Cost of Living Comparison Between Gdansk and Bydgoszcz Cost of Living Comparison Between Gdansk and Bydgoszcz

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,410 in Gdansk versus $2,272 in Bydgoszcz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,083 in Gdansk versus $3,069 in Bydgoszcz.

Living in Gdansk is roughly 18% more expensive than Bydgoszcz, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gdansk
Bydgoszcz
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.80 zł 39.45
$11.69 zł 42.71
-7.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.0 zł 201
$67.4 zł 246
-18.40%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.75 zł 31.95
$7.97 zł 29.10
9.79%
Cappuccino
$4.09 zł 14.95
$4.00 zł 14.60
2.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 zł 7.97
$2.33 zł 8.51
-6.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 zł 7.08
$1.88 zł 6.86
3.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.18 zł 15.27
$3.95 zł 14.45
5.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.16 zł 15.21
$3.85 zł 14.08
8.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gdansk
Bydgoszcz
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 zł 3.85
$1.07 zł 3.91
-1.87%
White Bread (500g)
$1.33 zł 4.86
$1.50 zł 5.50
-11.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.88 zł 6.87
$1.76 zł 6.42
6.82%
Eggs
$3.34 zł 12.18
$3.38 zł 12.33
-1.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.55 zł 34.89
$10.37 zł 37.86
-7.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.51 zł 23.79
$7.02 zł 25.64
-7.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.95 zł 47.31
$14.49 zł 53.0
-10.63%
Apples (1kg)
$1.05 zł 3.84
$1.35 zł 4.94
-22.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.88 zł 6.85
$1.62 zł 5.90
16.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.97 zł 7.19
$1.64 zł 5.98
20.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.78 zł 10.15
$4.26 zł 15.55
-34.74%
Potato (1kg)
$0.96 zł 3.52
$0.93 zł 3.39
3.23%
Onion (1kg)
$1.08 zł 3.96
$1.17 zł 4.29
-7.69%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.40 zł 5.10
$1.31 zł 4.77
6.87%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.69 zł 2.53
$0.67 zł 2.45
2.99%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.52 zł 20.17
$5.03 zł 18.37
9.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.70 zł 28.13
$8.69 zł 31.74
-11.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 zł 4.21
$1.11 zł 4.05
3.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.76 zł 6.43
$1.59 zł 5.82
10.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Gdansk
Bydgoszcz
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.27 zł 4.65
$1.06 zł 3.86
19.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$31.68 zł 116
$28.74 zł 105
10.23%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.11 zł 7.73
$2.20 zł 8.04
-4.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.80 zł 2.91
$0.71 zł 2.61
12.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.64 zł 49.81
$10.67 zł 38.99
27.84%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.76 zł 6.44
$1.71 zł 6.26
2.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.1K zł 120.8K
$33.2K zł 121.4K
-0.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.4K zł 114.6K
$31.6K zł 115.4K
-0.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gdansk
Bydgoszcz
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$310 zł 1,133
$232 zł 847
33.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.05 zł 40.35
$8.68 zł 31.70
27.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.98 zł 69.3
$17.15 zł 62.7
10.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gdansk
Bydgoszcz
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.46 zł 159
$38.10 zł 139
14.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.61 zł 79.0
$20.55 zł 75.1
5.16%
Cinema Ticket
$6.67 zł 24.37
$7.88 zł 28.80
-15.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gdansk
Bydgoszcz
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$374 zł 1,367
$451 zł 1,647
-16.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,697 zł 28.1K
$5,504 zł 20.1K
39.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gdansk
Bydgoszcz
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$83.8 zł 306
$97.7 zł 357
-14.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.59 zł 156
$38.09 zł 139
11.81%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.8 zł 306
$110 zł 403
-24.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.0 zł 314
$128 zł 466
-32.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gdansk
Bydgoszcz
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$881 zł 3,217
$704 zł 2,573
25.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$725 zł 2,647
$499 zł 1,824
45.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,480 zł 5,406
$1,200 zł 4,384
23.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,039 zł 3,795
$896 zł 3,273
15.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,774 zł 21.1K
$3,080 zł 11.3K
87.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,414 zł 12.5K
$2,294 zł 8,379
48.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gdansk
Bydgoszcz
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,008 zł 7,335
$1,598 zł 5,837
25.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.01
6.4
9.53%

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

Last update for Gdansk: June 2, 2026

Last update for Bydgoszcz: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $881 in Gdansk and $704 in Bydgoszcz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gdansk pays 26% 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: $55.0 in Gdansk vs $67.0 in Bydgoszcz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $245 per month, with Gdansk 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
Gdansk vs Bydgoszcz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Gdansk or Bydgoszcz?
Bydgoszcz wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Gdansk. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bydgoszcz the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Gdansk or Bydgoszcz?
Gdansk pays 26% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Gdansk vs Bydgoszcz?
Rent for a central apartment: $881 in Gdansk versus $704 in Bydgoszcz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Gdansk and Bydgoszcz?
Childcare runs $374 in Gdansk versus $451 in Bydgoszcz. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Gdansk or Bydgoszcz?
Shoppers in Gdansk pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Gdansk or Bydgoszcz?
At $1,474 in Bydgoszcz versus $1,738 in Gdansk, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bydgoszcz but tight or insufficient in Gdansk. The gap between the two cities makes Bydgoszcz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Gdansk or Bydgoszcz?
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.
How safe is Gdansk compared to Bydgoszcz?
Safety-wise, Gdansk and Bydgoszcz are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Bydgoszcz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Gdansk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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