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: $1,913 in Krakow versus $1,463 in Elblag.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,685 in Krakow versus $2,095 in Elblag.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,458 in Krakow versus $2,727 in Elblag.

Living in Krakow is roughly 31% more expensive than in Elblag, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Krakow 40% above, Elblag 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.05 zł 49.61

$12.59 zł 47.88

3.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 zł 204

$28.33 zł 108

89.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 zł 37.89

$7.65 zł 29.10

30.20%

Cappuccino

$4.34 zł 16.49

$3.71 zł 14.13

16.98%

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

$2.46 zł 9.36

$2.24 zł 8.53

9.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 zł 9.88

$1.71 zł 6.49

52.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.77 zł 18.13

$3.12 zł 11.87

52.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 zł 16.16

$3.94 zł 14.97

7.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 zł 4.45

$1.08 zł 4.12

8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 zł 6.10

$1.68 zł 6.41

-4.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 zł 7.19

$0.99 zł 3.76

90.91%

Eggs

$4.08 zł 15.51

$3.87 zł 14.70

5.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.54 zł 36.27

$9.07 zł 34.48

5.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 zł 31.31

$7.57 zł 28.77

8.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.63 zł 51.8

$12.13 zł 46.13

12.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 zł 5.39

$1.41 zł 5.35

0.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 zł 7.00

$1.79 zł 6.82

2.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 zł 6.77

$1.60 zł 6.10

11.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.17 zł 12.07

$3.35 zł 12.75

-5.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 zł 3.60

$0.84 zł 3.19

13.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 zł 4.14

$1.42 zł 5.39

-23.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 zł 5.24

$1.22 zł 4.62

13.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 zł 3.22

$0.54 zł 2.07

57.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.69 zł 25.44

$4.31 zł 16.40

55.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.59 zł 25.05

$6.77 zł 25.73

-2.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 zł 4.62

$0.55 zł 2.10

121.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 zł 6.41

$1.47 zł 5.58

14.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.57 zł 5.97

$1.07 zł 4.07

46.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.26 zł 134

$25.61 zł 97.4

37.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 zł 9.27

$2.31 zł 8.80

5.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 zł 3.91

$0.87 zł 3.31

18.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.80 zł 48.68

$10.57 zł 40.19

21.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 zł 6.29

$1.58 zł 6.02

4.43%

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

$31.5K zł 119.8K

$32.4K zł 123.0K

-2.67%

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

$29.4K zł 112.0K

$26.6K zł 101.2K

10.64%

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

$342 zł 1,299

$269 zł 1,024

26.92%

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

$8.91 zł 33.89

$8.41 zł 31.99

5.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.04 zł 72.4

$14.80 zł 56.3

28.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.81 zł 174

$43.27 zł 165

5.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.07 zł 99.2

$22.78 zł 86.6

14.44%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 zł 34.47

$5.56 zł 21.16

62.95%

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

$479 zł 1,823

$342 zł 1,301

40.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K zł 38.8K

$1,976 zł 7,514

415.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100.0 zł 380

$83.5 zł 317

19.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.28 zł 157

$39.01 zł 148

5.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.4 zł 359

$91.9 zł 349

2.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 zł 471

$104 zł 394

19.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$959 zł 3,649

$624 zł 2,372

53.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 zł 2,942

$530 zł 2,016

45.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 zł 5,803

$970 zł 3,689

57.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,162 zł 4,417

$819 zł 3,113

41.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,810 zł 22.1K

$2,250 zł 8,556

158.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,694 zł 14.0K

$2,368 zł 9,006

55.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,942 zł 7,385

$1,358 zł 5,165

42.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.89

-3.63%

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

Last update for Krakow: September 14, 2026

Last update for Elblag: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $959 in Krakow and $624 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: $54.0 in Krakow vs $28.00 in Elblag for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 vs $225 per month, with Elblag 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 Elblag: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Elblag is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 43% 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: $959 in Krakow versus $624 in Elblag. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Krakow. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Elblag – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $54.0 in Krakow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,463 in Elblag versus $1,913 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 31% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.