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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,773 per month in Krakow vs $1,416 in Bialystok, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,539 per month in Krakow vs $1,997 in Bialystok, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,305 per month in Krakow vs $2,579 in Bialystok, rent included.

Krakow costs about 25% more than Bialystok, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Krakow and Bialystok sit above the global median – Krakow by 33%, Bialystok by 6%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 zł 41.39

$9.52 zł 36.12

14.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 zł 204

$48.43 zł 184

10.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 zł 36.22

$7.80 zł 29.60

22.44%

Cappuccino

$3.98 zł 15.09

$3.16 zł 11.99

25.95%

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

$2.21 zł 8.40

$1.82 zł 6.92

21.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 zł 8.59

$1.65 zł 6.25

36.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.16 zł 15.79

$3.22 zł 12.20

29.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 zł 15.34

$3.07 zł 11.64

31.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 zł 4.39

$1.08 zł 4.10

7.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 zł 5.51

$1.23 zł 4.66

17.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 zł 5.54

$1.18 zł 4.48

23.73%

Eggs

$3.61 zł 13.68

$3.13 zł 11.87

15.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.98 zł 34.07

$8.36 zł 31.72

7.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 zł 24.68

$5.88 zł 22.33

10.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.52 zł 43.69

$10.97 zł 41.61

5.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 zł 4.75

$0.95 zł 3.59

31.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 zł 6.61

$1.79 zł 6.80

-2.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 zł 6.83

$1.72 zł 6.54

4.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 zł 11.50

$2.12 zł 8.04

42.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 zł 3.86

$0.94 zł 3.56

8.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 zł 4.01

$1.02 zł 3.86

3.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 zł 4.94

$1.19 zł 4.50

9.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 zł 2.68

$0.58 zł 2.21

22.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 zł 21.19

$5.13 zł 19.46

8.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 zł 24.45

$6.46 zł 24.52

-0.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 zł 4.67

$1.25 zł 4.74

-1.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 zł 6.44

$1.65 zł 6.25

3.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 zł 4.23

$1.06 zł 4.04

4.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.41 zł 150

$35.93 zł 136

9.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 zł 9.53

$2.12 zł 8.06

18.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 zł 3.74

$0.49 zł 1.84

102.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.03 zł 49.43

$12.38 zł 46.96

5.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 zł 6.42

$1.69 zł 6.41

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

$33.1K zł 125.7K

$33.0K zł 125.3K

0.34%

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

$32.5K zł 123.2K

$29.2K zł 110.6K

11.33%

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

$278 zł 1,056

$311 zł 1,180

-10.54%

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

$9.20 zł 34.89

$8.50 zł 32.26

8.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.58 zł 62.9

$16.77 zł 63.6

-1.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.22 zł 145

$37.43 zł 142

2.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.23 zł 84.3

$19.05 zł 72.3

16.69%

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 zł 30.54

$6.86 zł 26.01

17.35%

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

$437 zł 1,657

$341 zł 1,294

28.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K zł 48.9K

$9,315 zł 35.3K

38.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.7 zł 291

$91.3 zł 346

-15.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.54 zł 173

$31.35 zł 119

45.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 zł 384

$76.9 zł 292

31.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 zł 428

$96.3 zł 365

17.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$904 zł 3,430

$546 zł 2,073

65.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 zł 2,873

$490 zł 1,860

54.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,601 zł 6,073

$847 zł 3,214

88.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,154 zł 4,379

$734 zł 2,784

57.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,725 zł 21.7K

$2,794 zł 10.6K

104.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,721 zł 14.1K

$2,370 zł 8,993

56.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,883 zł 7,146

$1,525 zł 5,785

23.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.77

6.47

20.09%

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

Last update for Krakow: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bialystok: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $904 in Krakow versus $546 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 24% 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: $221 vs $200 – 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 25% 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 $2,660 per month in Krakow and $2,124 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 $437 per month in Krakow and $341 in Bialystok. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 $1,416, than in Krakow at $1,773. 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 $1,416 versus $1,773 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.