Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Elblag Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Elblag

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,774 in Krakow versus $1,561 in Elblag.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,523 in Krakow versus $2,198 in Elblag.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Krakow versus $2,835 in Elblag.

Living in Krakow is roughly 14% more expensive than Elblag, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Krakow 32% above, Elblag 17% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.04 zł 40.18

$10.68 zł 38.87

3.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.2 zł 201

$28.84 zł 105

91.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.27 zł 33.73

$7.75 zł 28.22

19.61%

Cappuccino

$3.98 zł 14.48

$4.13 zł 15.03

-3.63%

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

$2.24 zł 8.15

$2.06 zł 7.49

8.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 zł 8.00

$1.86 zł 6.76

18.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.13 zł 15.05

$3.31 zł 12.05

24.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 zł 15.18

$4.70 zł 17.12

-11.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 zł 4.05

$1.14 zł 4.14

-2.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 zł 5.26

$1.35 zł 4.91

7.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 zł 5.39

$1.83 zł 6.66

-19.13%

Eggs

$3.55 zł 12.94

$3.52 zł 12.80

0.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 zł 33.99

$10.02 zł 36.46

-6.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 zł 24.11

$7.07 zł 25.72

-6.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.78 zł 42.87

$14.14 zł 51.5

-16.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 zł 4.73

$1.30 zł 4.72

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 zł 6.38

$1.84 zł 6.69

-4.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 zł 6.80

$2.02 zł 7.36

-7.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 zł 10.90

$3.71 zł 13.52

-19.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 zł 3.67

$1.08 zł 3.94

-6.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 zł 3.71

$1.22 zł 4.45

-16.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 zł 4.72

$1.45 zł 5.28

-10.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 zł 2.59

$0.69 zł 2.50

2.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.45 zł 19.83

$4.36 zł 15.87

25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.82 zł 24.82

$6.85 zł 24.92

-0.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 zł 4.47

$1.44 zł 5.24

-14.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 zł 6.52

$1.88 zł 6.84

-4.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 zł 4.06

$1.11 zł 4.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.40 zł 147

$25.55 zł 93.0

58.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 zł 8.95

$2.79 zł 10.16

-11.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 zł 3.60

$1.02 zł 3.71

-2.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.06 zł 47.54

$13.36 zł 48.65

-2.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 zł 6.24

$1.70 zł 6.20

0.59%

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

$33.8K zł 123.1K

$32.6K zł 118.8K

3.57%

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

$32.5K zł 118.3K

$26.5K zł 96.5K

22.62%

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

$275 zł 999

$356 zł 1,297

-22.93%

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

$9.38 zł 34.15

$9.98 zł 36.33

-6.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.76 zł 61.0

$14.90 zł 54.3

12.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.43 zł 140

$35.28 zł 128

8.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.60 zł 82.3

$13.47 zł 49.03

67.78%

Cinema Ticket

$8.24 zł 30.01

$6.33 zł 23.04

30.17%

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

$434 zł 1,578

$574 zł 2,088

-24.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K zł 47.1K

$2,070 zł 7,534

524.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 zł 281

$97.6 zł 355

-20.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.42 zł 169

$47.96 zł 175

-3.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 zł 368

$95.2 zł 347

6.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 zł 413

$110 zł 402

2.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$914 zł 3,327

$687 zł 2,500

33.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$741 zł 2,697

$497 zł 1,808

49.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,582 zł 5,759

$991 zł 3,606

59.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,162 zł 4,229

$824 zł 2,999

41.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,929 zł 21.6K

$2,332 zł 8,487

154.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,822 zł 13.9K

$2,307 zł 8,397

65.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,999 zł 7,275

$1,393 zł 5,071

43.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.77

11.00%

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

Last update for Krakow: April 26, 2026

Last update for Elblag: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $914 in Krakow and $687 in Elblag. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 43% 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 $29.00 in Elblag. Groceries flip the comparison at $224 vs $243, with Krakow cheaper for home cooking.

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 Elblag: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Elblag is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Krakow pays 43% 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 $687 in Elblag. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Krakow pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Elblag – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $55.0 in Krakow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,561 in Elblag versus $1,774 in Krakow, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Elblag but tight or insufficient in Krakow. The gap between the two cities makes Elblag the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Elblag is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Krakow, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Krakow and Elblag 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 Elblag gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.