Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Lodz Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Lodz

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,773 in Krakow versus $1,495 in Lodz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,539 in Krakow versus $2,201 in Lodz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,305 in Krakow versus $2,907 in Lodz.

Living in Krakow is roughly 19% more expensive than in Lodz, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Krakow 33% above, Lodz 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 zł 41.39

$10.98 zł 41.65

-0.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 zł 204

$48.34 zł 183

11.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 zł 36.22

$8.36 zł 31.71

14.23%

Cappuccino

$3.98 zł 15.09

$3.62 zł 13.75

9.94%

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

$2.21 zł 8.40

$1.83 zł 6.94

20.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 zł 8.59

$1.70 zł 6.45

32.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.16 zł 15.79

$3.32 zł 12.61

25.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 zł 15.34

$3.98 zł 15.11

1.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 zł 4.39

$1.03 zł 3.91

12.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 zł 5.51

$1.24 zł 4.72

16.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 zł 5.54

$1.17 zł 4.45

24.79%

Eggs

$3.61 zł 13.68

$3.04 zł 11.52

18.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.98 zł 34.07

$8.75 zł 33.18

2.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 zł 24.68

$6.76 zł 25.64

-3.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.52 zł 43.69

$10.92 zł 41.44

5.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 zł 4.75

$1.15 zł 4.37

8.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 zł 6.61

$1.78 zł 6.75

-2.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 zł 6.83

$2.01 zł 7.62

-10.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 zł 11.50

$2.85 zł 10.81

6.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 zł 3.86

$0.91 zł 3.47

12.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 zł 4.01

$1.19 zł 4.52

-10.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 zł 4.94

$1.20 zł 4.56

8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 zł 2.68

$0.59 zł 2.25

20.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 zł 21.19

$5.03 zł 19.08

11.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 zł 24.45

$6.93 zł 26.28

-7.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 zł 4.67

$1.21 zł 4.59

1.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 zł 6.44

$1.96 zł 7.43

-13.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 zł 4.23

$1.18 zł 4.47

-5.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.41 zł 150

$46.31 zł 176

-14.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 zł 9.53

$2.22 zł 8.43

13.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 zł 3.74

$0.51 zł 1.94

94.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.03 zł 49.43

$9.53 zł 36.15

36.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 zł 6.42

$1.71 zł 6.49

-1.17%

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

$33.1K zł 125.7K

$33.2K zł 125.8K

-0.10%

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

$32.5K zł 123.2K

$29.0K zł 110.1K

11.90%

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

$278 zł 1,056

$335 zł 1,270

-16.84%

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

$9.20 zł 34.89

$8.44 zł 32.02

9.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.58 zł 62.9

$17.08 zł 64.8

-2.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.22 zł 145

$42.89 zł 163

-10.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.23 zł 84.3

$26.01 zł 98.7

-14.53%

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 zł 30.54

$8.07 zł 30.63

-0.25%

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

$437 zł 1,657

$341 zł 1,293

28.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K zł 48.9K

$9,485 zł 36.0K

35.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.7 zł 291

$93.4 zł 354

-17.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.54 zł 173

$30.84 zł 117

47.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 zł 384

$77.0 zł 292

31.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 zł 428

$93.1 zł 353

21.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$904 zł 3,430

$623 zł 2,365

45.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 zł 2,873

$482 zł 1,830

57.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,601 zł 6,073

$1,131 zł 4,291

41.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,154 zł 4,379

$889 zł 3,372

29.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,725 zł 21.7K

$3,199 zł 12.1K

78.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,721 zł 14.1K

$2,451 zł 9,299

51.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,883 zł 7,146

$1,637 zł 6,212

15.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.77

6.78

14.60%

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

Last update for Krakow: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lodz: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $904 in Krakow and $623 in Lodz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 15% 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 $48.00 in Lodz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $212 per month, with Lodz 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 Lodz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lodz wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Krakow. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lodz the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 15% 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: $904 in Krakow versus $623 in Lodz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Krakow. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Lodz – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $54.0 in Krakow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,495 in Lodz versus $1,773 in Krakow, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lodz but tight or insufficient in Krakow. The gap between the two cities makes Lodz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lodz delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,495 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lodz hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Krakow and Lodz 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 Lodz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.