Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Lublin Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Lublin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,773 in Krakow versus $1,594 in Lublin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,539 in Krakow versus $2,183 in Lublin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,305 in Krakow versus $2,772 in Lublin.

Living in Krakow is roughly 11% more expensive than in Lublin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Krakow 33% above, Lublin 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 zł 41.39

$9.32 zł 35.37

17.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 zł 204

$40.50 zł 154

32.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 zł 36.22

$8.15 zł 30.92

17.18%

Cappuccino

$3.98 zł 15.09

$3.15 zł 11.95

26.35%

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

$2.21 zł 8.40

$2.15 zł 8.15

2.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 zł 8.59

$1.64 zł 6.24

37.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.16 zł 15.79

$3.04 zł 11.52

36.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 zł 15.34

$3.58 zł 13.59

12.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 zł 4.39

$1.05 zł 3.98

10.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 zł 5.51

$1.24 zł 4.72

16.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 zł 5.54

$1.59 zł 6.03

-8.18%

Eggs

$3.61 zł 13.68

$3.35 zł 12.71

7.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.98 zł 34.07

$7.54 zł 28.63

19.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 zł 24.68

$6.28 zł 23.82

3.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.52 zł 43.69

$9.59 zł 36.38

20.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 zł 4.75

$1.14 zł 4.32

9.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 zł 6.61

$1.55 zł 5.89

12.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 zł 6.83

$1.57 zł 5.94

14.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 zł 11.50

$2.54 zł 9.62

19.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 zł 3.86

$0.98 zł 3.71

4.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 zł 4.01

$1.24 zł 4.72

-14.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 zł 4.94

$1.30 zł 4.95

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 zł 2.68

$0.66 zł 2.50

7.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 zł 21.19

$5.20 zł 19.72

7.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 zł 24.45

$7.02 zł 26.64

-8.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 zł 4.67

$1.05 zł 3.99

17.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 zł 6.44

$1.76 zł 6.70

-3.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 zł 4.23

$0.95 zł 3.59

16.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.41 zł 150

$32.41 zł 123

21.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 zł 9.53

$2.14 zł 8.11

17.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 zł 3.74

$0.78 zł 2.97

26.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.03 zł 49.43

$10.42 zł 39.52

25.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 zł 6.42

$1.71 zł 6.50

-1.17%

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

$33.1K zł 125.7K

$34.1K zł 129.5K

-2.92%

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

$32.5K zł 123.2K

$31.1K zł 118.0K

4.42%

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

$278 zł 1,056

$291 zł 1,105

-4.40%

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

$9.20 zł 34.89

$7.61 zł 28.87

20.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.58 zł 62.9

$16.36 zł 62.1

1.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.22 zł 145

$33.64 zł 128

13.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.23 zł 84.3

$16.93 zł 64.3

31.31%

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 zł 30.54

$8.50 zł 32.26

-5.29%

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

$437 zł 1,657

$501 zł 1,899

-12.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K zł 48.9K

$4,789 zł 18.2K

169.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.7 zł 291

$90.4 zł 343

-15.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.54 zł 173

$44.53 zł 169

2.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 zł 384

$101 zł 382

0.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 zł 428

$125 zł 476

-9.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$904 zł 3,430

$811 zł 3,078

11.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 zł 2,873

$632 zł 2,399

19.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,601 zł 6,073

$977 zł 3,707

63.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,154 zł 4,379

$897 zł 3,404

28.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,725 zł 21.7K

$3,694 zł 14.0K

54.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,721 zł 14.1K

$2,395 zł 9,088

55.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,883 zł 7,146

$1,522 zł 5,774

23.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.77

6.28

23.73%

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

Last update for Krakow: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lublin: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $904 in Krakow and $811 in Lublin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 24% 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 $41.00 in Lublin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $201 per month, with Lublin 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 Lublin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lublin wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Krakow. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lublin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 24% 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 $811 in Lublin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Krakow. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Lublin – a meal for two runs $41.00 versus $54.0 in Krakow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,594 in Lublin versus $1,773 in Krakow, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lublin but tight or insufficient in Krakow. The gap between the two cities makes Lublin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lublin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,594 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lublin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Krakow and Lublin 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 Lublin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.