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: $1,773 in Krakow versus $1,560 in Szczecinek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,539 in Krakow versus $2,175 in Szczecinek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,305 in Krakow versus $2,789 in Szczecinek.

Living in Krakow is roughly 14% more expensive than in Szczecinek, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Krakow 33% above, Szczecinek 17% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 zł 41.39

$10.90 zł 41.35

0.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 zł 204

$24.52 zł 93.0

119.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 zł 36.22

$9.36 zł 35.50

2.03%

Cappuccino

$3.98 zł 15.09

$3.64 zł 13.82

9.34%

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

$2.21 zł 8.40

$1.03 zł 3.91

114.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 zł 8.59

$0.70 zł 2.67

222.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.16 zł 15.79

$4.12 zł 15.62

0.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 zł 15.34

$1.51 zł 5.73

167.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 zł 4.39

$1.06 zł 4.02

9.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 zł 5.51

$1.09 zł 4.15

33.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 zł 5.54

$1.58 zł 6.01

-7.59%

Eggs

$3.61 zł 13.68

$3.46 zł 13.11

4.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.98 zł 34.07

$8.18 zł 31.02

9.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 zł 24.68

$7.24 zł 27.47

-10.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.52 zł 43.69

$13.18 zł 50.0

-12.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 zł 4.75

$1.05 zł 4.00

19.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 zł 6.61

$1.99 zł 7.56

-12.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 zł 6.83

$1.88 zł 7.12

-4.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 zł 11.50

$3.03 zł 11.49

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 zł 3.86

$0.87 zł 3.32

17.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 zł 4.01

$0.67 zł 2.54

58.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 zł 4.94

$1.51 zł 5.73

-13.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 zł 2.68

$0.72 zł 2.74

-1.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 zł 21.19

$5.36 zł 20.34

4.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 zł 24.45

$7.83 zł 29.70

-17.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 zł 4.67

$1.06 zł 4.03

16.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 zł 6.44

$1.66 zł 6.28

2.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 zł 4.23

$1.06 zł 4.01

4.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.41 zł 150

$32.83 zł 125

20.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 zł 9.53

$2.28 zł 8.65

10.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 zł 3.74

$0.76 zł 2.89

30.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.03 zł 49.43

$13.51 zł 51.3

-3.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 zł 6.42

$1.67 zł 6.34

1.20%

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

$33.1K zł 125.7K

$33.3K zł 126.3K

-0.48%

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

$32.5K zł 123.2K

$30.0K zł 113.9K

8.16%

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

$278 zł 1,056

$367 zł 1,393

-24.21%

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

$9.20 zł 34.89

$11.59 zł 43.96

-20.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.58 zł 62.9

$16.07 zł 61.0

3.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.22 zł 145

$36.83 zł 140

3.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.23 zł 84.3

$19.35 zł 73.4

14.88%

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 zł 30.54

$7.43 zł 28.20

8.34%

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

$437 zł 1,657

$370 zł 1,404

17.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K zł 48.9K

$6,626 zł 25.1K

94.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.7 zł 291

$121 zł 460

-36.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.54 zł 173

$45.21 zł 172

0.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 zł 384

$110 zł 417

-7.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 zł 428

$90.7 zł 344

24.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$904 zł 3,430

$507 zł 1,922

78.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 zł 2,873

$491 zł 1,864

54.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,601 zł 6,073

$965 zł 3,661

65.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,154 zł 4,379

$802 zł 3,042

43.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,725 zł 21.7K

$2,936 zł 11.1K

95.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,721 zł 14.1K

$2,296 zł 8,713

62.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,883 zł 7,146

$1,317 zł 4,995

43.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.77

4.2

85.00%

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

Last update for Krakow: July 13, 2026

Last update for Szczecinek: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $904 in Krakow and $507 in Szczecinek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 43% 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 $25.00 in Szczecinek. Groceries flip the comparison at $221 vs $225, 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 Szczecinek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Szczecinek wins on cost – living expenses run 14% 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 43% 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 $507 in Szczecinek. 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 Szczecinek – a meal for two runs $25.00 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 $1,773 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 14% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.