Cost of Living Comparison Between Bialystok and Krakow Cost of Living Comparison Between Bialystok and Krakow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,528 per month in Bialystok vs $1,943 in Krakow, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,178 per month in Bialystok vs $2,761 in Krakow, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,828 per month in Bialystok vs $3,580 in Krakow, rent included.

Bialystok is about 21% cheaper than Krakow, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bialystok and Krakow sit above the global median – Bialystok by 11%, Krakow by 41%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.20 zł 37.90

$12.82 zł 47.60

-20.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.08 zł 179

$54.2 zł 201

-11.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.46 zł 35.15

$9.65 zł 35.83

-1.97%

Cappuccino

$3.86 zł 14.35

$4.51 zł 16.73

-14.41%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 zł 7.06

$2.60 zł 9.66

-26.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 zł 6.10

$2.52 zł 9.35

-34.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 zł 13.73

$4.90 zł 18.20

-24.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 zł 12.14

$4.26 zł 15.80

-23.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 zł 4.14

$1.17 zł 4.35

-4.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 zł 4.05

$1.61 zł 5.99

-32.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 zł 8.71

$1.82 zł 6.76

29.12%

Eggs

$3.98 zł 14.79

$4.10 zł 15.23

-2.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.46 zł 35.12

$9.58 zł 35.57

-1.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.11 zł 22.69

$8.04 zł 29.87

-24.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.65 zł 43.29

$13.67 zł 50.8

-14.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.32 zł 4.91

$1.40 zł 5.21

-5.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 zł 6.90

$1.79 zł 6.63

3.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 zł 6.43

$1.79 zł 6.64

-3.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 zł 7.64

$3.25 zł 12.06

-36.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 zł 4.28

$0.95 zł 3.54

21.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 zł 4.74

$1.04 zł 3.86

23.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 zł 4.59

$1.33 zł 4.94

-6.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 zł 2.19

$0.84 zł 3.11

-29.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 zł 20.26

$6.48 zł 24.05

-15.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.71 zł 24.94

$6.56 zł 24.38

2.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 zł 4.55

$1.27 zł 4.72

-3.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 zł 5.64

$1.71 zł 6.34

-11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 zł 4.31

$1.58 zł 5.88

-26.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.38 zł 131

$35.11 zł 130

0.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.13 zł 7.90

$2.38 zł 8.83

-10.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 zł 2.67

$1.10 zł 4.08

-34.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.58 zł 50.4

$12.44 zł 46.19

9.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 zł 5.90

$1.63 zł 6.07

-2.45%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$32.6K zł 121.0K

$32.7K zł 121.5K

-0.36%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$28.5K zł 105.7K

$29.8K zł 110.6K

-4.45%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$314 zł 1,165

$335 zł 1,244

-6.41%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$8.66 zł 32.16

$9.40 zł 34.93

-7.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 zł 69.8

$19.31 zł 71.7

-2.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.74 zł 159

$47.25 zł 176

-9.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.07 zł 108

$26.50 zł 98.4

9.70%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 zł 26.31

$8.95 zł 33.25

-20.89%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$376 zł 1,397

$476 zł 1,769

-20.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,452 zł 16.5K

$10.3K zł 38.4K

-56.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 zł 383

$101 zł 377

1.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.06 zł 141

$41.76 zł 155

-8.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 zł 338

$92.6 zł 344

-1.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.6 zł 352

$127 zł 473

-25.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$563 zł 2,092

$981 zł 3,643

-42.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$529 zł 1,966

$789 zł 2,931

-32.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$857 zł 3,185

$1,505 zł 5,591

-43.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$764 zł 2,836

$1,165 zł 4,328

-34.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 zł 10.5K

$5,819 zł 21.6K

-51.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,386 zł 8,861

$3,745 zł 13.9K

-36.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,504 zł 5,585

$1,944 zł 7,221

-22.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

6.64

6.48%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bialystok: August 29, 2026

Last update for Krakow: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $563 in Bialystok versus $981 in Krakow. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 29% higher in Krakow, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Bialystok versus $54.0 in Krakow. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $217 vs $246 – making Bialystok the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bialystok vs Krakow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Krakow costs about 27% more than Bialystok, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,292 per month in Bialystok and $2,914 in Krakow. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bialystok, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $376 per month in Bialystok and $476 in Krakow. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Krakow, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bialystok, where all-in costs run around $1,528, than in Krakow at $1,943. In Bialystok it covers expenses comfortably, while in Krakow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bialystok costs $1,528 versus $1,943 in Krakow. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bialystok. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Krakow makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.