A Ukrainian woman who moved to New York amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine issued a stark warning about the city's affordability crisis.
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the "special military operation" in Ukraine more than two years ago on February 24, 2022, causing a widespread humanitarian crisis across the Eastern European nation. Millions of Ukrainians fled their home country following the invasion, with more than 270,000 migrating to the U.S., as the Biden administration casts itself as a staunch supporter of Kyiv, according to a 2023 report from NBC News.
However, at least one Ukrainian refugee named Kseniia Nadvotska returned to her home country after realizing how expensive it is to live in New York, she told Bloomberg in an interview published on Friday.
She fled Kyiv, her hometown and the capital of Kyiv, amid the conflict, eventually making her way to New York City after crossing through Romania, Poland, Germany, Mexico and California, according to the report.
Although she once viewed living in the U.S. as a "dream," she quickly realized the city was too expensive to live in after working in low-paying jobs and living in "cramped" apartments in Brooklyn, Bloomberg reported.
By the end of 2023, she opted to leave the city and return to Ukraine, according to Bloomberg, issuing a warning about the city's affordability crisis that has affected millions of New Yorkers in recent years.
"I would tell anyone coming to New York to take off their rose-colored glasses," she said. "You have to work so much just to pay your bills, your living expenses. To get a driver's license. For a single parent and a child, it's impossible."
Newsweek reached out to New York City Mayor Eric Adams' office for comment via email.
New York remains one of the most expensive cities to live in across the United States, with thousands fleeing the city each year in search of a more affordable life.
According to RentHop, a studio apartment in New York City averages $3,468 per month, while a two-bedroom costs $4,900 per month on average as of April 2024. Meanwhile, the average monthly grocery bill in the city was $486 in March 2023, according to BankRate.
In March, a report from the nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank Citizen Budget Commission (CBC) found growing unhappiness among New Yorkers from 2017 to 2023, with only half of the survey's respondents saying they plan to stay in the city past 2028, citing a variety of issues including public safety, schools and cleanliness.
Adams, however, has emphasized his efforts to make New York City more affordable for its residents, in January touting an 80 percent increase in financing for new construction and preservation of affordable houses in the city.
"We are proud of our administration's progress building a record number of affordable homes last year, but New York City cannot solve this affordable housing crisis alone," Adams said in a press release, also thanking Governor Kathy Hochul "for her leadership on this issue."
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Andrew Stanton is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in Maine. His role is reporting on U.S. politics and social issues. ... Read more
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