Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Olsztyn Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Olsztyn

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,888 in Krakow versus $1,837 in Olsztyn.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Krakow versus $2,797 in Olsztyn.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,553 in Krakow versus $3,758 in Olsztyn.

Living in Krakow is roughly 3% more expensive than in Olsztyn, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Krakow 37% above, Olsztyn 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.05 zł 48.60

$13.40 zł 49.89

-2.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.0 zł 205

$53.4 zł 199

3.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.75 zł 36.30

$9.59 zł 35.72

1.67%

Cappuccino

$4.37 zł 16.28

$3.53 zł 13.14

23.80%

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

$2.59 zł 9.63

$2.66 zł 9.90

-2.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 zł 9.75

$1.98 zł 7.35

32.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.75 zł 17.70

$3.15 zł 11.72

50.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 zł 15.83

$4.05 zł 15.10

4.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 zł 4.41

$1.12 zł 4.18

6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 zł 6.00

$1.37 zł 5.11

17.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 zł 6.85

$1.45 zł 5.40

26.90%

Eggs

$4.01 zł 14.93

$3.95 zł 14.70

1.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.11 zł 37.63

$10.49 zł 39.07

-3.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.17 zł 30.42

$7.63 zł 28.42

7.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.15 zł 52.7

$15.60 zł 58.1

-9.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.36 zł 5.05

$1.28 zł 4.78

6.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 zł 6.70

$1.69 zł 6.30

6.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 zł 7.05

$1.97 zł 7.34

-4.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.21 zł 11.96

$3.70 zł 13.77

-13.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 zł 3.60

$0.99 zł 3.68

-2.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 zł 4.07

$1.30 zł 4.84

-16.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 zł 4.97

$1.45 zł 5.40

-8.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 zł 3.23

$0.76 zł 2.82

14.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 zł 25.35

$5.82 zł 21.65

17.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.93 zł 25.81

$7.85 zł 29.23

-11.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 zł 4.76

$1.14 zł 4.25

12.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 zł 6.64

$1.65 zł 6.14

7.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 zł 6.09

$1.09 zł 4.06

50.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.41 zł 132

$27.15 zł 101

30.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 zł 8.92

$2.10 zł 7.81

14.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 zł 4.13

$0.77 zł 2.88

44.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.66 zł 47.15

$10.67 zł 39.74

18.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 zł 6.34

$1.66 zł 6.19

2.41%

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

$32.3K zł 120.3K

$33.3K zł 123.8K

-2.85%

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

$29.8K zł 110.9K

$31.0K zł 115.6K

-4.05%

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

$341 zł 1,270

$313 zł 1,166

8.97%

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

$9.12 zł 33.96

$10.13 zł 37.71

-9.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.14 zł 71.3

$19.00 zł 70.7

0.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.99 zł 175

$54.3 zł 202

-13.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.87 zł 96.3

$23.55 zł 87.7

9.85%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 zł 34.33

$9.28 zł 34.55

-0.65%

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

$474 zł 1,764

$401 zł 1,492

18.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K zł 37.5K

$14.9K zł 55.6K

-32.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 zł 381

$105 zł 393

-3.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 zł 152

$50.9 zł 190

-19.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 zł 349

$106 zł 394

-11.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 zł 479

$112 zł 416

15.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 zł 3,640

$934 zł 3,478

4.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$786 zł 2,926

$738 zł 2,746

6.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,561 zł 5,811

$1,835 zł 6,832

-14.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,165 zł 4,337

$1,428 zł 5,318

-18.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,794 zł 21.6K

$3,917 zł 14.6K

47.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,789 zł 14.1K

$2,774 zł 10.3K

36.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,011 zł 7,487

$1,451 zł 5,403

38.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

7.52

-11.70%

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

Last update for Krakow: September 6, 2026

Last update for Olsztyn: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Krakow and $934 in Olsztyn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 39% 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 $53.0 in Olsztyn. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $251, with Krakow cheaper for home cooking.

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 Olsztyn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Olsztyn wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Krakow. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Olsztyn the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 39% 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 $934 in Olsztyn. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Krakow pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Olsztyn – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $55.0 in Krakow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,837 in Olsztyn versus $1,888 in Krakow, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Olsztyn but tight or insufficient in Krakow. The gap between the two cities makes Olsztyn the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Olsztyn delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,837 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Olsztyn hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Krakow and Olsztyn 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 Olsztyn gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.