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: $1,888 in Krakow versus $1,542 in Lodz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Krakow versus $2,256 in Lodz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,553 in Krakow versus $2,969 in Lodz.

Living in Krakow is roughly 22% more expensive than in Lodz, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Krakow 37% above, Lodz 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.05 zł 48.37

$10.27 zł 38.06

27.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.0 zł 204

$49.92 zł 185

10.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.75 zł 36.13

$9.69 zł 35.90

0.62%

Cappuccino

$4.37 zł 16.20

$3.75 zł 13.91

16.53%

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

$2.59 zł 9.58

$2.77 zł 10.26

-6.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 zł 9.71

$2.86 zł 10.60

-8.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.75 zł 17.62

$4.94 zł 18.32

-3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 zł 15.75

$5.31 zł 19.68

-19.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 zł 4.39

$1.07 zł 3.97

11.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 zł 5.97

$1.18 zł 4.38

36.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 zł 6.82

$1.47 zł 5.45

25.17%

Eggs

$4.01 zł 14.86

$3.64 zł 13.47

10.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.11 zł 37.45

$11.04 zł 40.90

-8.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.17 zł 30.28

$7.25 zł 26.85

12.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.15 zł 52.4

$12.37 zł 45.84

14.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.36 zł 5.03

$1.26 zł 4.66

7.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 zł 6.67

$1.70 zł 6.29

5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 zł 7.01

$2.52 zł 9.34

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.21 zł 11.91

$3.06 zł 11.35

4.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 zł 3.59

$0.84 zł 3.12

15.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 zł 4.05

$0.93 zł 3.45

17.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 zł 4.94

$1.42 zł 5.26

-6.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 zł 3.22

$0.62 zł 2.32

40.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 zł 25.23

$5.90 zł 21.85

15.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.93 zł 25.68

$7.14 zł 26.47

-2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 zł 4.73

$1.17 zł 4.33

9.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 zł 6.60

$1.87 zł 6.94

-4.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 zł 6.06

$1.16 zł 4.30

41.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.41 zł 131

$54.0 zł 200

-34.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 zł 8.88

$1.68 zł 6.24

42.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 zł 4.11

$0.61 zł 2.25

81.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.66 zł 46.92

$9.45 zł 35.02

33.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 zł 6.31

$1.57 zł 5.83

8.28%

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

$32.3K zł 119.7K

$31.8K zł 117.7K

1.68%

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

$29.8K zł 110.4K

$27.9K zł 103.3K

6.86%

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

$341 zł 1,264

$327 zł 1,213

4.19%

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

$9.12 zł 33.79

$9.03 zł 33.46

1.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.14 zł 70.9

$18.04 zł 66.9

6.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.99 zł 174

$38.77 zł 144

21.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.87 zł 95.9

$18.68 zł 69.2

38.49%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 zł 34.16

$8.20 zł 30.39

12.44%

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

$474 zł 1,755

$532 zł 1,970

-10.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K zł 37.3K

$11.1K zł 41.1K

-9.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 zł 379

$78.7 zł 292

29.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 zł 152

$41.75 zł 155

-1.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 zł 347

$93.3 zł 346

0.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 zł 477

$103 zł 381

25.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 zł 3,623

$633 zł 2,347

54.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$786 zł 2,912

$494 zł 1,829

59.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,561 zł 5,783

$1,127 zł 4,178

38.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,165 zł 4,316

$875 zł 3,244

33.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,794 zł 21.5K

$3,356 zł 12.4K

72.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,789 zł 14.0K

$2,502 zł 9,271

51.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,011 zł 7,451

$1,695 zł 6,279

18.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.87

-3.35%

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

Last update for Krakow: September 6, 2026

Last update for Lodz: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Krakow and $633 in Lodz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 19% 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 $50.0 in Lodz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $233 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 22% 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 19% 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: $978 in Krakow versus $633 in Lodz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% 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 $50.0 versus $55.0 in Krakow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,542 in Lodz versus $1,888 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 $1,542 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 22% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.