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: $1,773 in Krakow versus $1,405 in Szczecin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,539 in Krakow versus $2,031 in Szczecin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,305 in Krakow versus $2,657 in Szczecin.

Living in Krakow is roughly 26% more expensive than in Szczecin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Krakow 33% above, Szczecin 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 zł 41.43

$9.39 zł 35.68

16.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 zł 204

$48.78 zł 185

10.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 zł 36.25

$8.52 zł 32.36

12.09%

Cappuccino

$3.98 zł 15.11

$3.35 zł 12.72

18.81%

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

$2.21 zł 8.41

$1.85 zł 7.01

19.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 zł 8.60

$1.42 zł 5.39

59.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.16 zł 15.81

$3.29 zł 12.48

26.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 zł 15.35

$3.19 zł 12.12

26.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 zł 4.40

$0.96 zł 3.65

20.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 zł 5.51

$1.33 zł 5.05

9.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 zł 5.54

$0.99 zł 3.77

47.47%

Eggs

$3.61 zł 13.69

$3.28 zł 12.46

10.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.98 zł 34.11

$9.42 zł 35.76

-4.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 zł 24.71

$6.36 zł 24.15

2.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.52 zł 43.73

$12.98 zł 49.28

-11.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 zł 4.75

$0.89 zł 3.39

40.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 zł 6.62

$1.79 zł 6.78

-2.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 zł 6.84

$1.39 zł 5.27

29.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 zł 11.51

$2.15 zł 8.17

40.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 zł 3.87

$0.89 zł 3.40

14.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 zł 4.01

$1.08 zł 4.09

-1.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 zł 4.95

$1.02 zł 3.87

27.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 zł 2.68

$0.56 zł 2.14

26.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 zł 21.21

$5.40 zł 20.49

3.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 zł 24.47

$6.41 zł 24.35

0.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 zł 4.68

$1.09 zł 4.14

12.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 zł 6.45

$1.44 zł 5.47

18.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 zł 4.23

$0.79 zł 3.01

40.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.41 zł 150

$27.49 zł 104

43.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 zł 9.54

$2.15 zł 8.15

16.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 zł 3.74

$1.01 zł 3.84

-1.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.03 zł 49.48

$13.67 zł 51.9

-4.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 zł 6.43

$1.75 zł 6.64

-3.43%

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

$33.1K zł 125.8K

$33.4K zł 126.9K

-0.89%

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

$32.5K zł 123.3K

$30.8K zł 117.2K

5.24%

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

$278 zł 1,057

$257 zł 976

8.31%

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

$9.20 zł 34.93

$10.70 zł 40.64

-14.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.58 zł 63.0

$17.65 zł 67.1

-6.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.22 zł 145

$30.13 zł 114

26.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.23 zł 84.4

$16.53 zł 62.8

34.48%

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 zł 30.57

$6.85 zł 26.00

17.52%

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

$437 zł 1,658

$376 zł 1,427

16.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K zł 48.9K

$8,122 zł 30.8K

58.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.7 zł 291

$56.9 zł 216

34.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.54 zł 173

$30.91 zł 117

47.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 zł 384

$74.2 zł 282

36.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 zł 429

$84.2 zł 320

34.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$904 zł 3,433

$658 zł 2,500

37.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 zł 2,876

$527 zł 2,003

43.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,601 zł 6,079

$981 zł 3,725

63.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,154 zł 4,383

$817 zł 3,103

41.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,725 zł 21.7K

$3,435 zł 13.0K

66.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,721 zł 14.1K

$2,448 zł 9,299

51.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,883 zł 7,153

$1,622 zł 6,162

16.08%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Szczecin: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $904 in Krakow and $658 in Szczecin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 16% 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 $49.00 in Szczecin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $207 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 26% 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.

Average pay runs 16% 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 $658 in Szczecin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% 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 $49.00 versus $54.0 in Krakow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,405 in Szczecin versus $1,773 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 $1,405 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 26% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.