Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Swidnica Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Swidnica

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,747 in Krakow versus $1,262 in Swidnica.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,516 in Krakow versus $1,905 in Swidnica.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,286 in Krakow versus $2,547 in Swidnica.

Living in Krakow is roughly 38% more expensive than in Swidnica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Krakow is 31% above, Swidnica is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.64 zł 40.12

$8.08 zł 30.48

31.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 zł 204

$27.10 zł 102

99.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.45 zł 35.65

$7.43 zł 28.02

27.19%

Cappuccino

$4.05 zł 15.28

$3.30 zł 12.44

22.73%

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

$2.23 zł 8.42

$1.85 zł 6.98

20.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 zł 8.67

$1.47 zł 5.55

56.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 zł 15.06

$2.76 zł 10.39

44.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 zł 15.63

$4.13 zł 15.58

0.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 zł 4.31

$1.00 zł 3.75

14.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 zł 5.26

$1.34 zł 5.06

4.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 zł 5.53

$1.38 zł 5.21

6.52%

Eggs

$3.55 zł 13.37

$3.32 zł 12.52

6.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 zł 34.69

$9.38 zł 35.37

-1.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.61 zł 24.92

$6.40 zł 24.12

3.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.48 zł 43.27

$12.51 zł 47.16

-8.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 zł 4.87

$1.15 zł 4.32

12.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 zł 6.56

$1.85 zł 6.99

-5.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 zł 7.05

$1.98 zł 7.47

-5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.11 zł 11.71

$3.26 zł 12.29

-4.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 zł 3.77

$1.06 zł 4.00

-5.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 zł 3.98

$1.27 zł 4.80

-16.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 zł 4.93

$1.29 zł 4.88

1.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 zł 2.45

$0.70 zł 2.62

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.37 zł 20.25

$5.03 zł 18.95

6.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 zł 24.52

$8.09 zł 30.49

-19.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 zł 4.64

$1.25 zł 4.71

-1.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 zł 6.61

$2.00 zł 7.55

-12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 zł 4.16

$1.06 zł 4.00

3.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.93 zł 151

$32.00 zł 121

24.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 zł 9.27

$2.66 zł 10.02

-7.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 zł 3.73

$0.91 zł 3.43

8.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.98 zł 48.95

$10.75 zł 40.54

20.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 zł 6.18

$1.73 zł 6.54

-5.20%

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

$33.3K zł 125.7K

$34.1K zł 128.5K

-2.16%

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

$32.0K zł 120.6K

$30.9K zł 116.6K

3.41%

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

$278 zł 1,050

$216 zł 816

28.64%

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

$9.10 zł 34.32

$10.02 zł 37.77

-9.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.68 zł 62.9

$13.84 zł 52.2

20.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.81 zł 146

$36.92 zł 139

5.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.21 zł 83.8

$19.52 zł 73.6

13.78%

Cinema Ticket

$7.94 zł 29.95

$7.53 zł 28.41

5.44%

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

$445 zł 1,677

$457 zł 1,724

-2.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K zł 48.6K

$9,492 zł 35.8K

35.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.8 zł 293

$78.6 zł 296

-0.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.24 zł 174

$38.69 zł 146

19.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 zł 381

$88.8 zł 335

13.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 zł 425

$97.8 zł 369

15.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$926 zł 3,490

$649 zł 2,448

42.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$745 zł 2,808

$392 zł 1,478

90.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 zł 5,958

$985 zł 3,715

60.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 zł 4,397

$806 zł 3,038

44.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,758 zł 21.7K

$2,985 zł 11.3K

92.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,716 zł 14.0K

$2,281 zł 8,601

62.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,875 zł 7,072

$1,040 zł 3,921

80.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.77

11.00%

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

Last update for Krakow: July 28, 2026

Last update for Swidnica: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $926 in Krakow and $649 in Swidnica. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 80% 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 $27.00 in Swidnica. Groceries flip the comparison at $221 vs $227, 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 Swidnica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Swidnica wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Krakow. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Swidnica the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 80% 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: $926 in Krakow versus $649 in Swidnica. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Krakow pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Swidnica – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $54.0 in Krakow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,262 in Swidnica versus $1,747 in Krakow, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Swidnica but tight or insufficient in Krakow. The gap between the two cities makes Swidnica the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Swidnica delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,262 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Swidnica hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Krakow and Swidnica 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 Swidnica gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.