Measurement units Temperature, distance and clock format
Last update: Oct 2026
Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Poland
For one person, living is cheaper in Poland: $1,547 a month against $1,825 in Italy, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. The total is higher in Italy despite lower rent and utilities.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Italy and in Poland actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,825 in Italy versus $1,547 in Poland.
Italy $1,825
Poland $1,547
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,790 in Italy versus $2,218 in Poland.
Italy $2,790
Poland $2,218
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,756 in Italy versus $2,889 in Poland.
Italy $3,756
Poland $2,889
📏
Internal cost variation is higher in Italy: monthly costs span $1,044 to $2,560, compared to $1,127–$2,051 in Poland. City choice carries more weight in Italy.
🌍
Living in Italy is roughly 18% more expensive than in Poland on average.
📊
Both countries sit above the global median: Italy 35% above, Poland 14% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Poland
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.90€17.70
$10.33zł 40.15
92.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.1€68.6
$48.22zł 187
59.91%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.41€10.15
$9.00zł 34.97
26.78%
Cappuccino
$2.01€1.78
$3.71zł 14.41
-45.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.13€2.78
$2.08zł 8.10
50.48%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40€1.24
$1.84zł 7.14
-23.91%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.76€5.12
$3.74zł 14.52
54.01%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.73€5.10
$4.16zł 16.16
37.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Poland
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.62€1.44
$1.03zł 4.01
57.28%
White Bread(500g)
$2.38€2.12
$1.34zł 5.22
77.61%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.92€2.60
$1.43zł 5.54
104.20%
Eggs
$4.17€3.70
$3.41zł 13.25
22.29%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.28€15.37
$8.49zł 32.99
103.53%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.73€11.32
$6.67zł 25.91
90.85%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.39€18.13
$12.29zł 47.75
65.91%
Apples(1kg)
$2.61€2.32
$1.17zł 4.56
123.08%
Banana(1kg)
$2.12€1.88
$1.68zł 6.53
26.19%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.63€2.34
$1.76zł 6.84
49.43%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.34€2.97
$2.90zł 11.27
15.17%
Potato(1kg)
$2.02€1.79
$0.90zł 3.49
124.44%
Onion(1kg)
$1.89€1.69
$0.99zł 3.85
90.91%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.56€1.39
$1.32zł 5.12
18.18%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55€0.49
$0.63zł 2.45
-12.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.84€6.08
$5.68zł 22.07
20.42%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.64€6.80
$6.81zł 26.45
12.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80€1.61
$1.14zł 4.43
57.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40€2.14
$1.57zł 6.09
52.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Poland
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.86€1.65
$1.16zł 4.50
60.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$43.27€38.49
$29.96zł 116
44.43%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.64€5.01
$2.28zł 8.87
147.37%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.71€1.52
$1.02zł 3.96
67.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$33.04€29.39
$13.06zł 50.8
152.99%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.11€1.87
$1.63zł 6.33
29.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.8K€31.8K
$30.6Kzł 119.0K
16.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.4K€33.3K
$28.4Kzł 110.5K
31.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Poland
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$230€204
$293zł 1,138
-21.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.60€10.32
$9.32zł 36.19
24.46%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.40€27.04
$17.23zł 66.9
76.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Poland
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.9€47.96
$38.55zł 150
39.87%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.24€21.56
$25.96zł 101
-6.63%
Cinema Ticket
$10.58€9.41
$7.51zł 29.17
40.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Poland
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$545€485
$426zł 1,654
28.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K€10.3K
$8,913zł 34.6K
29.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Poland
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.4€78.7
$82.4zł 320
7.27%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.60€35.22
$38.26zł 149
3.50%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$101€89.8
$89.6zł 348
12.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133€118
$99.1zł 385
34.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Poland
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$799€711
$708zł 2,752
12.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$624€555
$580zł 2,252
7.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,423€1,266
$1,156zł 4,493
23.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,030€916
$892zł 3,466
15.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,601€3,203
$3,641zł 14.1K
-1.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,270€2,019
$2,529zł 9,825
-10.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Poland
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,893€1,684
$1,635zł 6,352
15.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.56
6.8
-47.65%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Italy: October 18, 2026
Last update for Poland: October 17, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Italy
$624 34.2%
Poland
$580 37.5% ↓ 7.2%$45
🛒Groceries & Markets
Italy
$350 19.2%
Poland
$216 14% ↓ 38.2%$134
🍽Eating Out
Italy
$276 15.1%
Poland
$197 12.7% ↓ 28.6%$79
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
$272 14.9%
Poland
$320 20.7% ↑ 17.6%$48
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Italy
$163 8.9%
Poland
$139 9% ↓ 14.6%$24
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Italy
$75 4.1%
Poland
$54 3.5% ↓ 28.7%$22
🚌Getting Around
Italy
$65 3.6%
Poland
$42 2.7% ↓ 35.3%$23
🏠Accommodation & Living
Italy
$1K 27.4%
Poland
$892 30.9% ↓ 13.4%$137
🛒Groceries & Markets
Italy
$828 22.1%
Poland
$508 17.6% ↓ 38.6%$320
🍽Eating Out
Italy
$945 25.2%
Poland
$631 21.9% ↓ 33.2%$314
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
$283 7.5%
Poland
$329 11.4% ↑ 16.1%$46
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Italy
$362 9.6%
Poland
$309 10.7% ↓ 14.6%$53
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Italy
$174 4.6%
Poland
$133 4.6% ↓ 23.7%$41
🚌Getting Around
Italy
$134 3.6%
Poland
$86 3% ↓ 35.4%$47
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $724 in Italy, $619 in Poland. Capital cities: $1,191 in Rome vs $1,173 in Warsaw.
💰National salary averages: $1,892 in Italy, $1,348 in Poland. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 17% higher in Italy.
⭐Dining out costs 78% more in Italy.
⭐Public transport is 37% more expensive in Italy.
⭐Salaries are 40% higher in Italy, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Italy.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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
Italy vs Poland: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Poland?
At $1,825 per month in Italy and $1,547 in Poland, there's a 18% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in Poland: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $724 in Italy and $619 in Poland. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget in Italy or in Poland?
In Poland, $3,000 covers most cities easily; in Italy it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Italy or to Poland?
It depends on what you're after: Poland wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.