A Ukrainian woman calculated the actual cost of moving to the U.S.
A Ukrainian woman who moved to California shared how much money is needed to start a new life in the U.S. The biggest expenses were rent, furniture, and transportation. According to her, a comfortable move for two people requires at least $15,000 for the first few months.
Yaroslava, a Ukrainian woman who now lives in California, shared her experience of moving to the U.S. on social media and honestly revealed how much money it took to start a new life. According to her, the costs turned out to be significantly higher than she had initially expected.
The blogger says they had to spend the most money on housing. She and her husband chose a neighborhood in Los Angeles where renting even a small apartment is quite expensive. “In the Los Angeles neighborhood we chose, a studio costs about $2,250, and a two-bedroom apartment costs $3,200–$3,500,” Yaroslava said.
In addition to the monthly rent, landlords often require a security deposit, especially if the tenant doesn’t yet have a credit history in the U.S. Utilities and internet also need to be paid separately. “You may need an additional deposit due to a lack of credit history. And be sure to factor in utilities, which cost about $200 a month,” the Ukrainian woman explained.
Another surprise was furnishing the apartment. According to Yaroslava, most apartments in the U.S. are rented out practically empty—without furniture and even without some appliances. “We didn’t plan to buy everything new; we looked for a lot of things on marketplaces, but we budgeted over $2,000 for this expense,” she says.
If the family is larger or has children, the costs can be even higher. The blogger also mentioned transportation. At first, they rented a car, since getting around in many parts of California is difficult without one.
According to her, renting a car costs about $600–700 a month, while buying your own car to start a new life in the U.S. costs $6,000–7,000. Yaroslava also provided an approximate list of basic living expenses in America:
- first month’s rent and security deposit — $4,000 to $5,000;
- utilities and internet — about $200;
- furniture and household items — about $2,500;
- car rental — about $700 per month;
- groceries — approximately $400 per person;
- cell phone service — $50–75 per month;
- personal expenses — approximately $300 per person.
In total, according to the Ukrainian woman, it’s advisable to have at least $10,000 to move to the U.S. But for a more comfortable start—even more. “Since we bought a car, our expenses ended up being even higher. It’s better to multiply expenses like housing, car, utilities, and groceries by two months to feel more secure,” she noted.
According to her calculations, for the first two months of life in the U.S., two people with a rented car will need approximately $15,000. “It’s a significant amount, but moving always involves expenses. The larger your financial cushion, the more at ease you’ll feel,” Yaroslava concluded.
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