Cost of Living Comparison Between Bydgoszcz and Krakow Cost of Living Comparison Between Bydgoszcz and Krakow

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,474 in Bydgoszcz versus $1,738 in Krakow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,272 in Bydgoszcz versus $2,487 in Krakow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,069 in Bydgoszcz versus $3,236 in Krakow.

Living in Bydgoszcz costs roughly 15% less than in Krakow, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bydgoszcz 10% above, Krakow 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.69 zł 42.62

$10.66 zł 38.85

9.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.4 zł 246

$55.2 zł 201

22.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 zł 29.04

$9.30 zł 33.91

-14.30%

Cappuccino

$4.00 zł 14.57

$4.03 zł 14.71

-0.74%

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

$2.33 zł 8.49

$2.22 zł 8.08

4.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 zł 6.84

$2.22 zł 8.10

-15.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.95 zł 14.42

$4.03 zł 14.69

-1.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 zł 14.05

$4.16 zł 15.15

-7.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 zł 3.91

$1.10 zł 4.01

-2.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 zł 5.48

$1.45 zł 5.27

3.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 zł 6.41

$1.47 zł 5.37

19.73%

Eggs

$3.38 zł 12.31

$3.75 zł 13.66

-9.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.37 zł 37.78

$9.05 zł 32.99

14.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.02 zł 25.59

$6.37 zł 23.23

10.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.49 zł 52.8

$11.55 zł 42.11

25.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 zł 4.92

$1.25 zł 4.54

8.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 zł 5.89

$1.81 zł 6.61

-10.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 zł 5.97

$1.80 zł 6.54

-8.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.26 zł 15.52

$3.13 zł 11.41

36.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 zł 3.38

$1.05 zł 3.82

-11.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 zł 4.28

$1.01 zł 3.69

15.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 zł 4.76

$1.36 zł 4.95

-3.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 zł 2.44

$0.66 zł 2.42

1.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.03 zł 18.33

$5.48 zł 19.98

-8.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.69 zł 31.67

$6.84 zł 24.92

27.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 zł 4.04

$1.23 zł 4.49

-9.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 zł 5.80

$1.76 zł 6.43

-9.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 zł 3.85

$1.10 zł 4.02

-3.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.74 zł 105

$39.51 zł 144

-27.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.20 zł 8.03

$2.51 zł 9.14

-12.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 zł 2.60

$1.02 zł 3.70

-30.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.67 zł 38.91

$12.91 zł 47.05

-17.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 zł 6.24

$1.72 zł 6.25

-0.58%

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

$33.2K zł 121.1K

$33.0K zł 120.3K

0.69%

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

$31.6K zł 115.2K

$31.4K zł 114.3K

0.73%

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

$232 zł 845

$270 zł 984

-14.16%

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

$8.68 zł 31.63

$9.39 zł 34.22

-7.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.15 zł 62.5

$16.80 zł 61.2

2.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.10 zł 139

$39.23 zł 143

-2.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.55 zł 74.9

$22.83 zł 83.2

-9.99%

Cinema Ticket

$7.88 zł 28.74

$8.22 zł 29.95

-4.14%

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

$451 zł 1,644

$446 zł 1,626

1.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,504 zł 20.1K

$13.3K zł 48.5K

-58.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.7 zł 356

$77.8 zł 283

25.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 zł 139

$44.83 zł 163

-15.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 zł 402

$99.5 zł 363

10.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 zł 466

$111 zł 406

14.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$704 zł 2,567

$908 zł 3,308

-22.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 zł 1,820

$768 zł 2,799

-34.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 zł 4,374

$1,585 zł 5,778

-24.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$896 zł 3,266

$1,189 zł 4,333

-24.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,080 zł 11.2K

$5,925 zł 21.6K

-48.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,294 zł 8,362

$3,808 zł 13.9K

-39.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,598 zł 5,824

$1,961 zł 7,148

-18.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

7.77

-17.63%

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

Last update for Bydgoszcz: May 31, 2026

Last update for Krakow: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $704 in Bydgoszcz and $908 in Krakow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 23% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $67.0 in Bydgoszcz vs $55.0 in Krakow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $245 vs $222 per month, with Krakow cheaper across the board.

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

Bydgoszcz vs Krakow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bydgoszcz wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Krakow. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bydgoszcz the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Krakow earns 23% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $704 in Bydgoszcz versus $908 in Krakow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $451 in Bydgoszcz versus $446 in Krakow. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Krakow pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,474 in Bydgoszcz versus $1,738 in Krakow, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bydgoszcz but tight or insufficient in Krakow. The gap between the two cities makes Bydgoszcz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bydgoszcz delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,474 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bydgoszcz hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bydgoszcz and Krakow are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bydgoszcz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.