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First steps in Poland

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It’s no secret that living in Poland is much cheaper compared to other European countries. Affordable prices of food, rent and entertainment are usually one of the main reasons why people choose 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 considerably less than you used to. To make this decision easier for you, we’ve put together a list of standard expenses making up the cost of living in Poland in 2018.

2020 cost of living Pocket guide

You can check the up to date exchange rates for Polish zloty here.

Cost of accommodation in Poland

Warsaw is by far the most expensive city when it comes to renting a flat. The average cost of a medium size flat in the capital can reach even as high as 2800 PLN per month. A bit cheaper flats can be rented in Wroclaw (2260 PLN a month) and Gdansk (1995 PLN a month). The cheapest large city in Poland is Bydgoszcz with rents as low as 1267 PLN a month for a medium size flat.

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
Krakow 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 the city you live in, local council tax and your utilities usage. Internet is another additional cost you should think of which adds to another 45 PLN to your expenses.

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

Food in Poland is fairly cheap, especially compared to countries like the UK or France. Compared to these countries, food prices in Poland are on average around 50% lower. Prices of some products may surprise as cheese for example is really expensive in comparison to meat which price is among the lowest in the whole European Union.

Product Average cost Range
Milk (regular), (1 liter) 2.37 PLN 2-3 PLN
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g) 2.72 PLN 2-3 PLN
Rice (white), (1kg) 3.17 PLN 2-5 PLN
Eggs (12) 7.08 PLN 4.80-8.40 PLN
Local Cheese (1kg) 21.87 PLN 18-30 PLN
Chicken Breasts (Boneless, Skinless), (1kg) 15 PLN 13-18 PLN
Beef Round (1kg) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) 31 PLN 22-40 PLN
Apples (1kg) 3 PLN 2-4 PLN
Banana (1kg) 4.28 PLN 3.50-5 PLN
Oranges (1kg) 4.50 PLN 4-6 PLN
Tomato (1kg) 5.16 PLN 4-8 PLN
Potato (1kg) 1.65 PLN 1-2.50 PLN
Onion (1kg) 2 PLN 1-3 PLN
Lettuce (1 head) 2.80 PLN 2-4 PLN
Water (1.5 liter bottle) 1.79 PLN 1.50-3 PLN
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) 20 PLN 15-30 PLN
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) 2.99 PLN 2.50-4.00 PLN
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle) 4.00 PLN 3-6 PLN

Cost of transport

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) 6.50 PLN 5-8 PLN
Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff) 2.40 PLN 2.00-2.80 PLN
Gasoline (1 liter) 4.60 PLN 4.30-5 PLN

Cost of eating out in Poland

Eating and drinking 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) 17 PLN 15-20 PLN
Cappuccino (regular) 7.40 PLN 6-10 PLN
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter draught) in a pub 7 PLN 4-10 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 28,164 entries.

The most affordable and 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

Avarage salary in Poland

In 2018 the average salary in Poland is heading towards 4900 PLN a month, which is around 3530 PLN after tax (shy of 830 Euro). Of course, income depends on many factors like industry, city, skills and education of the candidate, to name just a few. Here is the full report on average salaries in Poland.

You can check the up to date exchange rates for Polish zloty here.

Do you want more?

Check out 7 the best cities to live and work in Poland.



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