Poland is much cheaper than in other European countries. Affordable prices of food, rent and entertainment are usually one of the main reasons why people chose Poland to be their home. At the same time if you are thinking of moving to Poland you should take into consideration that you may earn much less than you used to. Here is a list of standard expenses making up the cost of living in Poland in 2019.
- Cost of accommodation in Poland
- Cost of food in Poland
- Cost of transport in Poland
- Cost of eating out in Poland
- Cost of going out and entertainment in Poland
- List of the most affordable to the most expensive cities in Poland
Cost of accommodation in Poland
| City | Flat size | Average monthly rent |
|---|---|---|
| Bydgoszcz | 0-38 m2 | 996 PLN |
| 38-60 m2 | 1267 PLN | |
| 60-90 m2 | 1713 PLN | |
| Gdansk | 0-38 m2 | 1353 PLN |
| 38-60 m2 | 1995 PLN | |
| 60-90 m2 | 2590 PLN | |
| Katowice | 0-38 m2 | 1279 PLN |
| 38-60 m2 | 1769 PLN | |
| 60-90 m2 | 2399 PLN | |
| Kraków | 0-38 m2 | 1445 PLN |
| 38-60 m2 | 1877 PLN | |
| 60-90 m2 | 2585 PLN | |
| Lublin | 0-38 m2 | 1306 PLN |
| 38-60 m2 | 1688 PLN | |
| 60-90 m2 | 2205 PLN | |
| Lodz | 0-38 m2 | 1203 PLN |
| 38-60 m2 | 1645 PLN | |
| 60-90 m2 | 2581 PLN | |
| Poznan | 0-38 m2 | 1159 PLN |
| 38-60 m2 | 1636 PLN | |
| 60-90 m2 | 2201 PLN | |
| Szczecin | 0-38 m2 | 1186 PLN |
| 38-60 m2 | 1552 PLN | |
| 60-90 m2 | 2014 PLN | |
| Warsaw | 0-38 m2 | 1984 PLN |
| 38-60 m2 | 2799 PLN | |
| 60-90 m2 | 4015 PLN | |
| Wroclaw | 0-38 m2 | 1477 PLN |
| 38-60 m2 | 2260 PLN | |
| 60-90 m2 | 2921 PLN |
On top of your rent you need to add a monthly cost of utilities. On average, bills for electricity, heating, water and garbage for a medium size flat are costing 620 PLN. Of course this price will depend on a city you live in, local council tax and your usage. Internet is another extra cost you should think of and it adds to your list another 45 PLN.
| Utilities (Monthly) | Average monthly cost | Range |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Water, Garbage) for 85m2 Apartment | 620 PLN | 400-850 PLN |
| Internet (10 Mbps, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 45 PLN | 30-60 PLN |
Cost of food in Poland
Food in Poland is fairly cheap, especially compared to countries like UK or France as it’s approximately on average 50% lower. Prices of some products may surprise, cheese for example is really expensive in comparison to meat which price is one of the lowest in the whole European Union.
| Product | Average cost | Range |
| Milk (regular), (1 liter) | 2.39 PLN | 2-3 PLN |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g) | 2.76 PLN | 2-3 PLN |
| Rice (white), (1kg) | 3.19 PLN | 2-5 PLN |
| Eggs (12) | 7.47 PLN | 3.60-8.40 PLN |
| Local Cheese (1kg) | 22.89 PLN | 18-30 PLN |
| Chicken Breasts (Boneless, Skinless), (1kg) | 15.85 PLN | 13-18 PLN |
| Beef Round (1kg) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 32.52 PLN | 22-40 PLN |
| Apples (1kg) | 2.88 PLN | 2-4 PLN |
| Banana (1kg) | 4.28 PLN | 3-5 PLN |
| Oranges (1kg) | 4.54 PLN | 3.50-6 PLN |
| Tomato (1kg) | 5.33 PLN | 4-8 PLN |
| Potato (1kg) | 1.89 PLN | 1-2.50 PLN |
| Onion (1kg) | 2.27 PLN | 1.13-3 PLN |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 2.87 PLN | 2-4 PLN |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 1.83 PLN | 1.20-3 PLN |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 20.00 PLN | 17-25 PLN |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 3.01 PLN | 2.50-4.00 PLN |
| Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle) | 4.22 PLN | 3-6 PLN |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 16.00 PLN | 16-16.70 PLN |
Cost of transport in Poland
| Transportation | Average cost | Range |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 3.40 PLN | 3-4.40 PLN |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 100 PLN | 89-100 PLN |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 7.00 PLN | 5-8 PLN |
| Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff) | 2.40 PLN | 2.00-2.80 PLN |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | 4.99 PLN | 4.65-5.20 PLN |
Cost of eating out in Poland
| Restaurants | Average cost | Range |
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 20 PLN | 15-30 PLN |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 100 PLN | 70-120 PLN |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 18 PLN | 15-20 PLN |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 8.11 PLN | 6-10 PLN |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33 liter bottle) | 3.85 PLN | 2-6 PLN |
| Water (0.33 liter bottle) in a pub | 3.16 PLN | 1.6-5 PLN |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter draught) in a pub | 8 PLN | 5-10 PLN |
| Imported Beer (0.33 liter) in a pub | 8 PLN | 5-10 PLN |
Cost of going out and entertainment in Poland
| Activity | Average cost | Range |
| Concerts & music gigs | 30 PLN | 10-50 PLN |
| Cinema ticket | 20 PLN | 18-35 PLN |
| Theater ticket | 70 PLN | 50-200 PLN |
| Club entry | 15 PLN | 10-30 PLN |
Above data is based on over 28164 entries.
List of the most affordable to the most expensive cities in Poland
Similarly to any other country, Poland has its cheap and expensive regions. Choosing one city over another will have a significant impact on your salary, monthly spendings and possible savings. Here is the list of the main Polish cities ranked from the most affordable to the most expensive place to live (taking into consideration rent cost, bills and public transport costs):
#1 Bialystok
#2 Torun
#3 Bydgoszcz
#4 Szczecin
#5 Lodz
#6 Poznan
#7 Gdansk
#8 Wroclaw
#9 Krakow
#10 Warsaw