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: $1,747 in Krakow versus $1,417 in Cieszyn.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,516 in Krakow versus $2,007 in Cieszyn.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,286 in Krakow versus $2,596 in Cieszyn.

Living in Krakow is roughly 23% more expensive than in Cieszyn, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Krakow 31% above, Cieszyn 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.64 zł 39.69

$7.75 zł 28.89

37.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 zł 202

$40.20 zł 150

34.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.45 zł 35.27

$9.23 zł 34.42

2.38%

Cappuccino

$4.05 zł 15.11

$3.18 zł 11.86

27.36%

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

$2.23 zł 8.33

$1.91 zł 7.13

16.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 zł 8.58

$1.37 zł 5.12

67.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 zł 14.90

$4.06 zł 15.14

-1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 zł 15.46

$3.98 zł 14.84

4.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 zł 4.26

$1.12 zł 4.17

1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 zł 5.21

$1.12 zł 4.19

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 zł 5.47

$1.41 zł 5.25

4.26%

Eggs

$3.55 zł 13.23

$2.21 zł 8.24

60.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 zł 34.31

$8.84 zł 32.96

4.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.61 zł 24.65

$6.71 zł 25.02

-1.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.48 zł 42.81

$11.40 zł 42.51

0.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 zł 4.82

$1.06 zł 3.96

21.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 zł 6.49

$1.59 zł 5.94

9.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 zł 6.98

$1.89 zł 7.06

-1.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.11 zł 11.59

$1.33 zł 4.96

133.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 zł 3.73

$0.84 zł 3.12

19.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 zł 3.94

$0.78 zł 2.90

35.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 zł 4.87

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 zł 2.42

$0.66 zł 2.45

-1.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.37 zł 20.04

$5.54 zł 20.67

-3.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 zł 24.26

$6.66 zł 24.84

-2.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 zł 4.59

$1.11 zł 4.14

10.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 zł 6.54

$1.69 zł 6.31

3.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 zł 4.11

$1.06 zł 3.95

3.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.93 zł 149

$31.95 zł 119

24.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 zł 9.17

$2.38 zł 8.88

3.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 zł 3.69

$0.86 zł 3.19

15.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.98 zł 48.42

$12.84 zł 47.90

1.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 zł 6.12

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

$33.3K zł 124.4K

$33.6K zł 125.4K

-0.85%

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

$32.0K zł 119.3K

$31.9K zł 118.8K

0.39%

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

$278 zł 1,039

$266 zł 992

4.65%

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

$9.10 zł 33.95

$9.12 zł 34.02

-0.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.68 zł 62.2

$16.65 zł 62.1

0.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.81 zł 145

$36.74 zł 137

5.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.21 zł 82.9

$19.45 zł 72.6

14.19%

Cinema Ticket

$7.94 zł 29.63

$8.04 zł 29.97

-1.24%

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

$445 zł 1,659

$164 zł 613

170.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K zł 48.1K

0.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.8 zł 290

$48.59 zł 181

60.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.24 zł 172

$40.81 zł 152

13.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 zł 376

$103 zł 384

-2.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 zł 421

$113 zł 420

0.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$926 zł 3,452

$652 zł 2,433

41.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$745 zł 2,778

$493 zł 1,839

51.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 zł 5,894

$996 zł 3,715

58.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 zł 4,349

$801 zł 2,989

45.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,758 zł 21.5K

$2,993 zł 11.2K

92.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,716 zł 13.9K

$2,289 zł 8,539

62.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,875 zł 6,996

$1,494 zł 5,572

25.55%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Cieszyn: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $926 in Krakow and $652 in Cieszyn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 26% 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 $40.00 in Cieszyn for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $200 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 23% in total monthly costs ($1,747 vs $1,417 including rent). Cieszyn is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 26% 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: $926 in Krakow versus $652 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 25% less than in Krakow. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $445 in Krakow versus $164 in Cieszyn. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,417 in Cieszyn versus $1,747 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 23% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.