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: $1,773 in Krakow versus $1,489 in Bydgoszcz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,539 in Krakow versus $2,280 in Bydgoszcz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,305 in Krakow versus $3,071 in Bydgoszcz.

Living in Krakow is roughly 19% more expensive than in Bydgoszcz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Krakow 33% above, Bydgoszcz 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 zł 41.39

$11.35 zł 43.06

-3.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 zł 204

$67.5 zł 256

-20.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 zł 36.22

$7.94 zł 30.11

20.28%

Cappuccino

$3.98 zł 15.09

$3.97 zł 15.08

0.25%

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

$2.21 zł 8.40

$2.30 zł 8.74

-3.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 zł 8.59

$1.82 zł 6.92

24.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.16 zł 15.79

$3.97 zł 15.05

4.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 zł 15.34

$3.72 zł 14.10

8.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 zł 4.39

$1.02 zł 3.88

13.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 zł 5.51

$1.56 zł 5.93

-7.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 zł 5.54

$1.69 zł 6.42

-13.61%

Eggs

$3.61 zł 13.68

$3.49 zł 13.24

3.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.98 zł 34.07

$10.19 zł 38.65

-11.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 zł 24.68

$7.12 zł 27.03

-8.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.52 zł 43.69

$14.49 zł 55.0

-20.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 zł 4.75

$1.30 zł 4.95

-3.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 zł 6.61

$1.67 zł 6.33

4.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 zł 6.83

$1.65 zł 6.27

9.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 zł 11.50

$4.25 zł 16.12

-28.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 zł 3.86

$0.91 zł 3.47

12.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 zł 4.01

$1.20 zł 4.56

-11.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 zł 4.94

$1.24 zł 4.69

4.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 zł 2.68

$0.66 zł 2.50

7.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 zł 21.19

$5.08 zł 19.26

10.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 zł 24.45

$8.59 zł 32.58

-25.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 zł 4.67

$1.13 zł 4.31

8.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 zł 6.44

$1.63 zł 6.20

4.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 zł 4.23

$1.05 zł 4.00

5.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.41 zł 150

$28.83 zł 109

36.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 zł 9.53

$2.20 zł 8.36

14.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 zł 3.74

$0.73 zł 2.75

35.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.03 zł 49.43

$10.65 zł 40.39

22.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 zł 6.42

$1.70 zł 6.44

-0.59%

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

$33.1K zł 125.7K

$33.8K zł 128.4K

-2.10%

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

$32.5K zł 123.2K

$31.3K zł 118.6K

3.88%

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

$278 zł 1,056

$234 zł 889

18.84%

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

$9.20 zł 34.89

$8.89 zł 33.74

3.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.58 zł 62.9

$17.05 zł 64.7

-2.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.22 zł 145

$37.23 zł 141

2.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.23 zł 84.3

$20.42 zł 77.5

8.86%

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 zł 30.54

$7.57 zł 28.72

6.34%

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

$437 zł 1,657

$451 zł 1,711

-3.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K zł 48.9K

$5,478 zł 20.8K

135.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.7 zł 291

$99.1 zł 376

-22.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.54 zł 173

$36.94 zł 140

23.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 zł 384

$111 zł 421

-8.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 zł 428

$129 zł 488

-12.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$904 zł 3,430

$722 zł 2,740

25.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 zł 2,873

$506 zł 1,921

49.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,601 zł 6,073

$1,217 zł 4,619

31.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,154 zł 4,379

$905 zł 3,434

27.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,725 zł 21.7K

$2,936 zł 11.1K

95.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,721 zł 14.1K

$2,189 zł 8,304

70.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,883 zł 7,146

$1,519 zł 5,764

23.98%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bydgoszcz: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $904 in Krakow and $722 in Bydgoszcz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 24% 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: $54.0 in Krakow vs $67.0 in Bydgoszcz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 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 19% 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.

Average pay runs 24% higher in Krakow, 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: $904 in Krakow versus $722 in Bydgoszcz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $437 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 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,489 in Bydgoszcz versus $1,773 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 $1,489 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 19% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.