Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalisz and Krakow

For one person, living is cheaper in Kalisz: $1,136 a month against $1,815 in Krakow, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

55

Cost of Living Index in Kalisz
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Kalisz Living Index
88

Cost of Living Index in Krakow
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Krakow Living Index

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Kalisz

🇵🇱 Poland

$1,136

/mo nomad

Krakow

🇵🇱 Poland

$1,815

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kalisz and in Krakow

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kalisz and in Krakow actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,136 per month in Kalisz vs $1,815 in Krakow, rent included.

Kalisz $1,136
Krakow $1,815

A couple spends around $1,596 per month in Kalisz vs $2,587 in Krakow, rent included.

Kalisz $1,596
Krakow $2,587

A family of three spends $2,056 per month in Kalisz vs $3,359 in Krakow, rent included.

Kalisz $2,056
Krakow $3,359

Kalisz is about 37% cheaper than Krakow, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Kalisz sits 16% below the global median, while Krakow is 34% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.73 zł 33.92

$11.83 zł 45.95

-26.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.31 zł 118

$50.5 zł 196

-39.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 zł 34.47

$9.81 zł 38.12

-9.58%

Cappuccino

$3.08 zł 11.96

$4.22 zł 16.40

-27.01%

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

$2.00 zł 7.76

$2.59 zł 10.06

-22.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 zł 6.33

$2.35 zł 9.12

-30.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 zł 9.68

$4.63 zł 17.98

-46.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 zł 10.07

$4.72 zł 18.32

-45.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 zł 3.59

$1.07 zł 4.14

-14.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 zł 4.71

$1.50 zł 5.84

-19.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 zł 6.29

$1.76 zł 6.83

-7.95%

Eggs

$2.95 zł 11.44

$3.90 zł 15.13

-24.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 zł 30.91

$9.40 zł 36.53

-15.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.34 zł 16.87

$7.87 zł 30.57

-44.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.22 zł 35.82

$13.41 zł 52.1

-31.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 zł 4.15

$1.34 zł 5.20

-20.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 zł 6.22

$1.69 zł 6.56

-5.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 zł 6.12

$1.80 zł 6.98

-12.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.10 zł 12.03

$3.07 zł 11.93

0.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 zł 3.06

$0.88 zł 3.40

-10.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 zł 3.92

$1.02 zł 3.98

-0.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 zł 5.05

$1.21 zł 4.70

7.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 zł 2.16

$0.80 zł 3.12

-31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 zł 18.18

$6.24 zł 24.24

-25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.98 zł 27.14

$6.40 zł 24.86

9.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 zł 3.39

$1.21 zł 4.70

-28.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 zł 5.40

$1.67 zł 6.49

-16.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 zł 4.04

$1.57 zł 6.10

-33.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.99 zł 136

$33.06 zł 128

5.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 zł 7.75

$2.22 zł 8.63

-9.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 zł 4.08

$1.01 zł 3.91

3.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.51 zł 25.30

$12.48 zł 48.51

-47.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 zł 6.11

$1.67 zł 6.49

-5.99%

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

$30.5K zł 118.5K

$30.7K zł 119.3K

-0.70%

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

$27.4K zł 106.5K

$28.6K zł 111.2K

-4.24%

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

$186 zł 724

$325 zł 1,261

-42.56%

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

$10.06 zł 39.08

$8.70 zł 33.80

15.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.83 zł 65.4

$17.84 zł 69.3

-5.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.87 zł 124

$45.16 zł 175

-29.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.28 zł 94.3

Cinema Ticket

$6.46 zł 25.11

$8.57 zł 33.29

-24.62%

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

$248 zł 964

$463 zł 1,799

-46.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,003 zł 19.4K

$9,760 zł 37.9K

-48.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.4 zł 324

$96.7 zł 376

-13.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.41 zł 98.7

$40.10 zł 156

-36.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 zł 308

$89.1 zł 346

-11.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 zł 344

$122 zł 473

-27.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 zł 1,730

$937 zł 3,642

-52.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 zł 1,376

$735 zł 2,854

-51.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$538 zł 2,092

$1,477 zł 5,738

-63.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$457 zł 1,774

$1,147 zł 4,456

-60.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,968 zł 7,648

$5,395 zł 21.0K

-63.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 zł 5,679

$3,529 zł 13.7K

-58.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,190 zł 4,622

$1,894 zł 7,360

-37.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

6.62

-6.19%

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

Last update for Kalisz: October 12, 2026

Last update for Krakow: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Kalisz

$354 31.2%

Krakow

$735 40.5% 107% $380

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kalisz

$213 18.8%

Krakow

$351 19.4% 64.6% $138

Groceries & Markets

Kalisz

$187 16.5%

Krakow

$237 13.1% 26.7% $50

Eating Out

Kalisz

$166 14.6%

Krakow

$227 12.5% 37.1% $61

Clothing & Footwear

Kalisz

$124 11%

Krakow

$156 8.6% 25.7% $32

Getting Around

Kalisz

$46 4.1%

Krakow

$47 2.6% 0.4% $0.2

Sport & Entertainment

Kalisz

$45 3.9%

Krakow

$62 3.4% 39% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $445 in Kalisz versus $937 in Krakow. 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 59% higher in Krakow, 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 $30.00 in Kalisz versus $50.0 in Krakow. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $237 – making Kalisz the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇱 Kalisz

🇵🇱 Krakow

🕒 Local time

13:36 1:36 PM

Same time as Kalisz

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

103,997

806,201

💱 Currency

Polish Złoty PLN zł

📈 Exchange rate

1 PLN = 0.257 USD

1 PLN = 0.229 EUR

1 PLN = 0.257 USD

1 PLN = 0.229 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Kalisz Krakow 230 km

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Kalisz
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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

Kalisz vs Krakow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Krakow is pricier by about 60%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,704 per month in Kalisz and $2,722 in Krakow. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kalisz, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 6% less in Kalisz. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $248 per month in Kalisz and $463 in Krakow. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kalisz, where all-in costs run around $1,136, than in Krakow at $1,815. In Kalisz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Krakow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kalisz – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Kalisz. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Krakow makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.