Ukraine’s 15 most liveable cities—Kyiv ranks last (MAP)

2025-12-26 12:54 7 min

While international headlines focus on battlefields, most of Ukraine functions normally. Millions work, study, and raise families in cities with renovated hospitals, efficient public transport, and thriving cultural scenes.

As wartime displacement reshapes the country, western Ukrainian cities are emerging as the country’s new centers of gravity.

Euromaidan Press ranked 15 Ukrainian cities by comfort and liveability, drawing on RBC-Ukraine’s June 2025 analysis of infrastructure, safety, services, and quality of life, and on Numbeo’s quality of life data from December 2025. The ranking reflects where Ukrainians themselves are choosing to live—and where postwar investment opportunities are likely to emerge first.

Ukraine’s 15 most liveable cities, ranked by comfort and quality of life. Map: Euromaidan Press Western Ukraine dominates

The top five are in western Ukraine. Lviv, the region’s largest city, remains one of Ukraine’s major IT hubs and a cultural capital—home to dozens of theaters, museums, and festivals even during wartime. Ivano-Frankivsk, compact and safe, hosts a growing IT cluster and has become a magnet for remote workers and young families.

Ivano-Frankivsk holds the first place in the ranking of best Ukrainian cities for doing business. Source: Ukrinform

Vinnytsia is widely regarded as Ukraine’s best-governed city—a model of successful municipal reform, famous for its spectacular multimedia fountain on the Southern Buh River. Ternopil offers some of Ukraine’s best ecology, built around a vast artificial lake that gives the city an almost resort-like atmosphere. Khmelnytskyi, ranked fifth, is a logistics and trade hub that attracts entrepreneurs and small-business owners with affordable living and rapidly modernizing infrastructure.

Distinct charms

Each city in the middle tier offers something distinct. Zhytomyr, strategically situated between Kyiv and the west, is gaining popularity for its revitalized city center and growing creative sector. Chernivtsi charms visitors with Habsburg-era architecture; its university is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Residence of Bukovinian and Dalmatian Metropolitans—now Chernivtsi National University—is Ukraine’s only university on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Photo: FAL

Uzhhorod, Ukraine’s westernmost city, sits minutes from the EU border—a multicultural gateway with the country’s warmest microclimate and a famous sakura festival each spring. Rivne attracts those seeking a safe, medium-sized environment with strong medical services and an active business community. Cherkasy, the “green capital” on the Dnipro, is becoming increasingly popular with families for its parks and green spaces.

Affordable alternatives

Kropyvnytskyi, compact and progressive, offers central Ukraine’s lowest cost of living, with strong support for small businesses—a popular destination for those leaving larger centers. Lutsk impresses with its cleanliness and medieval Lubart’s Castle; the city is actively developing public spaces while maintaining a slower, family-friendly pace.

View from Lutsk Castle’s entry tower to the old town. Screenshot: YouTube/Oleksandr Kuzmych Resilience under fire

Two cities on this list face ongoing Russian attacks. Odesa, known as the “Pearl of the Black Sea,” remains vital for Ukraine’s southern regions.

Explore further Russia bombs Odesa’s port—US and EU firms expand offices anyway

Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city with 1.4 million pre-war residents, is a powerhouse—heavy industry, major universities, and a vibrant cultural scene. Their inclusion reflects both well-developed infrastructure and the resilience of residents who choose to stay.

Kharkiv’s Derzhprom—a 1920s constructivist landmark that still stands, like the city itself. Photo: Ekaterina Polischuk / Wikimedia Commons Why Kyiv ranks last

Kyiv comes in 15th—not because the capital lacks quality, but because the ranking prioritized liveable scale over metropolitan pace. For ambition and opportunity, Kyiv remains unmatched. For small-town charm, greenery, and historical architecture, Uzhhorod, Chernivtsi, or Ivano-Frankivsk may be far more appealing.

Stunning, but hectic: Kyiv’s St. Michael’s Monastery. The capital ranks last—not for lack of beauty, but for big-city pace. Photo: Euromaidan Press

Urbanist Oleksandra Narizhna, co-founder of Urban Reform School, argues that liveability doesn’t require size or wealth: cities succeed by focusing on “thoughtful public transport, integration of nature, and active development of local communities”.