Top 15 Ukrainian cities to live well after 35 — find your ideal spot
Best cities to live in Ukraine (photo: Freepik)
After 35, priorities shift from nightlife and excitement to stability, safety, quality services, access to healthcare, and infrastructure development. Also important are good schools, parks, and the chance to live a full life. Where in Ukraine can you find all this?
RBC-Ukraine reports on which Ukrainian cities offer the most comfortable life for people aged 35 and older.
After the age of 35, most Ukrainians seek stability, predictability, good services, and a pleasant urban environment.
The priority is not the fast pace of megacities but the quality of life. This includes access to healthcare, a calm environment, high-quality infrastructure, and opportunities to work or grow in a convenient format. Ukraine has many cities that meet these criteria.
Lviv
Lviv ranks first. The city combines a European atmosphere with its unique Ukrainian character. It has developed medical and educational services, many green spaces, and pedestrian-friendly districts. The municipal government is effective, and the quality of public transport is high.
Additionally, Lviv remains a hub for creative professions. It is comfortable for freelancers and entrepreneurs.
Latin Cathedral (photo: Wikipedia)
Lviv, Ukraine (photo: Wikipedia)
Ivano-Frankivsk
Ivano-Frankivsk ranks second. It is a compact city that consistently ranks among the top in national quality of life rankings.
Residents highlight its coziness, cleanliness, active urban community, and stability. The city is home to many young families and professionals who work remotely.
Ivano-Frankivsk City Hall (photo: Wikipedia)
Typical architecture of the buildings in the old Stanislaviv area (photo: Wikipedia)
Vinnytsia
Vinnytsia ranks third. The city has been repeatedly recognized as a model of urban management. It features updated transportation, functional Administrative Service Centers (CNAPs), and many renovated hospitals and schools. The city takes a systematic approach to development while maintaining affordable housing and service prices.
Dominican Monastery (photo: Wikipedia)
Podillia Botanical Garden (photo: Wikipedia)
Ternopil
Ternopil is a comfortable and safe city with a calm pace and a high level of trust among residents. The city has a well-developed social infrastructure, many green areas, and one of the best environments in Ukraine.
Ternopil. Riverboat and castle. (photo: Wikipedia)
Hetman Sahaidachny Street (photo: Wikipedia)
Khmelnytskyi
Khmelnytskyi ranks fifth on the list. The city attracts entrepreneurs and small business specialists. Its infrastructure is actively modernizing. It has a strong local market and developed logistics and trade sectors. At the same time, the city remains affordable in terms of cost of living.
Khmelnytskyi Regional Art Museum (photo: Wikipedia)
Panas Myrnyi Street (Ozerna) (photo: Wikipedia)
Zhytomyr
Zhytomyr is gaining popularity thanks to its renovated city center, expanding medical services, and favorable location between Kyiv and other regions. The creative sector is experiencing active growth here, while prices remain stable.
House of Mutual Credit Society (City Council) (photo: Wikipedia)
View of Gagarin Park from the cable-stayed bridge (photo: Wikipedia)
Chernivtsi
Chernivtsi is a city renowned for its distinctive architecture, European ambiance, and robust educational potential. It hosts a university with a long history. The city has moderate traffic and a pleasant environment that fosters living and personal growth.
The Pension City hotel on Universytetska Street (photo: Wikipedia)
Chernivtsi City Hall (photo: Wikipedia)
Uzhhorod
Uzhhorod offers a warm climate, a multicultural atmosphere, and a relaxed pace of life on the western border. It is a city for those seeking peace, comfort, and at the same time, the opportunity to travel abroad.
Uzhhorod Cathedral, aerial photo (photo: Wikipedia)
Uzhhorod (photo: Wikipedia)
Rivne
Rivne is a stable city with developed healthcare, an active business community, and convenient logistics. It attracts those who want to settle in a safe, medium-sized city without unnecessary hustle.
Basiv Kut (photo: Wikipedia)
Pokrovsky Cathedral Rivne (photo: Wikipedia)
Cherkasy
Cherkasy is often referred to as the green capital of the Dnipro River. The city has many natural areas, convenient transportation, and access to the labor market in agriculture, tourism, and education. Cherkasy is actively developing and becoming increasingly family-friendly for children.
Victory Park (photo: Wikipedia)
Rear side of the regional state administration building (photo: Wikipedia)
Kropyvnytskyi
Kropyvnytskyi is a compact, quiet, yet progressive center of Central Ukraine. The city offers low prices, stable environmental conditions, and support for small businesses. For many, it is a good option for relocating from a megacity.
The Inhul River in Kropyvnytskyi (photo: Wikipedia)
Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Greek Church), Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) (photo: Wikipedia)
Lutsk
Lutsk stands out for its cleanliness, compact size, and good infrastructure. The city is safe and has a convenient transport system. It is also actively developing public spaces. This makes it an excellent choice for families or individuals who want to live a slower, yet comfortable, lifestyle.
Panorama of the Old Town from the left bank of the Styr River (photo: Wikipedia)
Lubart's Castle (Gate Tower) (photo: Wikipedia)
Odesa
Odesa is a vibrant seaside city that, despite its challenges, maintains a high level of service, a well-developed healthcare sector, and high-quality real estate. Many are drawn to its atmosphere and local mentality.
Arkadia (photo: Wikipedia)
Odesa National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater (photo: Wikipedia)
Kharkiv
Despite the challenging security situation, Kharkiv boasts a well-developed infrastructure, strong universities, and skilled professionals. Where conditions allow, Kharkiv remains a major center of life and development.
Assumption Cathedral in winter, aerial view (photo: Wikipedia)
State Industry Building (Derzhprom), Kharkiv (photo: Wikipedia)
Kyiv
Kyiv closes the list. The capital offers unlimited opportunities, but it demands readiness for a fast-paced lifestyle. For many, comfort is found in specific districts — Solomianskyi, Holosiivskyi, and Pecherskyi — where there is access to quality healthcare, services, and relative calm.
Saint Sophia Cathedral (photo: Wikipedia)
Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) building (photo: Wikipedia)
Overall, each of these cities is unique in its own way. But they share one key feature — they offer adult Ukrainians the opportunity to live consciously, with stability and prospects.
Sources: Wikipedia, Numbeo, Retro, NewVoice, Focus.
