Kiev - Post Report Question and Answers
What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
Apartment in the Circus area of the city. Big enough for our needs. Close enough to walk to public transport, parks, shops, etc. Commute to Embassy about 25 minutes by car, 45 minutes by tram. There are a limited amount of houses close by the Embassy, but if you want walkability to most everything, choose the apartment option. - May 2021
We had an apartment, a fairly big one, close to several metro stations and a 30 min walk from Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square). There are plenty of excellent apartments, and a lot of the embassy employees choose to live in apartment buildings downtown. Some houses are also available. Public transport is rather cheap and easy to use, especially Kyiv metro. There is some traffic, like in any other big city, but it can get pretty bad in winter (everyone changes tires according to the season) and periodically they close major streets downtown for big international events, that does not help the traffic either. - Jun 2018
There is a wide variety of nice housing available. Fairly large apartments in the city center for everyone who works down there (which is basically everyone except U.S. Embassy folks); huge houses near the Embassy for those who want them. Many wealthy Ukrainians live in nearby suburbs. Embassy commute time from the center is 15-40 minutes. - May 2017
Our housing was a nice, sunny three-bedroom apartment in the city center. Commute to work was 15-20 mins driving, though after work that could stretch to an hour in bad traffic (about 30-40 mins was typical). Most U.S. Embassy housing is in three areas: city center; old Embassy area (still considered the center by locals, but in a quieter area further away from the metro, but offering a faster car commute to the Embassy); and standalone houses scattered on the outskirts of the city (including some right by the Embassy, an increasingly popular option).
Housing varied - we loved our apartment, and lots of new places being added to the pool are very modern, stylish, and comfortable. Some older buildings are a bit tired, however. - Nov 2016
We loved our apartment! Gorgeous, updated, huge apartment in the dead center of the city, easy walking distance from all three metro lines. Housing tended to fall into three categories:
1) Apartments in the old Embassy area - this still counts as the center of the city, but it's sort of the edge of the center. Some people appreciate that it's relatively central but still quiet, but frankly I did not love this area...no metro right nearby, and it was a bit shabbier looking than the real center. But there were some good grocery stores in the area, and if you drive to work, the driving commute is shorter than from the true city center.
2) City center apartments - where I lived and loved it. If you like getting out to restaurants and bars and exploring cities by public transit, this is your best option. Traffic gets pretty bad though, so some drivers did not like it. Also, most of this housing was not near large green spaces, making it tough on families with kids. There are also a few Embassy apartments in Podil, which is a nice area that is central but not dead center that mixes quieter streets with lots of commercial activities and places to eat, go out, etc. But only a few people lived there.
3) Houses on the outskirts of town - this was a fairly new but growing (by popular demand) part of the housing pool during my two years at post. If you can get one of the new houses just around the corner from the Embassy (which is located quite far from the center of the city), you get a very short commute, and generally a very nice, large house with great backyard. Many people with kids and pets loved this options. But if you prefer urban living and don't want to have a car, this would not be for you. - Jul 2016
Embassy housing is a mix of large apartments in the city (for singles, couples, and small families) and large houses with yards near the NEC (for larger families). Commute for us (near the city center) is anywhere from 15-45 minutes, depending on traffic, but some people who live relatively close to us have a longer commute because of local traffic patterns. - Nov 2015
You have to decide between a city apartment and a suburban house. The Embassy is about five miles away from the city center. City apartment means it feels like you live in Europe with an efficient metro, cafes and museums out your door. Suburban house means a shorter commute and you live in a neighborhood of dachas where all the houses have established fruit trees in the yard. Dacha life is great for kids and pets, but you will feel isolated and out of touch with the city. - Jun 2015
Most families live in apartments. There is some embassy housing in single family homes near the Embassy. - Apr 2014
Average housing. There are very few single-family homes. Most homes are apartments in the center of the city, usually located near public transport and grocery stores. The commute time has increased since the move to the new embassy. Now it takes 30 - 45 minutes in normal morning and evening traffic. - Apr 2013
Most people are in large apartments. They are starting to put some large families in houses. - Apr 2013
Large, apartments in town: they are ugly on the outside, but charming and elegant inside. Some families are getting houses near the NEC. - Feb 2013
Apartments downtown, although with the opening of the NEC I think they're trying to shift housing closer to that facility. Some houses out past the NEC. Commute times have gotten longer for most people since the Embassy moved. - Jul 2012
Nice large apartments.1/2 the housing is a few minutes walk to the embassy the other 1/2 is about a 30 minute walk or so. - Aug 2009
Varies. - Apr 2008
All apartments are in the center of town. Most I have observed have been very nice but the common areas are often lacking. Commuting depends on the embassy building in which your office is located. I walk about 25 minutes but most apartments are closer. All this will change dramatically with the new embassy compound scheduled to start in 2008/09. - Apr 2008
Nearly all apartments in the heart of the city. The housing market is out of control here with rents tripling in a few months so securing housing is very tough. In general though, most apartments I've seen are nice, but with strange layouts. Often there isn't an elevator and the common stairwell aren't always kept in good condition as that is the responsibility of the landlord. Most people have commute times of less than 30 minutes by foot or public transportation. If you choose to drive, it could be much worse. - Feb 2008
