Cost of Living Comparison Between Bialystok and Warsaw Cost of Living Comparison Between Bialystok and Warsaw

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,424 per month in Bialystok vs $1,988 in Warsaw, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,048 per month in Bialystok vs $2,920 in Warsaw, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,672 per month in Bialystok vs $3,852 in Warsaw, rent included.

Bialystok is about 28% cheaper than Warsaw, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bialystok and Warsaw sit above the global median – Bialystok by 7%, Warsaw by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.71 zł 35.43

$10.66 zł 38.88

-8.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.70 zł 174

$57.8 zł 211

-17.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.79 zł 28.44

$9.45 zł 34.47

-17.57%

Cappuccino

$3.24 zł 11.84

$4.11 zł 15.02

-21.17%

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

$1.89 zł 6.90

$2.07 zł 7.54

-8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 zł 6.18

$1.84 zł 6.72

-8.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 zł 11.60

$4.45 zł 16.23

-28.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 zł 10.79

$4.50 zł 16.41

-34.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 zł 3.97

$1.16 zł 4.23

-6.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 zł 4.46

$1.36 zł 4.97

-10.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 zł 4.43

$1.86 zł 6.78

-34.95%

Eggs

$3.10 zł 11.33

$3.53 zł 12.88

-12.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.35 zł 30.46

$10.14 zł 37.02

-17.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 zł 22.00

$7.10 zł 25.91

-15.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.78 zł 39.34

$14.30 zł 52.2

-24.62%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 zł 3.34

$1.27 zł 4.62

-28.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 zł 6.30

$1.80 zł 6.56

-3.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 zł 6.34

$1.93 zł 7.03

-9.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 zł 7.80

$3.61 zł 13.17

-40.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 zł 3.15

$1.06 zł 3.86

-18.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 zł 3.87

$1.24 zł 4.52

-14.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 zł 4.23

$1.44 zł 5.24

-19.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 zł 2.18

$0.67 zł 2.43

-10.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.20 zł 18.98

$5.53 zł 20.18

-5.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.62 zł 24.16

$8.34 zł 30.44

-20.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 zł 4.53

$1.37 zł 4.99

-9.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 zł 5.90

$1.85 zł 6.74

-12.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 zł 4.06

$1.16 zł 4.24

-4.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.20 zł 128

$30.17 zł 110

16.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 zł 7.83

$2.79 zł 10.17

-22.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 zł 1.90

$0.97 zł 3.55

-46.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.97 zł 43.68

$13.30 zł 48.53

-10.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 zł 6.44

$1.75 zł 6.40

1.14%

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

$33.8K zł 123.5K

$32.6K zł 118.9K

3.85%

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

$29.8K zł 108.7K

$32.7K zł 119.2K

-8.82%

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

$311 zł 1,136

$357 zł 1,302

-12.70%

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

$8.53 zł 31.13

$9.94 zł 36.26

-14.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.95 zł 61.8

$17.04 zł 62.2

-0.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.61 zł 137

$43.18 zł 158

-12.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.22 zł 70.1

$29.35 zł 107

-34.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 zł 25.11

$9.73 zł 35.51

-29.29%

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

$333 zł 1,216

$576 zł 2,100

-42.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,539 zł 34.8K

$15.8K zł 57.5K

-39.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.9 zł 324

$101 zł 369

-12.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.29 zł 114

$46.77 zł 171

-33.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 zł 278

$93.7 zł 342

-18.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 zł 341

$111 zł 404

-15.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 zł 1,991

$1,150 zł 4,197

-52.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 zł 1,808

$907 zł 3,310

-45.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$853 zł 3,111

$2,021 zł 7,374

-57.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 zł 2,651

$1,540 zł 5,621

-52.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,852 zł 10.4K

$6,137 zł 22.4K

-53.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,425 zł 8,850

$4,097 zł 15.0K

-40.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,612 zł 5,881

$2,196 zł 8,014

-26.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.47

7.55

-14.30%

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

Last update for Bialystok: June 16, 2026

Last update for Warsaw: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $546 in Bialystok versus $1,150 in Warsaw. 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 36% higher in Warsaw, 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 $58.0 in Warsaw. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $245 – 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 Warsaw: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Warsaw costs about 40% more than Bialystok, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,136 per month in Bialystok and $2,982 in Warsaw. 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 $333 per month in Bialystok and $576 in Warsaw. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Warsaw, 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 $1,424, than in Warsaw at $1,988. In Bialystok it covers expenses comfortably, while in Warsaw it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bialystok costs $1,424 versus $1,988 in Warsaw. 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, Warsaw makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.