Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Bydgoszcz Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Bydgoszcz

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,487 in Krakow versus $2,272 in Bydgoszcz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,236 in Krakow versus $3,069 in Bydgoszcz.

Living in Krakow is roughly 18% more expensive than Bydgoszcz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.66 zł 38.94

$11.69 zł 42.71

-8.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.2 zł 202

$67.4 zł 246

-18.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.30 zł 33.98

$7.97 zł 29.10

16.69%

Cappuccino

$4.03 zł 14.74

$4.00 zł 14.60

0.75%

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

$2.22 zł 8.09

$2.33 zł 8.51

-4.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 zł 8.12

$1.88 zł 6.86

18.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.03 zł 14.72

$3.95 zł 14.45

2.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 zł 15.18

$3.85 zł 14.08

8.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 zł 4.01

$1.07 zł 3.91

2.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 zł 5.28

$1.50 zł 5.50

-3.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 zł 5.38

$1.76 zł 6.42

-16.48%

Eggs

$3.75 zł 13.69

$3.38 zł 12.33

10.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 zł 33.06

$10.37 zł 37.86

-12.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 zł 23.28

$7.02 zł 25.64

-9.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.55 zł 42.20

$14.49 zł 53.0

-20.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 zł 4.55

$1.35 zł 4.94

-7.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 zł 6.63

$1.62 zł 5.90

11.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 zł 6.56

$1.64 zł 5.98

9.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.13 zł 11.44

$4.26 zł 15.55

-26.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 zł 3.83

$0.93 zł 3.39

12.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 zł 3.70

$1.17 zł 4.29

-13.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 zł 4.96

$1.31 zł 4.77

3.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 zł 2.42

$0.67 zł 2.45

-1.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.48 zł 20.03

$5.03 zł 18.37

8.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.84 zł 24.97

$8.69 zł 31.74

-21.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 zł 4.50

$1.11 zł 4.05

10.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 zł 6.44

$1.59 zł 5.82

10.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 zł 4.03

$1.06 zł 3.86

3.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.51 zł 144

$28.74 zł 105

37.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 zł 9.16

$2.20 zł 8.04

14.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 zł 3.71

$0.71 zł 2.61

43.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.91 zł 47.15

$10.67 zł 38.99

20.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 zł 6.27

$1.71 zł 6.26

0.58%

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

$33.0K zł 120.5K

$33.2K zł 121.4K

-0.69%

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

$31.4K zł 114.6K

$31.6K zł 115.4K

-0.72%

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

$270 zł 987

$232 zł 847

16.50%

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

$9.39 zł 34.29

$8.68 zł 31.70

8.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.80 zł 61.4

$17.15 zł 62.7

-2.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.23 zł 143

$38.10 zł 139

2.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.83 zł 83.4

$20.55 zł 75.1

11.09%

Cinema Ticket

$8.22 zł 30.01

$7.88 zł 28.80

4.31%

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

$446 zł 1,629

$451 zł 1,647

-1.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K zł 48.6K

$5,504 zł 20.1K

141.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.8 zł 284

$97.7 zł 357

-20.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 zł 164

$38.09 zł 139

17.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 zł 363

$110 zł 403

-9.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 zł 407

$128 zł 466

-12.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 zł 3,316

$704 zł 2,573

28.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$768 zł 2,805

$499 zł 1,824

53.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,585 zł 5,790

$1,200 zł 4,384

32.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 zł 4,342

$896 zł 3,273

32.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,925 zł 21.6K

$3,080 zł 11.3K

92.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,808 zł 13.9K

$2,294 zł 8,379

66.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,961 zł 7,163

$1,598 zł 5,837

22.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.77

6.4

21.41%

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

Last update for Krakow: June 2, 2026

Last update for Bydgoszcz: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $908 in Krakow and $704 in Bydgoszcz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 23% 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 Krakow vs $67.0 in Bydgoszcz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $245 per month, with Krakow 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

Krakow vs Bydgoszcz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bydgoszcz wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Krakow. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bydgoszcz the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Krakow pays 23% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $908 in Krakow versus $704 in Bydgoszcz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $446 in Krakow versus $451 in Bydgoszcz. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Krakow pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,474 in Bydgoszcz versus $1,738 in Krakow, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bydgoszcz but tight or insufficient in Krakow. The gap between the two cities makes Bydgoszcz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Krakow 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.

Expats usually find Bydgoszcz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.