Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Kalisz Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Kalisz

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,943 per month in Krakow vs $1,172 in Kalisz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,761 per month in Krakow vs $1,651 in Kalisz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,580 per month in Krakow vs $2,131 in Kalisz, rent included.

Krakow costs about 66% more than Kalisz, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Krakow sits 41% above the global median, while Kalisz is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.82 zł 47.61

$9.30 zł 34.55

37.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.2 zł 201

$32.63 zł 121

66.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.65 zł 35.83

$9.28 zł 34.46

3.99%

Cappuccino

$4.51 zł 16.74

$3.21 zł 11.93

40.50%

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

$2.60 zł 9.66

$1.88 zł 6.98

38.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 zł 9.35

$1.75 zł 6.48

44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.90 zł 18.20

$2.65 zł 9.85

84.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 zł 15.81

$2.73 zł 10.13

56.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 zł 4.35

$1.04 zł 3.84

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 zł 5.99

$1.31 zł 4.88

22.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 zł 6.76

$1.67 zł 6.19

8.98%

Eggs

$4.10 zł 15.23

$3.17 zł 11.78

29.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 zł 35.58

$8.29 zł 30.80

15.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.04 zł 29.88

$4.72 zł 17.53

70.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.67 zł 50.8

$9.95 zł 36.96

37.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 zł 5.21

$1.16 zł 4.33

20.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 zł 6.63

$1.74 zł 6.47

2.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 zł 6.64

$1.62 zł 6.03

10.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.25 zł 12.07

$3.24 zł 12.04

0.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 zł 3.54

$0.83 zł 3.09

14.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 zł 3.86

$1.06 zł 3.93

-1.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 zł 4.94

$1.37 zł 5.08

-2.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 zł 3.11

$0.55 zł 2.05

52.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.48 zł 24.06

$4.79 zł 17.78

35.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.56 zł 24.39

$7.43 zł 27.61

-11.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 zł 4.72

$0.92 zł 3.43

38.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 zł 6.35

$1.47 zł 5.45

16.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 zł 5.88

$1.04 zł 3.86

51.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.11 zł 130

$36.41 zł 135

-3.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 zł 8.83

$2.19 zł 8.14

8.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 zł 4.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.44 zł 46.20

$6.80 zł 25.24

82.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 zł 6.07

$1.57 zł 5.84

3.82%

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

$32.7K zł 121.5K

$32.4K zł 120.2K

1.03%

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

$29.8K zł 110.6K

$28.9K zł 107.3K

3.11%

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

$335 zł 1,245

$191 zł 708

75.77%

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

$9.40 zł 34.93

$10.94 zł 40.65

-14.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.31 zł 71.8

$18.01 zł 66.9

7.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.25 zł 176

$33.40 zł 124

41.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.50 zł 98.4

Cinema Ticket

$8.95 zł 33.26

$6.53 zł 24.24

37.06%

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

$476 zł 1,769

$261 zł 970

82.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K zł 38.4K

$5,298 zł 19.7K

94.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 zł 377

$88.5 zł 329

14.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.76 zł 155

$26.53 zł 98.6

57.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 zł 344

$83.2 zł 309

11.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 zł 473

$92.2 zł 342

38.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$981 zł 3,644

$448 zł 1,665

118.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 zł 2,932

$352 zł 1,307

124.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,505 zł 5,592

$553 zł 2,055

172.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,165 zł 4,328

$455 zł 1,690

156.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,819 zł 21.6K

$2,044 zł 7,593

184.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,745 zł 13.9K

$1,514 zł 5,624

147.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 zł 7,223

$1,230 zł 4,570

58.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.21

6.92%

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

Last update for Krakow: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kalisz: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $981 in Krakow versus $448 in Kalisz. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 58% higher in Krakow, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Krakow versus $33.00 in Kalisz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $199 – making Kalisz the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kalisz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Krakow is pricier by about 66%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,914 per month in Krakow and $1,758 in Kalisz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kalisz, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 4% less in Kalisz. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $476 per month in Krakow and $261 in Kalisz. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kalisz, where all-in costs run around $1,172, than in Krakow at $1,943. In Kalisz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Krakow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kalisz – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kalisz. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Krakow makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.