budgeting for my trip to Kiev/Mariupol

[clarkcr]

Hello.  I have found a wonderful girl that lives in Mariupol that will be meeting me in Kiev for the first 4 days of my 10 day trip to Ukraine.  I will be arriving in Kiev on 9/6 and thought I would stay there with her until 9/10, then take the train to Mariupol to meet her family and friends until the 14th when we take the train back to Kiev, stay one more night (maybe in a really swank hotel) until my flight leaves for home again on the 15th - early early in the AM 

Can anyone tell me how much I should budget for this trip?  I obviousely know how much airfare and hotel (apartment are going to be) but what about food? entertainment? train fare?

Thanks

[ambach123]

It would range from 3K to 8K depending upon how you would like to live while there.

[kievstar]

You can spend $300 a day with apartment and have great time in Kiev. 3 hour boat trip is cheap and fun.  Maybe a 4 hour city tour.  Go outside Kiev for a day at blue lake is fun.  Taxi is about $30 usd each way and cheap but good restaurants.  Plus you can swim in the lake and check out her swimsuit.  I spend $1,000 a day but I spend on the higher side.

Mariupol is very cheap.  Less than $200 a day. 

[Shadow]

Inside Kiev use the Metro, it is cheap and the fastest way of transport.
There is a shuttle bus from the airport to the main train station if you can carry your own bags.
If your girl knows Kiev, use a 'free taxi' and let her negotiate the price.

[clarkcr]

Thanks guys.  Are these numbers with or without housing/apt cost?  Are the studio apts for $80 a night in Kiev pretty decent?  (for a stabbin' cabin that is   

[kievstar]

Studio apartment for $80 should be real nice, however, depends who you are renting from.  Have you ever met this girl before in person - studio apartment or are you getting two studios???  If your getting one, make sure she knows that if you never seen her before.

[Faux Pas]

I've never been to Ukraine but have been to Russia several times. For budgeting purposes in the metro cities you could budget $400-500 a day, have a great time and return with money. In the smaller provincial cities, $250-$300 per day. This would cover housing, transportation, food and entertainment in most instances. If you are budget minded, of course you could do it cheaper as those numbers are a very comfortable visit. My recent visit to Siberia I don't think I spent $200 per day.

[Kuna]

(for a stabbin' cabin that is   

If this means what I think it means I hope you're including $500 a day extra for the "stabbin' victim". 

You're a good example why I tend not to respond to newbies now days!




- God I'm glad I'm married and won't even have to meet cretins like this in O'Briens ever again!

[BC]

Kuna,

You need to chill a bit.  Was just a bit of humour.

[clarkcr]

'tis true.  was just a bit of humor.  It is a term used by friends of mine to describe a less than adequate lodging on a trip.  It's a way of saying, "Well, it's not the Ritz, but at least we'll be doin't it!" 

Great imoticon....notice it comes out of his nose.  That's great. 

to answer a previous post, I asked her today if I should get a 2 bedroom apartment and she replied, "No!!  One Bedroom!!!"  I've learned from other posts that you don't argue with RW.   

[Kuna]

Kuna,

You need to chill a bit.  Was just a bit of humour.

'tis true.  was just a bit of humor.  It is a term used by friends of mine to describe a less than adequate lodging on a trip.  It's a way of saying, "Well, it's not the Ritz, but at least we'll be doin't it!" 

Great imoticon....notice it comes out of his nose.  That's great. 

to answer a previous post, I asked her today if I should get a 2 bedroom apartment and she replied, "No!!  One Bedroom!!!"  I've learned from other posts that you don't argue with RW.   

Sorry... I didn't see any humour in it...  and still don't. 

EDIT: but I did just google it and you just couldn't show a few sites that popped up in here...  but here's a nice definition I found at http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=stabbin'+cabin

"n. Any creepy ass shack that you find way out in the middle of the woods that is probably used by some hillbilly for murdering people, raping women, or as a crystal meth lab."


Maybe the values here are just changing too much for RWD to be an appropriate place to visit... dunno...  I just see no humour in it!

[Shadow]

Kuna you would be surprised how often the apartments are seen as exactly that...why else do you think RW do not wish to meet in a hotel room except when married ?

[kievstar]

Hi clarkcr,  Studio and one bedroom are different type of apartments.  One bedroom apartment also has a living area with pull out couch.  one bedroom is what you call two room apartment in Ukraine.  2 bed room is usually 3 room apartment.  Studio is just one room.  Housing has different meanings.

Be careful as a serious woman would never sleep in same bed without ever meeting you before. 

[Col HJ]

I have stayed in perfectly fine hotels in Ukraine for $25 a night, and in the same trip spent $200 for two taxi rides,one meal and a night in a dump hotel in Kiev. Much depends on the following, is the intention of your trip to repose yourself in luxury or to spend quality time with your lady? Outside of Kiev you will find Ukraine a very affordable destination. I typically go for 8-10 days,stay at my ladies home and usually spend $700-$800 on the entire trip outside of airfare. And I pay for everything while I am there,food,banya,cinema or other tickets,any repairs to her home,frequent flowers and chocolate,gifts for her daughter and for mine and any other little surprise that strikes my fancy. We once spent a weekend in a nice resort in the mountains, it was a whopping $70 a day for our room and nice meals.

[groovlstk]

Like Col HJ, I'm a little surprised at some of the figures thrown around here. I don't think I ever spent more than $1500 for week-long trips to Ukraine, including apartment rentals. I never used guides and only once did I have to pay an interpreter, plus I did a lot of my own cooking and took the metro and marshrutkas rather than taxis... I was never intentionally frugal but lived pretty much the same way in Ukraine as I did in the US.

[diverboy70]

Im also a bit surpeised about the numbers.

During my last 10 day trip to st:pete i spend about 100 € / day +the hotel at 50 € a night. Then I also, off course, paid all meals and drinks for the two of us + other expensses. admittely we didn't ate at the really fancy restaurants but anyway....

The hotel was a minihotel, a really nice one, but very small, only six rooms. Good value for the money!

And St: Petersburg is definetely not one of the cheaper cities in Russia.

[Gator]

I too would spend about $1500 per week in Ukraine, excluding airfare.  Stayed at decent apartments, made my own simple breakfast and snacks, and tended to walk-metro-bus everywhere.

An interpreter was only $10 per hour (two years ago) if I needed one.  

The normal UW will not demand expensive fare at a restaurant unless you encourage her, and even then she may balk.  If you're taking a UW to a club with cocktails, etc., that could get expensive.

[Col HJ]

Like Col HJ, I'm a little surprised at some of the figures thrown around here.

No kidding -Some very real numbers from my last trip six weeks ago:

4 oversized Pivas killing time at the domestic terminal in KBP - $6

3 hour rental of a very nice privately owned banya for six of us -$36

Dinner and way too many drinks for six in a nice riverside restaurant - $80

As long as we wanted in the funny green mineral water
swimming pool for 3 adults and 2 kids,2 pivas,2 waters and 2 ice creams  - $16

The 2 heaviest bags of groceries I ever carried from
the market including caviar and 2 big pieces of Salmon - $35

My all too familiar last morning cab to the airport - $2

[clarkcr]

hey, thanks!  That is what I figured.  I will be taking the overnight train to Mariupol to meet her mom and then back again a few days later for my return flight.

she is wary of the studio setup, and we have kidded each other back and forth over the matter.  I resolve to stay on the couch (no kidding Kuna) until things heat up.  She passes ALL the tests, and I have not one "bad" feeling about her.  I had these negative feelings with the countless others. 

so, my trip is booked!  I leave 9/5 and return to nasty old Houston Town 9/15.  She can't wait and neither can I.  I'm staying in a one BEDROOM apt with a pullout for $119 a night for 4 nights, then on to Mariupol for 3 nights. 

Hey Kuna!  do you think her Mom would appreciate me calling her place the "stabbin' cabin"?  ha ha!!  Or should I say: XA XA!!!!

Cheers everyone!

C

[kryten41]

4 oversized Pivas killing time at the domestic terminal in KBP - $6

Dang, that's about what I paid for one bottle of water in the International Terminal at KBP in late June 2008.

Hotels seem very expensive in Kiev also--even the cheap hotel near the airport is $120 per night.

[Taz]

A decent apartment in Mariupol will run at least $60US a night. You can get cheaper and spending a bit more can get you something pretty nice. Some of the figures quoted here show that some people have more money than sense.

You'd have to work pretty hard to spend $500/day even in Kiev unless you are staying at the most expensive hotels. For half that you can stay in a great apartment AND have quite a few nice meals. In Mariupol you can easily eat nicely on $15/pp. If you like to drink heavily maybe double that.

In Kiev I budget closer to $35/pp to eat one nice meal and another at a typical Russian place. I'll usually cook my own breakfast for a woman if she likes to sleep in. Nothing like serving a beautiful woman breakfast in bed...

[Faux Pas]

Several mentioned that they question the numbers thrown around but failed to mention which numbers. I stand by my quotes for both metro and provincial areas. Naturally it's going to depend on the city. I don't spend extravagantly at home or abroad but I don't hesitate to spend. I enjoy a bottle of fine wine with a fine first class meal and my lady is well worth it. I've spent $200-$300 on a meal in many cities in America. To be able to do the same and cover other expenses with the numbers I quoted, I consider to be quite a deal. Most cities in the FSU are still a very good value. $250-$350 in provincial areas and $400-$500 in the metro cities are good numbers for budgeting purposes and as I stated before it can certainly be done much cheaper. If you are "into" that

[kievstar]

Spending depends on the person.  I personally spend a lot in Kiev just my taste.  For example,  one night in June going to Lenny Kravitz concert, fancy restaurant, and than a very good table at a disco cost me $2,000.  I like fancy restaurants and good wine for dinner.  Fews days later went to see Tamara famous Georgian singer and a nice dinner and disco was around $1,100.  A lot of guys in Kiev spend a lot more per day. 

But you can go cheaper.  But I am a generous person and second date will always be an expensive one in Kiev.

Just like in Vegas in Kiev you can have fun cheap or expensive.  I have a lot of local friends in Kiev and people in Kiev tend to be very free with spending their money.  Eventually you will see the credit issues in Ukraine as everybody is buying cars on credit, houses on 15% credit, etc.  Poor economy in Ukraine is very good for the men on this board. 

[Col HJ]

Dang, that's about what I paid for one bottle of water in the International Terminal at KBP in late June 2008.

Hotels seem very expensive in Kiev also--even the cheap hotel near the airport is $120 per night.

The aforementioned pivas were 7 hryvnia each to be precise, or about $6.15 for the 4 of them. A veritable bargain considering a bottle of water from the same cooler was 5 hryvnia. I seem to remember draft beer going for 15 or 20 hryvnia in the international terminal.

The one and only hotel I stayed at in Kiev was $80 but it was a 30 minute,40 buck cab ride to get there. It's an expensive city period. My girl has a family member from Kiev now married to a gent from New Zealand, they are in Kiev now consolidating the sale of her old flat - for 200K.