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: $1,720 in Krakow versus $1,392 in Cieszyn.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,522 in Krakow versus $2,015 in Cieszyn.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,324 in Krakow versus $2,638 in Cieszyn.

Living in Krakow is roughly 24% more expensive than Cieszyn, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Krakow 28% above, Cieszyn 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.68 zł 39.05

$7.55 zł 27.58

41.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.9 zł 201

$41.04 zł 150

33.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.62 zł 35.16

$9.61 zł 35.13

0.10%

Cappuccino

$3.95 zł 14.43

$3.35 zł 12.25

17.91%

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

$2.24 zł 8.18

$1.95 zł 7.13

14.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 zł 8.08

$1.34 zł 4.91

64.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.16 zł 15.19

$4.14 zł 15.12

0.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 zł 14.59

$4.10 zł 14.98

-2.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 zł 4.24

$1.11 zł 4.04

4.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 zł 5.22

$1.10 zł 4.03

30.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 zł 5.33

$1.46 zł 5.35

Eggs

$3.67 zł 13.43

$2.15 zł 7.85

70.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.28 zł 33.93

$8.96 zł 32.74

3.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.65 zł 24.32

$6.43 zł 23.49

3.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.65 zł 42.59

$11.35 zł 41.49

2.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 zł 4.60

$1.08 zł 3.94

16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 zł 6.73

$1.61 zł 5.90

14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 zł 6.63

$1.83 zł 6.71

-1.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.01 zł 10.99

$1.37 zł 5.02

119.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 zł 3.80

$0.78 zł 2.85

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 zł 3.71

$0.83 zł 3.05

22.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 zł 4.93

$1.31 zł 4.79

3.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 zł 2.43

$0.71 zł 2.58

-7.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.39 zł 19.71

$5.33 zł 19.49

1.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.90 zł 25.21

$6.73 zł 24.60

2.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 zł 4.29

$1.11 zł 4.07

5.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 zł 6.40

$1.76 zł 6.45

-0.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 zł 4.09

$1.07 zł 3.90

4.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.65 zł 149

$32.81 zł 120

23.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 zł 8.86

$2.38 zł 8.70

1.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 zł 3.76

$0.89 zł 3.24

15.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.71 zł 46.47

$12.64 zł 46.21

0.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 zł 6.15

$1.65 zł 6.02

1.82%

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

$33.6K zł 122.9K

$33.0K zł 120.8K

1.75%

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

$31.5K zł 115.1K

$32.0K zł 116.8K

-1.48%

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

$270 zł 986

$271 zł 989

-0.30%

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

$9.32 zł 34.08

$9.59 zł 35.06

-2.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.91 zł 61.8

$16.46 zł 60.2

2.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.30 zł 144

$36.17 zł 132

8.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.39 zł 81.8

$19.87 zł 72.6

12.68%

Cinema Ticket

$8.03 zł 29.33

$8.23 zł 30.08

-2.43%

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

$445 zł 1,625

$164 zł 599

171.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K zł 48.6K

$13.2K zł 48.4K

0.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 zł 280

$49.71 zł 182

53.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.87 zł 168

$41.35 zł 151

10.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 zł 372

0.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 zł 408

$111 zł 406

0.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$934 zł 3,415

$661 zł 2,416

41.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 zł 2,705

$486 zł 1,776

52.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,601 zł 5,850

$980 zł 3,582

63.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 zł 4,302

$817 zł 2,988

44.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,972 zł 21.8K

$3,033 zł 11.1K

96.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,887 zł 14.2K

$2,338 zł 8,545

66.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,950 zł 7,129

$1,557 zł 5,692

25.24%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Cieszyn: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $934 in Krakow and $661 in Cieszyn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 25% 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 $199 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 24% in total monthly costs ($1,720 vs $1,392 including rent). Cieszyn is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Krakow pays 25% 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: $934 in Krakow versus $661 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 24% 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 $1,392 in Cieszyn versus $1,720 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 24% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.