Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Cieszyn Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Cieszyn

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,774 in Krakow versus $1,378 in Cieszyn.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,523 in Krakow versus $2,019 in Cieszyn.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Krakow versus $2,660 in Cieszyn.

Living in Krakow is roughly 29% more expensive than Cieszyn, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Krakow 32% above, Cieszyn 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.04 zł 40.18

$7.51 zł 27.34

47.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.2 zł 201

$41.28 zł 150

33.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.27 zł 33.73

$9.67 zł 35.19

-4.14%

Cappuccino

$3.98 zł 14.48

$3.29 zł 11.97

20.97%

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

$2.24 zł 8.15

$1.92 zł 7.00

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 zł 8.00

$1.33 zł 4.83

65.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.13 zł 15.05

$4.15 zł 15.12

-0.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 zł 15.18

$4.11 zł 14.97

1.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 zł 4.05

$1.06 zł 3.86

4.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 zł 5.26

$1.06 zł 3.87

36.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 zł 5.39

$1.40 zł 5.09

5.71%

Eggs

$3.55 zł 12.94

$2.15 zł 7.83

65.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 zł 33.99

$9.36 zł 34.08

-0.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 zł 24.11

$6.71 zł 24.42

-1.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.78 zł 42.87

$11.49 zł 41.81

2.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 zł 4.73

$1.06 zł 3.87

22.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 zł 6.38

$1.61 zł 5.84

8.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 zł 6.80

$1.82 zł 6.63

2.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 zł 10.90

$1.38 zł 5.02

117.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 zł 3.67

$0.78 zł 2.84

29.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 zł 3.71

$0.80 zł 2.91

27.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 zł 4.72

$1.35 zł 4.93

-3.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 zł 2.59

$0.66 zł 2.38

7.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.45 zł 19.83

$5.35 zł 19.47

1.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.82 zł 24.82

$7.11 zł 25.87

-4.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 zł 4.47

$1.08 zł 3.93

13.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 zł 6.52

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 zł 4.06

$1.12 zł 4.08

-0.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.40 zł 147

$33.06 zł 120

22.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 zł 8.95

$2.51 zł 9.14

-1.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 zł 3.60

$0.91 zł 3.31

8.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.06 zł 47.54

$12.83 zł 46.70

1.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 zł 6.24

$1.69 zł 6.17

1.18%

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

$33.8K zł 123.1K

$33.2K zł 120.7K

1.94%

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

$32.5K zł 118.3K

$31.5K zł 114.8K

3.06%

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

$275 zł 999

$267 zł 973

2.67%

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

$9.38 zł 34.15

$9.60 zł 34.94

-2.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.76 zł 61.0

$16.75 zł 61.0

0.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.43 zł 140

$36.70 zł 134

4.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.60 zł 82.3

$19.40 zł 70.6

16.49%

Cinema Ticket

$8.24 zł 30.01

$8.00 zł 29.14

3.00%

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

$434 zł 1,578

$163 zł 593

166.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K zł 47.1K

$13.1K zł 47.8K

-1.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 zł 281

$49.32 zł 180

56.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.42 zł 169

$40.12 zł 146

15.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 zł 368

-0.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 zł 413

$114 zł 414

-0.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$914 zł 3,327

$656 zł 2,389

39.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$741 zł 2,697

$504 zł 1,836

46.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,582 zł 5,759

$995 zł 3,621

59.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,162 zł 4,229

$829 zł 3,017

40.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,929 zł 21.6K

$3,098 zł 11.3K

91.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,822 zł 13.9K

$2,330 zł 8,483

64.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,999 zł 7,275

$1,554 zł 5,656

28.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.77

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

Last update for Krakow: April 26, 2026

Last update for Cieszyn: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $914 in Krakow and $656 in Cieszyn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 29% 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 $41.00 in Cieszyn for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $224 vs $201 per month, with Cieszyn 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 Cieszyn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Krakow and Cieszyn differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,774 vs $1,378 including rent). Cieszyn is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Krakow pays 29% 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: $914 in Krakow versus $656 in Cieszyn. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cieszyn runs roughly 22% less than in Krakow. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $434 in Krakow versus $163 in Cieszyn. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,378 in Cieszyn versus $1,774 in Krakow, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cieszyn but tight or insufficient in Krakow. The gap between the two cities makes Cieszyn the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Krakow and Cieszyn 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 Cieszyn gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.