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: $1,489 in Bydgoszcz versus $1,773 in Krakow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,280 in Bydgoszcz versus $2,539 in Krakow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,071 in Bydgoszcz versus $3,305 in Krakow.

Living in Bydgoszcz costs roughly 16% less than in Krakow, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bydgoszcz 11% above, Krakow 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.35 zł 43.11

$10.91 zł 41.43

4.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 zł 256

$53.7 zł 204

25.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 zł 30.14

$9.55 zł 36.25

-16.86%

Cappuccino

$3.97 zł 15.10

$3.98 zł 15.11

-0.25%

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

$2.30 zł 8.75

$2.21 zł 8.41

4.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 zł 6.93

$2.26 zł 8.60

-19.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.97 zł 15.07

$4.16 zł 15.81

-4.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 zł 14.11

$4.04 zł 15.35

-7.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 zł 3.89

$1.16 zł 4.40

-12.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 zł 5.94

$1.45 zł 5.51

7.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 zł 6.43

$1.46 zł 5.54

15.75%

Eggs

$3.49 zł 13.26

$3.61 zł 13.69

-3.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 zł 38.69

$8.98 zł 34.11

13.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.12 zł 27.06

$6.51 zł 24.71

9.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.49 zł 55.0

$11.52 zł 43.73

25.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 zł 4.95

$1.25 zł 4.75

4.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 zł 6.33

$1.74 zł 6.62

-4.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 zł 6.27

$1.80 zł 6.84

-8.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 zł 16.14

$3.03 zł 11.51

40.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 zł 3.47

$1.02 zł 3.87

-10.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 zł 4.56

$1.06 zł 4.01

13.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 zł 4.69

$1.30 zł 4.95

-4.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 zł 2.50

$0.71 zł 2.68

-7.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.08 zł 19.28

$5.59 zł 21.21

-9.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.59 zł 32.61

$6.44 zł 24.47

33.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 zł 4.31

$1.23 zł 4.68

-8.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 zł 6.20

$1.70 zł 6.45

-4.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 zł 4.00

$1.11 zł 4.23

-5.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.83 zł 110

$39.41 zł 150

-26.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.20 zł 8.37

$2.51 zł 9.54

-12.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 zł 2.75

$0.99 zł 3.74

-26.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.65 zł 40.44

$13.03 zł 49.48

-18.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 zł 6.44

$1.69 zł 6.43

0.59%

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

$33.8K zł 128.5K

$33.1K zł 125.8K

2.15%

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

$31.3K zł 118.7K

$32.5K zł 123.3K

-3.73%

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

$234 zł 890

$278 zł 1,057

-15.85%

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

$8.89 zł 33.77

$9.20 zł 34.93

-3.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.05 zł 64.8

$16.58 zł 63.0

2.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.23 zł 141

$38.22 zł 145

-2.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.42 zł 77.6

$22.23 zł 84.4

-8.14%

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 zł 28.75

$8.05 zł 30.57

-5.96%

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

$451 zł 1,712

$437 zł 1,658

3.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,478 zł 20.8K

$12.9K zł 48.9K

-57.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.1 zł 376

$76.7 zł 291

29.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.94 zł 140

$45.54 zł 173

-18.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 zł 422

$101 zł 384

9.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 zł 489

$113 zł 429

14.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$722 zł 2,743

$904 zł 3,433

-20.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$506 zł 1,923

$757 zł 2,876

-33.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,217 zł 4,624

$1,601 zł 6,079

-23.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$905 zł 3,437

$1,154 zł 4,383

-21.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,936 zł 11.2K

$5,725 zł 21.7K

-48.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,189 zł 8,312

$3,721 zł 14.1K

-41.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,519 zł 5,770

$1,883 zł 7,153

-19.34%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Krakow: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $722 in Bydgoszcz and $904 in Krakow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 24% 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 $54.0 in Krakow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $245 vs $221 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 19% 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, salaries run 24% lower in Krakow. 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: $722 in Bydgoszcz versus $904 in Krakow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $451 in Bydgoszcz versus $437 in Krakow. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Krakow pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,489 in Bydgoszcz versus $1,773 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 $1,489 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 19% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.