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: $1,720 in Krakow versus $1,547 in Elblag.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,522 in Krakow versus $2,223 in Elblag.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,324 in Krakow versus $2,900 in Elblag.

Living in Krakow is roughly 11% more expensive than Elblag, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Krakow 28% above, Elblag 15% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.68 zł 39.05

$10.91 zł 39.87

-2.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.9 zł 201

$29.42 zł 108

86.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.62 zł 35.16

$7.69 zł 28.09

25.10%

Cappuccino

$3.95 zł 14.43

$4.31 zł 15.75

-8.35%

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

$2.24 zł 8.18

$2.11 zł 7.71

6.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 zł 8.08

$1.91 zł 6.98

15.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.16 zł 15.19

$3.28 zł 11.99

26.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 zł 14.59

$4.73 zł 17.29

-15.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 zł 4.24

$1.18 zł 4.32

-1.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 zł 5.22

$1.42 zł 5.20

0.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 zł 5.33

$1.77 zł 6.47

-17.51%

Eggs

$3.67 zł 13.43

$3.63 zł 13.28

1.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.28 zł 33.93

$10.29 zł 37.62

-9.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.65 zł 24.32

$6.88 zł 25.14

-3.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.65 zł 42.59

$14.36 zł 52.5

-18.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 zł 4.60

$1.24 zł 4.55

1.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 zł 6.73

$1.78 zł 6.51

3.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 zł 6.63

$2.02 zł 7.38

-10.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.01 zł 10.99

$3.75 zł 13.70

-19.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 zł 3.80

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 zł 3.71

$1.24 zł 4.53

-17.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 zł 4.93

$1.47 zł 5.36

-8.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 zł 2.43

$0.69 zł 2.51

-4.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.39 zł 19.71

$4.43 zł 16.18

21.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.90 zł 25.21

$6.93 zł 25.33

-0.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 zł 4.29

$1.44 zł 5.26

-18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 zł 6.40

$1.87 zł 6.85

-6.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 zł 4.09

$1.07 zł 3.92

4.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.65 zł 149

$26.04 zł 95.2

56.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 zł 8.86

$2.72 zł 9.95

-11.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 zł 3.76

$1.02 zł 3.73

0.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.71 zł 46.47

$13.83 zł 50.6

-8.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 zł 6.15

$1.71 zł 6.27

-1.75%

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

$33.6K zł 122.9K

$33.0K zł 120.6K

1.93%

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

$31.5K zł 115.1K

$27.0K zł 98.7K

16.58%

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

$270 zł 986

$362 zł 1,323

-25.47%

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

$9.32 zł 34.08

$10.06 zł 36.77

-7.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.91 zł 61.8

$15.06 zł 55.1

12.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.30 zł 144

$35.12 zł 128

11.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.39 zł 81.8

$13.54 zł 49.50

65.36%

Cinema Ticket

$8.03 zł 29.33

$6.54 zł 23.90

22.78%

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

$445 zł 1,625

$589 zł 2,154

-24.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K zł 48.6K

$2,088 zł 7,630

537.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 zł 280

$98.9 zł 362

-22.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.87 zł 168

$47.50 zł 174

-3.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 zł 372

$95.7 zł 350

6.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 zł 408

$111 zł 404

0.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$934 zł 3,415

$683 zł 2,497

36.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 zł 2,705

$479 zł 1,750

54.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,601 zł 5,850

$974 zł 3,561

64.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 zł 4,302

$825 zł 3,017

42.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,972 zł 21.8K

$2,318 zł 8,472

157.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,887 zł 14.2K

$2,323 zł 8,489

67.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,950 zł 7,129

$1,397 zł 5,107

39.60%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Elblag: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $934 in Krakow and $683 in Elblag. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 40% 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 $244, 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 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Krakow pays 40% 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 $683 in Elblag. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Krakow pay roughly 9% 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 $1,547 in Elblag versus $1,720 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 11% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.