There are 3 popular locations where expats prefer to live:
1) Downtown - this area has apartments only
2) Near PSI (Pechersk School International)
3) Near KIS (Kiev International School)
Downtown
The historical center has a wide range of choice in apartments from small to large and from Tsarsky (high ceilings) to modern architecture (with underground parking). Besides the modern architecture the apartments have rather shabby entrances but more style.
Despite the long warm summers balconies and roof terraces are hard to find in apartments. The downtown area offers a lot of entertainment. Parking in the evening and weekends is never a problem.
Downtown districts
The central part is all around the main street Khreschatik. It consists of 5 districts: Shevchenkovsky, Pechersky with government region “Lipki”, Goloseevsky and Podolsky. Worth to mention that these areas (except Lipky) cover a fairly large territory and go far beyond the city center. Expat live centers around a relatively small circle in the centers as highlighted on the map:
Shevchenkivsky district
It covers most part of the city center. It is the location of many embassies and diplomatic missions. The most lively is located Golden Gate. Main streets are Yaroslaviv Val, Volodymyrska and B. Khmelnytskogo streets. There are many cultural and architectural monuments, plenty of cafes, restaurants and parks. In these areas 5 metro stations are located, therefore it takes up to 10 min walking distance to reach metro.
Pechersky district (with government region “Lipki”)
This area covers most of government buildings including Verhovna Rada and President Administration. Best parks are Mariyinkyi and Victory. The district is famous of its greenery and stunning views from “Pechersk Hills”, where Pecherska Lavra and the Great Patriot War Museum with the giant steal Maty Batkivshchyna statue are located.
From the living point of view the most attractive area for expats is located near main square Maidan per 20 years. After Euromaidan actions when more than 120 people were shot, the Maidan neighborhood was forbidden for living by security departments of some embassies.
Golosiivsky district
Extend along Velyka Vasylkivska (former Krasnoarmeiskaya) and Antonovicha (former Gorkogo) streets. This district borders are the old botanical garden with Lva Tolstogo street on the north and ends on Zhilyanskaya street on the east and Ivana Fedorova street on the south. It is a lively area with many small shops and the popular Vladimirskaya food market.
Podolsky district
Kyiv’s oldest neighborhood; it has pre-revolutionary architecture, quiet streets, and a big choice of cafes. Podil is located near the center of Kiev on the banks of the Dnipro River and is close to several of Kiev’s top tourist attractions — Andriyivskyi Uzviz (“Andrew’s Descent”) with its souvenir street market and nearby art galleries. Podil is less developed as the other districts.