

Labour-market strength

Moderate

Output per worker$40,308 PPP (2021)

Unemployment9.8% (2021)

Participation54.6% of 15+ (2021)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tech salary (estimate)	Varies substantially by city, seniority, and employer
Freelance	Market access depends on language, sector, and work authorisation
Job market	Use current local vacancy and salary data for role-specific decisions.

Buying power

Purchasing power score

Good

GNI / person$18,750 PPP (2025)

Consumption / person$11,337 PPP (2024)

Price level28 (US = 100) (2025)

Income inequality25.6 Gini (2020)

Inflation12.7% / yr (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living

Affordability

Excellent

Price level28 (US = 100) (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Rent	Varies substantially by city and neighbourhood
Monthly	$800 / mo (single; location and security matter)
Cities	Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa

Economy

Economic strength

Moderate

Output & income

GDP$214.2B (2025)

GDP / person$5,866 (2025)

GNI / person$18,750 PPP (2025)

GDP growth2.9% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour

Inflation12.7% / yr (2025)

Unemployment9.8% (2021)

Output per worker$40,308 PPP (2021)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition

Agriculture7.6% of GDP (2025)

Industry17.9% of GDP (2025)

Services61.0% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries

Agriculture & grainMetals & steelIT servicesMachineryMining

Top exports

Grain & oilseedsIron & steelIT servicesMachinery

Type	Lower-middle-income, agri- and industry-led
Key sectors	Agribusiness (a leading grain exporter), Metallurgy, IT outsourcing
Summary	A major global grain and steel exporter with a strong IT sector, severely disrupted by war since 2022.
Currency	Ukrainian hryvnia

Business and wealth

Taxes

Tax friendliness

Good

Personal	18% plus military levy
Corporate	18%
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit tax	Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence
Foreign companies	Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply

Personal tax

Good

Personal	18% plus military levy
Freelance	Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit tax	Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence

Corporate tax

Moderate

Corporate	18%
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Foreign companies	Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply

Business

Business friendliness

Moderate

Regulation & bureaucracy

Regulatory quality-0.30 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Government effectiveness-0.60 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules

Foreign company	Generally possible, subject to sector, registration, tax, and substance rules
Local company	Available company forms and capital requirements vary
Freelance	Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply

Investment

Investing environment

Low

Market cap3% of GDP (2018)

Private credit18% of GDP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, residence, holding period, and treaty position
Dividends	Data not available yet
ETFs & funds	Data not available yet
Wealth tax	Check current national and subnational rules
Brokers	Local and international availability varies by residency and compliance checks
Foreign access	Data not available yet
Tax-advantaged	Data not available yet

Wealth building

Wealth accumulation

Moderate

Salary & work

Moderate

Business

Moderate

Investment

Low

Tax friendliness

Good

Cost of living

Excellent

Daily life

Safety

Safety & stability

Moderate

Personal safety

Homicide rate3.8 per 100,000 (2021)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability

Control of corruption-0.67 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Political stability-0.43 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Healthcare

Healthcare score

Excellent

Outcomes

Life expectancy74.7 years (2024)

Under-5 mortality7.9 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing

Physicians3.53 per 1,000 (2023)

Hospital beds6.14 per 1,000 (2022)

Health spending$1,382 PPP / person (2021)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs

System	Public/private mix varies by eligibility and residence status
Insurance	Check residence-permit and local coverage requirements
Average cost	Depends on eligibility, income, insurer, and chosen coverage

Environment

Environment score

Excellent

Environmental pressure

PM2.5 exposure14.9 μg/m³ annually (2023)

Water stress6.3% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure

Infrastructure score

Moderate

Digital infrastructure

Internet use82.5% (2024)

Internet resilience62 / 100 (2026)

Fixed speed74 / 100 download index (2026)

Mobile speed60 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities

Electricity access100.0% (2023)

Grid losses10.2% of output (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport

Transport quality2.40 / 5 (2022)

Rail density37.3 km / 1,000 km² (2020)

Air connectivity126 departures / million people (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education

Education score

Excellent

Attainment

Expected schooling13.3 years (2023)

Mean schooling11.1 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment

Tertiary enrolment87% gross (2024)

Education spending5.1% of GDP (2021)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tuition	$2,000–6,000 / yr
Public university	Varies by institution, programme, and student nationality
Languages	Ukrainian
Student work	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

HDI

Human development score

Good

HDI0.779 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life

Life expectancy73.4 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge

Expected schooling13.3 years (2023)

Mean schooling11.1 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025