Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Szczecinek Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Szczecinek

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,913 in Krakow versus $1,560 in Szczecinek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,685 in Krakow versus $2,253 in Szczecinek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,458 in Krakow versus $2,945 in Szczecinek.

Living in Krakow is roughly 23% more expensive than in Szczecinek, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Krakow 40% above, Szczecinek 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.05 zł 49.61

$11.89 zł 45.23

9.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 zł 204

$45.68 zł 174

17.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 zł 37.89

$9.30 zł 35.35

7.10%

Cappuccino

$4.34 zł 16.49

$3.63 zł 13.80

19.56%

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

$2.46 zł 9.36

$1.19 zł 4.53

106.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 zł 9.88

$0.93 zł 3.53

179.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.77 zł 18.13

$3.21 zł 12.20

48.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 zł 16.16

$1.48 zł 5.62

187.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 zł 4.45

$0.93 zł 3.53

25.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 zł 6.10

$1.25 zł 4.77

28.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 zł 7.19

$1.42 zł 5.39

33.10%

Eggs

$4.08 zł 15.51

$3.77 zł 14.35

8.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.54 zł 36.27

$7.78 zł 29.60

22.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 zł 31.31

$6.18 zł 23.52

33.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.63 zł 51.8

$13.64 zł 51.9

-0.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 zł 5.39

$1.23 zł 4.66

15.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 zł 7.00

$1.18 zł 4.49

55.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 zł 6.77

$1.74 zł 6.61

2.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.17 zł 12.07

$2.58 zł 9.80

22.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 zł 3.60

$0.75 zł 2.87

26.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 zł 4.14

$0.84 zł 3.20

29.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 zł 5.24

$1.34 zł 5.10

2.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 zł 3.22

$0.73 zł 2.78

16.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.69 zł 25.44

$6.00 zł 22.82

11.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.59 zł 25.05

$7.94 zł 30.20

-17.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 zł 4.62

$1.22 zł 4.65

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 zł 6.41

$1.48 zł 5.63

14.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.57 zł 5.97

$1.27 zł 4.84

23.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.26 zł 134

$33.80 zł 129

4.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 zł 9.27

$2.44 zł 9.26

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 zł 3.91

$1.05 zł 3.97

-1.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.80 zł 48.68

$12.06 zł 45.87

6.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 zł 6.29

$1.51 zł 5.75

9.27%

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

$31.5K zł 119.8K

$31.6K zł 120.2K

-0.37%

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

$29.4K zł 112.0K

$28.1K zł 107.0K

4.63%

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

$342 zł 1,299

$300 zł 1,142

13.78%

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

$8.91 zł 33.89

$8.30 zł 31.58

7.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.04 zł 72.4

$19.19 zł 73.0

-0.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.81 zł 174

$38.95 zł 148

17.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.07 zł 99.2

$24.34 zł 92.6

7.11%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 zł 34.47

$7.89 zł 29.99

14.83%

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

$479 zł 1,823

$213 zł 810

124.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K zł 38.8K

$7,927 zł 30.1K

28.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100.0 zł 380

$85.1 zł 323

17.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.28 zł 157

$38.58 zł 147

7.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.4 zł 359

$88.8 zł 338

6.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 zł 471

$115 zł 435

8.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$959 zł 3,649

$587 zł 2,231

63.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 zł 2,942

$549 zł 2,089

40.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 zł 5,803

$1,058 zł 4,022

44.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,162 zł 4,417

$911 zł 3,464

27.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,810 zł 22.1K

$2,648 zł 10.1K

119.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,694 zł 14.0K

$2,352 zł 8,945

57.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,942 zł 7,385

$1,331 zł 5,063

45.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

4.2

58.10%

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

Last update for Krakow: September 14, 2026

Last update for Szczecinek: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $959 in Krakow and $587 in Szczecinek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 46% 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 $46.00 in Szczecinek for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 vs $214 per month, with Szczecinek 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 Szczecinek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Average pay runs 46% 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 $587 in Szczecinek. 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 Szczecinek – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $54.0 in Krakow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,560 in Szczecinek versus $1,913 in Krakow, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Szczecinek but tight or insufficient in Krakow. The gap between the two cities makes Szczecinek the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Szczecinek delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,560 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Szczecinek hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Krakow and Szczecinek 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 Szczecinek 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.