Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Szczecin Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Szczecin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,738 in Krakow versus $1,408 in Szczecin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,487 in Krakow versus $2,007 in Szczecin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,236 in Krakow versus $2,606 in Szczecin.

Living in Krakow is roughly 23% more expensive than Szczecin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Krakow 30% above, Szczecin 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.66 zł 38.94

$9.33 zł 34.08

14.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.2 zł 202

$49.78 zł 182

10.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.30 zł 33.98

$8.76 zł 31.98

6.16%

Cappuccino

$4.03 zł 14.74

$3.33 zł 12.15

21.02%

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

$2.22 zł 8.09

$1.86 zł 6.81

19.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 zł 8.12

$1.41 zł 5.16

57.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.03 zł 14.72

$3.32 zł 12.13

21.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 zł 15.18

$3.18 zł 11.62

30.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 zł 4.01

$0.96 zł 3.51

14.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 zł 5.28

$1.28 zł 4.68

13.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 zł 5.38

$0.99 zł 3.60

48.48%

Eggs

$3.75 zł 13.69

$3.34 zł 12.18

12.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 zł 33.06

$9.64 zł 35.22

-6.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 zł 23.28

$6.39 zł 23.33

-0.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.55 zł 42.20

$13.30 zł 48.58

-13.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 zł 4.55

$0.89 zł 3.26

40.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 zł 6.63

$1.78 zł 6.50

1.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 zł 6.56

$1.39 zł 5.09

29.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.13 zł 11.44

$2.18 zł 7.97

43.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 zł 3.83

$0.89 zł 3.24

17.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 zł 3.70

$1.07 zł 3.90

-5.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 zł 4.96

$1.03 zł 3.77

32.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 zł 2.42

$0.60 zł 2.20

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.48 zł 20.03

$5.32 zł 19.44

3.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.84 zł 24.97

$7.03 zł 25.67

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 zł 4.50

$1.14 zł 4.15

7.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 zł 6.44

$1.47 zł 5.38

19.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 zł 4.03

$0.82 zł 3.01

34.15%

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

$2.20 zł 8.04

14.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 zł 3.71

$0.97 zł 3.55

5.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.91 zł 47.15

$13.44 zł 49.09

-3.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 zł 6.27

$1.67 zł 6.10

2.99%

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

$33.0K zł 120.5K

$32.7K zł 119.6K

0.79%

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

$31.4K zł 114.6K

$30.7K zł 112.2K

2.10%

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

$270 zł 987

$253 zł 924

6.82%

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

$9.39 zł 34.29

$10.70 zł 39.07

-12.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.80 zł 61.4

$17.06 zł 62.3

-1.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.23 zł 143

$29.59 zł 108

32.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.83 zł 83.4

$15.99 zł 58.4

42.78%

Cinema Ticket

$8.22 zł 30.01

$6.91 zł 25.23

18.96%

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

$446 zł 1,629

$379 zł 1,386

17.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K zł 48.6K

$8,219 zł 30.0K

61.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.8 zł 284

$56.4 zł 206

37.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 zł 164

$30.67 zł 112

46.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 zł 363

$72.4 zł 265

37.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 zł 407

$85.1 zł 311

30.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 zł 3,316

$657 zł 2,399

38.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$768 zł 2,805

$534 zł 1,950

43.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,585 zł 5,790

$963 zł 3,519

64.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 zł 4,342

$811 zł 2,962

46.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,925 zł 21.6K

$3,413 zł 12.5K

73.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,808 zł 13.9K

$2,566 zł 9,374

48.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,961 zł 7,163

$1,660 zł 6,064

18.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.77

6.36

22.17%

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

Last update for Krakow: June 2, 2026

Last update for Szczecin: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $908 in Krakow and $657 in Szczecin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 18% 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 $50.0 in Szczecin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $211 per month, with Szczecin 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 Szczecin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Szczecin wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Krakow. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Szczecin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Krakow pays 18% 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 $657 in Szczecin. 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 Szczecin – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $55.0 in Krakow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,408 in Szczecin versus $1,738 in Krakow, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Szczecin but tight or insufficient in Krakow. The gap between the two cities makes Szczecin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Szczecin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,408 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Szczecin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Krakow and Szczecin 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 Szczecin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.