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: $1,738 in Krakow versus $1,464 in Olsztyn.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,487 in Krakow versus $1,997 in Olsztyn.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,236 in Krakow versus $2,531 in Olsztyn.

Living in Krakow is roughly 19% more expensive than Olsztyn, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Krakow 30% above, Olsztyn 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.66 zł 38.94

$10.65 zł 38.92

0.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.2 zł 202

$46.46 zł 170

18.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.30 zł 33.98

$7.51 zł 27.43

23.83%

Cappuccino

$4.03 zł 14.74

$2.96 zł 10.82

36.15%

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

$2.22 zł 8.09

$1.69 zł 6.17

31.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 zł 8.12

$1.84 zł 6.71

20.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.03 zł 14.72

$3.27 zł 11.96

23.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 zł 15.18

$3.82 zł 13.96

8.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 zł 4.01

$1.10 zł 4.04

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 zł 5.28

$1.32 zł 4.83

9.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 zł 5.38

$1.50 zł 5.47

-2.00%

Eggs

$3.75 zł 13.69

$3.45 zł 12.61

8.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 zł 33.06

$8.89 zł 32.47

1.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 zł 23.28

$6.01 zł 21.97

5.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.55 zł 42.20

$10.06 zł 36.77

14.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 zł 4.55

$1.10 zł 4.01

13.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 zł 6.63

$1.58 zł 5.76

14.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 zł 6.56

$2.04 zł 7.45

-11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.13 zł 11.44

$2.78 zł 10.16

12.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 zł 3.83

$0.79 zł 2.89

32.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 zł 3.70

$1.24 zł 4.51

-18.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 zł 4.96

$1.15 zł 4.20

18.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 zł 2.42

$0.68 zł 2.47

-2.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.48 zł 20.03

$5.57 zł 20.35

-1.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.84 zł 24.97

$8.14 zł 29.74

-15.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 zł 4.50

$1.02 zł 3.71

20.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 zł 6.44

$1.71 zł 6.24

2.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 zł 4.03

$1.12 zł 4.09

-1.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.51 zł 144

$27.10 zł 99.0

45.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 zł 9.16

$1.98 zł 7.23

26.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 zł 3.71

$0.74 zł 2.70

37.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.91 zł 47.15

$13.79 zł 50.4

-6.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 zł 6.27

$1.78 zł 6.50

-3.37%

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

$33.0K zł 120.5K

$32.8K zł 119.7K

0.74%

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

$31.4K zł 114.6K

$30.8K zł 112.5K

1.83%

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

$270 zł 987

$271 zł 991

-0.46%

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

$9.39 zł 34.29

$9.10 zł 33.25

3.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.80 zł 61.4

$17.49 zł 63.9

-3.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.23 zł 143

$32.68 zł 119

20.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.83 zł 83.4

$16.36 zł 59.8

39.55%

Cinema Ticket

$8.22 zł 30.01

$8.01 zł 29.25

2.62%

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

$446 zł 1,629

$133 zł 487

234.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K zł 48.6K

$15.6K zł 56.9K

-14.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.8 zł 284

$96.0 zł 351

-18.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 zł 164

$46.72 zł 171

-4.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 zł 363

$82.9 zł 303

19.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 zł 407

$108 zł 394

3.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 zł 3,316

$640 zł 2,337

41.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$768 zł 2,805

$551 zł 2,011

39.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,585 zł 5,790

$979 zł 3,576

61.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 zł 4,342

$608 zł 2,223

95.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,925 zł 21.6K

$3,992 zł 14.6K

48.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,808 zł 13.9K

$2,823 zł 10.3K

34.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,961 zł 7,163

$1,472 zł 5,376

33.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.77

5.81

33.73%

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

Last update for Krakow: June 2, 2026

Last update for Olsztyn: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $908 in Krakow and $640 in Olsztyn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 33% 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 $46.00 in Olsztyn for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $210 per month, with Olsztyn 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 Olsztyn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Olsztyn wins on cost – living expenses run 19% 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.

Krakow pays 33% more on average, 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: $908 in Krakow versus $640 in Olsztyn. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Krakow. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Olsztyn – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $55.0 in Krakow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,464 in Olsztyn versus $1,738 in Krakow, a $1,500 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 $1,464 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 19% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.