Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Bialystok Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Bialystok

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,943 per month in Krakow vs $1,528 in Bialystok, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,761 per month in Krakow vs $2,178 in Bialystok, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,580 per month in Krakow vs $2,828 in Bialystok, rent included.

Krakow costs about 27% more than Bialystok, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Krakow and Bialystok sit above the global median – Krakow by 41%, Bialystok by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.82 zł 47.60

$10.20 zł 37.90

25.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.2 zł 201

$48.08 zł 179

12.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.65 zł 35.83

$9.46 zł 35.15

2.01%

Cappuccino

$4.51 zł 16.73

$3.86 zł 14.35

16.84%

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

$2.60 zł 9.66

$1.90 zł 7.06

36.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 zł 9.35

$1.64 zł 6.10

53.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.90 zł 18.20

$3.70 zł 13.73

32.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 zł 15.80

$3.27 zł 12.14

30.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 zł 4.35

$1.12 zł 4.14

4.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 zł 5.99

$1.09 zł 4.05

47.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 zł 6.76

$2.35 zł 8.71

-22.55%

Eggs

$4.10 zł 15.23

$3.98 zł 14.79

3.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 zł 35.57

$9.46 zł 35.12

1.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.04 zł 29.87

$6.11 zł 22.69

31.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.67 zł 50.8

$11.65 zł 43.29

17.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 zł 5.21

$1.32 zł 4.91

6.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 zł 6.63

$1.86 zł 6.90

-3.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 zł 6.64

$1.73 zł 6.43

3.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.25 zł 12.06

$2.06 zł 7.64

57.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 zł 3.54

$1.15 zł 4.28

-17.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 zł 3.86

$1.28 zł 4.74

-18.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 zł 4.94

$1.24 zł 4.59

7.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 zł 3.11

$0.59 zł 2.19

42.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.48 zł 24.05

$5.46 zł 20.26

18.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.56 zł 24.38

$6.71 zł 24.94

-2.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 zł 4.72

$1.22 zł 4.55

4.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 zł 6.34

$1.52 zł 5.64

12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 zł 5.88

$1.16 zł 4.31

36.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.11 zł 130

$35.38 zł 131

-0.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 zł 8.83

$2.13 zł 7.90

11.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 zł 4.08

$0.72 zł 2.67

52.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.44 zł 46.19

$13.58 zł 50.4

-8.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 zł 6.07

$1.59 zł 5.90

2.52%

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

$32.7K zł 121.5K

$32.6K zł 121.0K

0.36%

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

$29.8K zł 110.6K

$28.5K zł 105.7K

4.65%

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

$335 zł 1,244

$314 zł 1,165

6.85%

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

$9.40 zł 34.93

$8.66 zł 32.16

8.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.31 zł 71.7

$18.79 zł 69.8

2.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.25 zł 176

$42.74 zł 159

10.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.50 zł 98.4

$29.07 zł 108

-8.84%

Cinema Ticket

$8.95 zł 33.25

$7.08 zł 26.31

26.41%

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

$476 zł 1,769

$376 zł 1,397

26.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K zł 38.4K

$4,452 zł 16.5K

132.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 zł 377

$103 zł 383

-1.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.76 zł 155

$38.06 zł 141

9.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 zł 344

$90.9 zł 338

1.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 zł 473

$94.6 zł 352

34.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$981 zł 3,643

$563 zł 2,092

74.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 zł 2,931

$529 zł 1,966

49.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,505 zł 5,591

$857 zł 3,185

75.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,165 zł 4,328

$764 zł 2,836

52.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,819 zł 21.6K

$2,840 zł 10.5K

104.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,745 zł 13.9K

$2,386 zł 8,861

56.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 zł 7,221

$1,504 zł 5,585

29.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

7.07

-6.08%

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

Last update for Krakow: August 30, 2026

Last update for Bialystok: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $981 in Krakow versus $563 in Bialystok. 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 29% 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 $54.0 in Krakow versus $48.00 in Bialystok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $217 – making Bialystok the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Krakow vs Bialystok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Krakow costs about 27% more than Bialystok, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,914 per month in Krakow and $2,292 in Bialystok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $476 per month in Krakow and $376 in Bialystok. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Krakow, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bialystok, where all-in costs run around $1,528, than in Krakow at $1,943. In Bialystok it covers expenses comfortably, while in Krakow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bialystok costs $1,528 versus $1,943 in Krakow. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Bialystok. 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.