Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and London

For one person, living is cheaper in Krakow: $1,811 a month against $4,086 in London, rent and utilities included – about $27,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Krakow
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,811
/mo nomad
London
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$4,086
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Krakow and in London

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Krakow and in London actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,811 in Krakow versus $4,086 in London.

  • Krakow $1,811
  • London $4,086

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,597 in Krakow versus $5,816 in London.

  • Krakow $2,597
  • London $5,816

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Krakow versus $7,546 in London.

  • Krakow $3,383
  • London $7,546

Living in Krakow costs roughly 56% less than in London, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Krakow 35% above, London 205% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Krakow
London
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.89 zł 46.38
$26.62 £20.12
-55.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.2 zł 196
$108 £81.3
-53.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.96 zł 38.86
$10.39 £7.86
-4.14%
Cappuccino
$4.12 zł 16.06
$5.79 £4.38
-28.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.57 zł 10.04
$3.01 £2.27
-14.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 zł 9.51
$2.15 £1.63
13.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.57 zł 17.85
$9.35 £7.07
-51.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.56 zł 17.81
$7.84 £5.93
-41.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Krakow
London
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.06 zł 4.12
$1.79 £1.35
-40.78%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 zł 5.73
$2.06 £1.56
-28.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.69 zł 6.61
$2.31 £1.74
-26.84%
Eggs
$3.95 zł 15.40
$5.05 £3.82
-21.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.31 zł 36.31
$12.57 £9.50
-25.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.75 zł 30.24
$10.66 £8.05
-27.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.20 zł 51.5
$17.13 £12.95
-22.94%
Apples (1kg)
$1.34 zł 5.22
$3.03 £2.29
-55.78%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 zł 6.61
$1.41 £1.07
19.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.76 zł 6.85
$3.05 £2.31
-42.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.06 zł 11.93
$3.38 £2.56
-9.47%
Potato (1kg)
$0.92 zł 3.61
$1.67 £1.26
-44.91%
Onion (1kg)
$0.98 zł 3.82
$1.73 £1.31
-43.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 zł 4.80
$1.41 £1.07
-12.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 zł 3.13
$1.79 £1.35
-55.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.22 zł 24.29
$23.22 £17.55
-73.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.30 zł 24.57
$12.99 £9.82
-51.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 zł 4.62
$3.18 £2.41
-62.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 zł 6.89
$4.41 £3.34
-59.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Krakow
London
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.50 zł 5.85
$3.87 £2.93
-61.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$33.54 zł 131
$250 £189
-86.59%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.28 zł 8.89
$5.71 £4.31
-60.07%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.99 zł 3.88
$3.33 £2.51
-70.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$12.22 zł 47.70
$57.9 £43.77
-78.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.69 zł 6.61
$2.04 £1.54
-17.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4K zł 118.8K
$37.5K £28.4K
-18.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.9K zł 112.7K
$40.9K £30.9K
-29.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Krakow
London
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$333 zł 1,299
$376 £284
-11.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.71 zł 33.98
$17.88 £13.51
-51.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.32 zł 67.6
$40.01 £30.25
-56.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Krakow
London
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.70 zł 178
$61.2 £46.23
-25.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.11 zł 98.0
$21.07 £15.93
19.17%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69 zł 33.90
$17.95 £13.57
-51.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Krakow
London
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$463 zł 1,805
$2,865 £2,166
-83.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,594 zł 37.4K
$35.3K £26.7K
-72.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Krakow
London
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.1 zł 387
$116 £87.7
-14.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.31 zł 157
$54.1 £40.88
-25.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.3 zł 352
$127 £95.7
-28.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 zł 464
$159 £120
-25.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Krakow
London
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$946 zł 3,692
$2,853 £2,157
-66.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$717 zł 2,800
$2,301 £1,740
-68.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,440 zł 5,620
$5,201 £3,932
-72.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,136 zł 4,432
$3,723 £2,814
-69.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,602 zł 21.9K
$19.0K £14.4K
-70.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,540 zł 13.8K
$7,881 £5,957
-55.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Krakow
London
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,855 zł 7,238
$4,818 £3,642
-61.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.62
4.65
42.37%

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

Last update for Krakow: October 3, 2026

Last update for London: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Krakow
$717
London
$2.3K 221% $1.6K
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Krakow
$359
London
$434 20.9% $75
Groceries & Markets
Krakow
$235
London
$349 49% $115
Eating Out
Krakow
$226
London
$397 75.2% $170
Clothing & Footwear
Krakow
$157
London
$205 30.9% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Krakow
$63
London
$97 53.9% $34
Getting Around
Krakow
$47
London
$288 515% $241

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $946 in Krakow and $2,853 in London. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 160% 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: $50.0 in Krakow vs $108 in London for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $349 per month, with Krakow cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇱 Krakow
🇬🇧 London
🕒 Local time
07:39 7:39 AM
06:39 6:39 AM
1 h behind Krakow
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
806,201
8,908,083 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to PLN – Polish Złoty Converter

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.9 PLN (1 PLN = 0.256 USD). 1 EUR = 4.38 PLN (1 PLN = 0.228 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.756 GBP (1 GBP = 1.32 USD). 1 EUR = 0.848 GBP (1 GBP = 1.18 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Krakow London 1,420 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Krakow
  • London

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Krakow or London?
Krakow wins on cost – living expenses run 126% lower than in London. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Krakow the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Krakow or in London?
On paper, salaries run 160% lower in London. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Krakow compared to London?
Rent for a central apartment: $946 in Krakow versus $2,853 in London. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Krakow or in London?
Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in London. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Krakow and in London?
Dining out is cheaper in Krakow – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $108 in London. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Krakow or in London?
At $1,811 in Krakow versus $4,086 in London, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Krakow but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Krakow the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Krakow or London?
Both work as nomad bases, but Krakow delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,811 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Krakow hard to pass up.
How safe is Krakow compared to London?
Safety-wise, Krakow and London are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Krakow gentler on the wallet – expenses run 126% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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