Experience in Kharkiv, Ukraine by Taras

What is it like to live in Kharkiv? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

It is a calm and nice city. In winter it can be gray and sad, in summer it would fry you on the hot asphalt. But it has a range of entertainments and places to hang out for youth. It is very green, convenient for mass traffic, and quite safety.
I would like to recommend it for people who like to live in big cities but with a moderate tempo. If you look for that, so do not hesitate to visit Kharkiv.

What is the student lifestyle like in Kharkiv?

The student life has a range of opportunities to chose your specialty, places to have a good internship (if you speak Russian and/or Ukrainian), nice places to have a perfect party for you and your friends. I believe it is the best city to be a student.

How much does it cost to live in Kharkiv?

If you live in a dorm, you should pay 15-30 Dollars USA per month, but sometimes it is not really comfortable. For collocation you need 100-150 Dollars USA, and if you would like to rend a flat on your own, you will spend approximately 150-350 Dollars USA.
Food does not cost too much. Probably you would spend about 100-150 Dollars USA per month, and it means you would have a lot of stuff.
The other costs only depend on you. You can live for 150 Dollars USA per month, and it would not be enough to have 1 000 000. Up to you.

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Kharkiv? Is there any advice you can give?

I think for foreigners it would be a bit hard if you do not speak Russian or Ukrainian, because a lot of people do not speak English or another language at all. So you cannot to make a deal or very easy to face with a fraud.
It is better to accept a place at a dormitory first, all universities in Kharkiv usually provide it for the students from abroad. And if you feel that you understand people around you easily, so be brave to find accommodation out of the dormitory.

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

Food in Kharkiv is almost the same like in the entire country. Borsch and varenyky are the main dishes in the Ukrainian world.
Also you can taste solyanka (a soup), olivier (a salad), pyrizhky (baked buns stuffed with different fillings), mlyntsi (thin pancakes), deruny (potato pancakes), etc.

What places would you recommend visiting in Kharkiv?

The Shevchenko Gardens, the Memorial Complex, the Feldman Ecopark, the Museum of History,the Gorky Park, etc.

Is it good to eat out in Kharkiv? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

You can visit Puzata Khata, The Varenik, Bufet, Freshline, Testov, (the) Kulinichi, and the god of all places is McDonalds. Just to eat. If you need something fancy, so I would like to recommend you to visit Paris, Argentina Grill or Imbirnyj Pryanik.

Is the nightlife good in Kharkiv? Where is good to go?

The nightlife is very bright in the city. A range of clubs are ready to open the doors to you. Sometimes they have special promotions for students. Especially on weekends, like anywhere else. Where to go? Misto, Bolero, Radmir, Palladium, etc.

What advice would you give future students heading to Kharkiv?

Do not be afraid to study or just visit Kharkiv, it is very nice city. It is full of different contrasts sometimes. At the same time, it is a good place for students from around the world.