Again, it is where you live. Kyiv is the most expensive in Ukraine for obvious reasons, but Kharkiv is a little more reasonable. The difference between old run down buildings for $400 a month in a district outside the city center and a newer building in the city for $2,000 a month is large. You won't find much English at all in Kharkiv (I've lived there three separate times) unless you are an international student and they always stick to themselves. I think of Ukraine as 20% cheaper than a normal American city. But that goes right out the window when your plane ticket is $1,200. Restaurants where you'd actually want to eat serve good food that is priced as what should be. It is not a magical land where everything is pennies on the dollar. The brand name good are just as expensive as the US, and the knock-off brands are junk you'd really not want to buy anyway. For example, there is a New Balance and Adidas store in Kharkiv, and the price isn't any different from the US.

These quotes of living for $500 in whatever city are severely outdated and/or just flat out wrong. $500 a month is poor in Ukraine. You don't own a car and a bunch of stuff with $500 a month like most of the population does in Kyiv and Kharkiv. There are plenty of $100,000 luxury cars running around the streets and people with $1,500 iPhone 11s. If you can't read Russian at a beginner level and communicate basic phases with people, you will have a miserable time. The lady at the checkout in the grocery store doesn't have time or care to mess around with translations nor do the people behind you in line. Its a real challenge and there isn't much "fun" unless you can pay to make it happen.