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: $1,747 in Krakow versus $1,579 in Elblag.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,516 in Krakow versus $2,196 in Elblag.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,286 in Krakow versus $2,814 in Elblag.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Krakow 31% above, Elblag 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.64 zł 39.75

$10.98 zł 41.00

-3.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 zł 202

$29.86 zł 112

80.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.45 zł 35.32

$7.74 zł 28.93

22.09%

Cappuccino

$4.05 zł 15.14

$4.16 zł 15.55

-2.64%

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

$2.23 zł 8.34

$2.14 zł 8.01

4.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 zł 8.59

$1.82 zł 6.79

26.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 zł 14.92

$3.35 zł 12.52

19.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 zł 15.49

$4.71 zł 17.60

-11.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 zł 4.27

$1.15 zł 4.29

-0.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 zł 5.21

$1.38 zł 5.15

1.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 zł 5.48

$1.76 zł 6.56

-16.48%

Eggs

$3.55 zł 13.25

$3.60 zł 13.45

-1.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 zł 34.37

$10.33 zł 38.59

-10.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.61 zł 24.69

$7.19 zł 26.85

-8.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.48 zł 42.87

$14.39 zł 53.8

-20.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 zł 4.83

$1.31 zł 4.88

-1.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 zł 6.50

$1.84 zł 6.87

-5.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 zł 6.99

$2.03 zł 7.59

-7.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.11 zł 11.60

$3.78 zł 14.11

-17.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 zł 3.74

$1.04 zł 3.90

-3.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 zł 3.95

$1.18 zł 4.40

-10.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 zł 4.88

$1.47 zł 5.48

-10.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 zł 2.42

$0.73 zł 2.72

-10.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.37 zł 20.07

$4.50 zł 16.80

19.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 zł 24.29

$6.68 zł 24.94

-2.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 zł 4.60

$1.38 zł 5.17

-10.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 zł 6.55

$1.94 zł 7.24

-9.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 zł 4.12

$1.11 zł 4.14

-0.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.93 zł 149

$25.55 zł 95.4

56.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 zł 9.18

$2.70 zł 10.07

-8.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 zł 3.70

$0.98 zł 3.67

1.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.98 zł 48.50

$13.78 zł 51.5

-5.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 zł 6.13

$1.77 zł 6.62

-7.34%

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

$33.3K zł 124.6K

$32.3K zł 120.9K

3.07%

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

$32.0K zł 119.5K

$27.2K zł 101.8K

17.40%

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

$278 zł 1,040

$360 zł 1,343

-22.58%

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

$9.10 zł 34.00

$10.12 zł 37.82

-10.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.68 zł 62.3

$14.86 zł 55.5

12.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.81 zł 145

$35.03 zł 131

10.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.21 zł 83.0

$13.40 zł 50.1

65.75%

Cinema Ticket

$7.94 zł 29.68

$6.32 zł 23.62

25.63%

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

$445 zł 1,661

$584 zł 2,181

-23.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K zł 48.2K

$2,080 zł 7,770

519.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.8 zł 291

$99.5 zł 372

-21.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.24 zł 173

$48.03 zł 179

-3.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 zł 377

$93.4 zł 349

8.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 zł 421

$110 zł 410

2.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$926 zł 3,458

$691 zł 2,582

33.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$745 zł 2,782

$497 zł 1,856

49.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 zł 5,903

$994 zł 3,715

58.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 zł 4,356

$814 zł 3,042

43.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,758 zł 21.5K

$2,224 zł 8,309

158.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,716 zł 13.9K

$2,251 zł 8,410

65.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,875 zł 7,007

$1,362 zł 5,089

37.67%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Elblag: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $926 in Krakow and $691 in Elblag. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 38% 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 $30.00 in Elblag. Groceries flip the comparison at $221 vs $246, 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.

Average pay runs 38% 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 $691 in Elblag. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Krakow pay roughly 11% 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 $30.00 versus $54.0 in Krakow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,579 in Elblag versus $1,747 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.