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Author Topic: Cost of living in Ukraine  (Read 149996 times)

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Offline Chris

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Re: The Cost Of Living In Ukraine 2010
« Reply #75 on: September 01, 2010, 01:17:54 AM »
Quote from: Kievstar
For the people who want to have a business in Ukraine now is the time to do it.  The opportunities of the 1990's are back. 

It is if you can find the right people to do business with. This trip I had arranged 4 or 5 business meetings for which I was giving presentations, but even knowing the score over here and having a lot of contacts, only one went ahead, despite them all being confirmed and qualified pre-trip. Doing business with other business people over here is like walking a tightrope, they mess you about with a capital 'P' and don't seem to care.

One of the business owners who was supposed to show yesterday never even bothered to call to apologise, then some 4 or 5 hours later he called and made a lame excuse and asked if we could re-schedule, I told him he only gets one chance, and I don't get messed around twice, if he wants to meet now it will be on my terms. You cannot let these numpties call the shots, they will have you wasting so much time and money and they just couldn't give a toss about it. If you don't know the ropes you can come a cropper quite easily, so don't go into any new ventures without doing a lot of DD (more so than you would do at home) and having the right contacts in place who know what is what.

But! if you can pull it off, there is good money to be earned.
Слава Україні

Offline MND

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Re: The Cost Of Living In Ukraine 2010
« Reply #76 on: September 01, 2010, 05:16:13 AM »
Chris, do you have the prices from 2009 as 2008 the crisis caused everything to be very cheap in 2008.  Might be better to compare to 2006. 

I could probably route some out, but its not as easy to remember what we were paying in 2009 as we weren't living here.

BTW I notice property prices are down quite a bit, its a buyers market over here, I am considering buying again, I put it off 2 years ago, but the timing might be right about now.

Nat says it is really cheap we grabbed a block of land while Nat was overthere, when we wanted it two years ago they wanted $20k now they settled for $6k

Offline Chris

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Re: The Cost Of Living In Ukraine 2010
« Reply #77 on: September 01, 2010, 05:18:25 AM »
Chris, do you have the prices from 2009 as 2008 the crisis caused everything to be very cheap in 2008.  Might be better to compare to 2006. 

I could probably route some out, but its not as easy to remember what we were paying in 2009 as we weren't living here.

BTW I notice property prices are down quite a bit, its a buyers market over here, I am considering buying again, I put it off 2 years ago, but the timing might be right about now.



Nat says it is really cheap we grabbed a block of land while Nat was overthere, when we wanted it two years ago they wanted $20k now they settled for $6k

Yes mark, there are some desperate people around, wanting to get cash out of their assets or just cannot afford to keep up the repayments.
Слава Україні


Offline MND

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Re: The Cost Of Living In Ukraine 2010
« Reply #78 on: September 01, 2010, 05:36:27 AM »
Chris, do you have the prices from 2009 as 2008 the crisis caused everything to be very cheap in 2008.  Might be better to compare to 2006. 

I could probably route some out, but its not as easy to remember what we were paying in 2009 as we weren't living here.

BTW I notice property prices are down quite a bit, its a buyers market over here, I am considering buying again, I put it off 2 years ago, but the timing might be right about now.



Nat says it is really cheap we grabbed a block of land while Nat was overthere, when we wanted it two years ago they wanted $20k now they settled for $6k

Yes mark, there are some desperate people around, wanting to get cash out of their assets or just cannot afford to keep up the repayments.

We had forgotten about the land but Nat bumped into the lady while she was overthere and she asked Nat if she was still interested Nat said no then the lady asked Nat if she was still interested she could have it for 6K.

Offline ecocks

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Re: The Cost Of Living In Ukraine 2010
« Reply #79 on: September 01, 2010, 06:23:38 AM »
Quote from: Kievstar
For the people who want to have a business in Ukraine now is the time to do it.  The opportunities of the 1990's are back. 

It is if you can find the right people to do business with. This trip I had arranged 4 or 5 business meetings for which I was giving presentations, but even knowing the score over here and having a lot of contacts, only one went ahead, despite them all being confirmed and qualified pre-trip. Doing business with other business people over here is like walking a tightrope, they mess you about with a capital 'P' and don't seem to care.

One of the business owners who was supposed to show yesterday never even bothered to call to apologise, then some 4 or 5 hours later he called and made a lame excuse and asked if we could re-schedule, I told him he only gets one chance, and I don't get messed around twice, if he wants to meet now it will be on my terms. You cannot let these numpties call the shots, they will have you wasting so much time and money and they just couldn't give a toss about it. If you don't know the ropes you can come a cropper quite easily, so don't go into any new ventures without doing a lot of DD (more so than you would do at home) and having the right contacts in place who know what is what.

But! if you can pull it off, there is good money to be earned.

I agree it is coming on to the optimum time to look at getting in over in Ukraine for small and medium sized-businesses. If you understand the concept of business cycles, have capital AND can solve the problem of finding a trustworthy partner over there then start thinking about riding the cycle up.

Business people ARE maturing over there. They are getting to where they understand the concepts of and issues faced in global markets, accommodating foreign expectations and practices, paying taxes, ethics, taking care of employees (at least with regard to basic motivation) and win-win style partnership arrangements. If you can find a partner who thinks ahead and is in this for the long game, there are possibilities.

Offline Chris

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Re: The Cost Of Living In Ukraine 2010
« Reply #80 on: September 01, 2010, 08:57:33 AM »
If you can find a partner who thinks ahead and is in this for the long game, there are possibilities.

Thinks ahead and is in it for the long game is an oxymoron over here, but yes, if you can find that one, then its the way to go.
Слава Україні

Offline Chris

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Re: The Cost Of Living In Ukraine 2010
« Reply #81 on: September 01, 2010, 09:00:17 AM »

We had forgotten about the land but Nat bumped into the lady while she was overthere and she asked Nat if she was still interested Nat said no then the lady asked Nat if she was still interested she could have it for 6K.

Great news Mark, but now comes the hard part, getting all the necessary permits, paying the bribes and what not to allow you to build on it  :)
Слава Україні

Offline ecocks

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Re: The Cost Of Living In Ukraine 2010
« Reply #82 on: September 01, 2010, 10:47:10 AM »
If you can find a partner who thinks ahead and is in this for the long game, there are possibilities.

Thinks ahead and is in it for the long game is an oxymoron over here, but yes, if you can find that one, then its the way to go.

Yes, unfortunately too many still translate "thinking ahead" as "stealing everything I can as quickly as possible".

Offline JeanClaude

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Re: The Cost Of Living In Ukraine 2010
« Reply #83 on: September 01, 2010, 02:49:01 PM »
Chris, do you have the prices from 2009 as 2008 the crisis caused everything to be very cheap in 2008.  Might be better to compare to 2006. 

I could probably route some out, but its not as easy to remember what we were paying in 2009 as we weren't living here.

BTW I notice property prices are down quite a bit, its a buyers market over here, I am considering buying again, I put it off 2 years ago, but the timing might be right about now.

Nat says it is really cheap we grabbed a block of land while Nat was overthere, when we wanted it two years ago they wanted $20k now they settled for $6k

could you tell me in which region did you pick up that land?
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Offline MND

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Re: The Cost Of Living In Ukraine 2010
« Reply #84 on: September 01, 2010, 10:10:43 PM »
Khmelnytskyi Oblast

Offline MND

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Re: The Cost Of Living In Ukraine 2010
« Reply #85 on: September 01, 2010, 10:12:45 PM »

We had forgotten about the land but Nat bumped into the lady while she was overthere and she asked Nat if she was still interested Nat said no then the lady asked Nat if she was still interested she could have it for 6K.

Great news Mark, but now comes the hard part, getting all the necessary permits, paying the bribes and what not to allow you to build on it  :)

Ahh but thats the good part as you know you can get want you want if you have the right green folding stuff

Offline Chris

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Re: The Cost Of Living In Ukraine 2010
« Reply #86 on: September 02, 2010, 01:09:32 AM »
If you can find a partner who thinks ahead and is in this for the long game, there are possibilities.

Thinks ahead and is in it for the long game is an oxymoron over here, but yes, if you can find that one, then its the way to go.

Yes, unfortunately too many still translate "thinking ahead" as "stealing everything I can as quickly as possible".

So true!
Слава Україні

Offline Chris

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Re: The Cost Of Living In Ukraine 2010
« Reply #87 on: September 02, 2010, 01:11:41 AM »

We had forgotten about the land but Nat bumped into the lady while she was overthere and she asked Nat if she was still interested Nat said no then the lady asked Nat if she was still interested she could have it for 6K.

Great news Mark, but now comes the hard part, getting all the necessary permits, paying the bribes and what not to allow you to build on it  :)

Ahh but thats the good part as you know you can get want you want if you have the right green folding stuff


Yes mostly you can, although the backhander values seem to be rising from what you used to be able to get away with. People are getting wise, especially if they know a foreignor is involved.

Слава Україні

Offline Chris

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Re: The Cost Of Living In Ukraine 2010
« Reply #88 on: September 02, 2010, 05:38:40 AM »
OK clothes then, whilst out shopping today  :sick0012: with Ira I noticed nearly every clothes shop we entered had a 20% - 70% discount offer, but interestingly, NO shoe shops had any offers at all  ???


For some unknown reason  :sick0012: I managed to get dragged in a few more shoe shops yesterday by the wifey, and I was pleasantly surprised that a pair of good quality shoes we had bought in the UK for my father in law were in one of these shops, exact same shoes, same manufacturer etc and they were nearly double the price we paid in the UK for them,  :o   ...........it made my day  ;D

Слава Україні

Offline JeanClaude

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Re: The Cost Of Living In Ukraine 2010
« Reply #89 on: September 02, 2010, 05:48:38 AM »
Khmelnytskyi Oblast

On another note, as i was looking for real estate in Ukraine, I read up on some laws, It is forbidden for foreigners to own farmland, so I am guessing your wife bought this in her name?
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Offline Chris

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Re: The Cost Of Living In Ukraine 2010
« Reply #90 on: September 02, 2010, 06:22:30 AM »
Khmelnytskyi Oblast

On another note, as i was looking for real estate in Ukraine, I read up on some laws, It is forbidden for foreigners to own farmland, so I am guessing your wife bought this in her name?

Its about the only way JC, its possible to maybe buy it as a foreignor, but things change all the time so you have to be on the ball.
Слава Україні

Offline MND

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Re: The Cost Of Living In Ukraine 2010
« Reply #91 on: September 03, 2010, 05:47:01 AM »
Khmelnytskyi Oblast

On another note, as i was looking for real estate in Ukraine, I read up on some laws, It is forbidden for foreigners to own farmland, so I am guessing your wife bought this in her name?

Hers mine and our daughters name

Offline Vinnvinny

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Cost of living in Ukraine
« Reply #92 on: July 04, 2012, 07:17:52 PM »

Offline vendelo

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Re: Blog - An American female living in Kharkov
« Reply #93 on: July 04, 2012, 10:17:41 PM »
Interesting indeed, thanks.


Offline Mudryst

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Re: Blog - An American female living in Kharkov
« Reply #94 on: December 18, 2012, 11:25:27 PM »
Really cool read. Thank you very much. I never would have found this blog or this girl's page on FB. http://www.facebook.com/8MonthsInUkraine/

Very cool. Interesting for those of us that have been living in Ukraine for a while to see another point of view. Also, hearing from a girl is rather refreshing too.

Hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season.

Offline Barbossa

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Re: Blog - An American female living in Kharkov
« Reply #95 on: December 19, 2012, 12:52:33 AM »
Looks Like Home.  Wait.  It is home.  Duh!

I'll look this gal and 'D' up and exchange stories.  Thanks for the tip.

Finding Americans in this town is always difficult.  My latest fad is meeting people through the animal shelters where I occasionally volunteer.  Gal helps out, but has her own life too.  We get along.

Offline Texan77

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Cost of living in Ukraine
« Reply #96 on: July 11, 2013, 01:33:23 AM »
I am trying to use pay pal to send money? Just a small amount like 150 dollars. I really do not like the western Union prices and the bank draft is not so cool neither. I was wondering if anyone has better ways to send small amounts of money. Does anyone have experance with paypal in sending money. I could not get the girl to fill out the info to recieve the money because everyone she talk to do not know how to get the money after she did.  ???
3) There has been no "threat" to invade Ukraine. The US invented that and fed it to a complicit media.

Offline patagonie

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Re: Best way to send money to Ukraine
« Reply #97 on: July 11, 2013, 01:46:33 AM »
Have you met this lady ?
Do you know what is 150 $ in Ukraine or Bielorussia ?

Online andrewfi

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Re: Best way to send money to Ukraine
« Reply #98 on: July 11, 2013, 01:58:47 AM »
Texan77, you can not send money to a person in Ukraine. The PayPal service there is only available for sending payments from Ukrainians to people outside Ukraine. She can pay for stuff, but not receive payments.

You might be able to fudge it but you'd also risk losing the money for ever, or if lucky just a few months.

Have you met this person?
Are you being asked to pay for a life saving operation for some dear, aged relative?

For one-off low dollar amounts Western Union is costly but effective. My guess is that the woman(?) already was able to help you with the sending process using WU - indeed, maybe very familiar with it. ;)
...everything ends always well; if it’s still bad, then it’s not the end!

Offline ashbyclarke

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Re: Best way to send money to Ukraine
« Reply #99 on: July 11, 2013, 02:19:41 AM »
There are competitors to western union that are miles cheaper, take a look online. I have sent money before and paid about £10 to send a grand.

Gotta ask what it's for? It is the land of scammers, so be careful, $150 is a lot over there.
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