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: $1,913 in Krakow versus $1,364 in Szczecin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,685 in Krakow versus $2,044 in Szczecin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,458 in Krakow versus $2,723 in Szczecin.

Living in Krakow is roughly 40% more expensive than in Szczecin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Krakow 40% above, Szczecin 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.05 zł 49.61

$9.45 zł 35.92

38.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 zł 204

$48.34 zł 184

11.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 zł 37.89

$8.71 zł 33.11

14.35%

Cappuccino

$4.34 zł 16.49

$3.07 zł 11.67

41.37%

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

$2.46 zł 9.36

$1.84 zł 7.00

33.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 zł 9.88

$1.52 zł 5.78

71.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.77 zł 18.13

$3.25 zł 12.37

46.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 zł 16.16

$3.15 zł 11.97

34.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 zł 4.45

$0.91 zł 3.47

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 zł 6.10

$1.29 zł 4.91

24.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 zł 7.19

$1.16 zł 4.41

62.93%

Eggs

$4.08 zł 15.51

$3.46 zł 13.14

17.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.54 zł 36.27

$9.57 zł 36.40

-0.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 zł 31.31

$6.55 zł 24.91

25.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.63 zł 51.8

$13.14 zł 49.96

3.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 zł 5.39

$1.02 zł 3.89

39.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 zł 7.00

$1.67 zł 6.37

10.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 zł 6.77

$1.64 zł 6.24

8.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.17 zł 12.07

$2.45 zł 9.31

29.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 zł 3.60

$0.87 zł 3.32

9.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 zł 4.14

$1.11 zł 4.24

-1.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 zł 5.24

$1.17 zł 4.44

17.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 zł 3.22

$0.58 zł 2.19

46.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.69 zł 25.44

$5.49 zł 20.89

21.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.59 zł 25.05

$6.67 zł 25.35

-1.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 zł 4.62

$1.17 zł 4.44

4.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 zł 6.41

$1.52 zł 5.76

11.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.57 zł 5.97

$0.83 zł 3.14

89.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.26 zł 134

$26.86 zł 102

31.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 zł 9.27

$2.01 zł 7.62

21.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 zł 3.91

$0.91 zł 3.45

13.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.80 zł 48.68

$13.43 zł 51.1

-4.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 zł 6.29

$1.60 zł 6.10

3.12%

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

$31.5K zł 119.8K

$31.9K zł 121.4K

-1.36%

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

$29.4K zł 112.0K

$29.9K zł 113.5K

-1.36%

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

$342 zł 1,299

$250 zł 951

36.68%

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

$8.91 zł 33.89

$12.95 zł 49.26

-31.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.04 zł 72.4

$19.37 zł 73.7

-1.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.81 zł 174

$31.84 zł 121

43.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.07 zł 99.2

$51.4 zł 195

-49.23%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 zł 34.47

$6.75 zł 25.66

34.22%

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

$479 zł 1,823

$349 zł 1,327

37.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K zł 38.8K

$7,999 zł 30.4K

27.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100.0 zł 380

$72.2 zł 275

38.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.28 zł 157

$36.47 zł 139

13.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.4 zł 359

$81.7 zł 311

15.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 zł 471

$93.3 zł 355

32.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$959 zł 3,649

$639 zł 2,430

50.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 zł 2,942

$506 zł 1,922

53.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 zł 5,803

$1,179 zł 4,485

29.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,162 zł 4,417

$856 zł 3,254

35.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,810 zł 22.1K

$3,456 zł 13.1K

68.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,694 zł 14.0K

$2,478 zł 9,424

49.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,942 zł 7,385

$1,643 zł 6,247

18.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.82

-2.64%

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

Last update for Krakow: September 14, 2026

Last update for Szczecin: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $959 in Krakow and $639 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: $54.0 in Krakow vs $48.00 in Szczecin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 vs $214 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 40% 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 18% 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: $959 in Krakow versus $639 in Szczecin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% 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 $48.00 versus $54.0 in Krakow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,364 in Szczecin versus $1,913 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 $1,364 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 40% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.