Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Zgorzelec Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Zgorzelec

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,738 in Krakow versus $1,388 in Zgorzelec.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,487 in Krakow versus $2,057 in Zgorzelec.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,236 in Krakow versus $2,725 in Zgorzelec.

Living in Krakow is roughly 25% more expensive than Zgorzelec, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Krakow 30% above, Zgorzelec 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.66 zł 38.87

$9.32 zł 33.98

14.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.2 zł 201

$48.63 zł 177

13.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.30 zł 33.92

$8.17 zł 29.78

13.83%

Cappuccino

$4.03 zł 14.71

$3.28 zł 11.97

22.87%

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

$2.22 zł 8.08

$0.92 zł 3.36

141.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 zł 8.10

$1.68 zł 6.14

32.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.03 zł 14.70

$1.59 zł 5.80

153.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 zł 15.16

$2.18 zł 7.96

90.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 zł 4.01

$1.01 zł 3.67

8.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 zł 5.27

$1.31 zł 4.77

10.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 zł 5.37

$1.65 zł 6.03

-10.91%

Eggs

$3.75 zł 13.67

$3.23 zł 11.80

16.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 zł 33.00

$10.09 zł 36.80

-10.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 zł 23.23

$6.50 zł 23.72

-2.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.55 zł 42.12

$11.78 zł 42.95

-1.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 zł 4.55

$0.92 zł 3.35

35.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 zł 6.62

$1.66 zł 6.04

9.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 zł 6.55

$1.76 zł 6.43

2.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.13 zł 11.42

$1.61 zł 5.88

94.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 zł 3.82

$0.70 zł 2.56

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 zł 3.69

$1.15 zł 4.20

-12.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 zł 4.95

$1.31 zł 4.76

3.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 zł 2.42

$0.66 zł 2.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.48 zł 19.99

$4.87 zł 17.76

12.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.84 zł 24.93

$8.26 zł 30.11

-17.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 zł 4.50

$0.91 zł 3.33

35.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 zł 6.43

$1.55 zł 5.66

13.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 zł 4.02

$1.11 zł 4.04

-0.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.51 zł 144

$32.45 zł 118

21.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 zł 9.14

$2.13 zł 7.75

17.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 zł 3.70

$0.90 zł 3.27

13.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.91 zł 47.07

$10.79 zł 39.33

19.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 zł 6.26

$1.71 zł 6.22

0.58%

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

$33.0K zł 120.3K

$33.2K zł 121.0K

-0.59%

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

$31.4K zł 114.4K

$32.4K zł 118.0K

-3.10%

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

$270 zł 985

$277 zł 1,011

-2.61%

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

$9.39 zł 34.23

$10.07 zł 36.73

-6.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.80 zł 61.3

$17.44 zł 63.6

-3.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.23 zł 143

$35.85 zł 131

9.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.83 zł 83.2

$19.48 zł 71.0

17.20%

Cinema Ticket

$8.22 zł 29.96

$7.62 zł 27.79

7.87%

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

$446 zł 1,626

$409 zł 1,490

9.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K zł 48.5K

$6,725 zł 24.5K

97.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.8 zł 284

$91.5 zł 334

-15.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 zł 163

$37.26 zł 136

20.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 zł 363

$93.3 zł 340

6.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 zł 407

$105 zł 383

6.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 zł 3,310

$660 zł 2,406

37.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$768 zł 2,799

$491 zł 1,790

56.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,585 zł 5,780

$984 zł 3,589

61.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 zł 4,335

$801 zł 2,922

48.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,925 zł 21.6K

$2,951 zł 10.8K

100.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,808 zł 13.9K

$2,634 zł 9,605

44.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,961 zł 7,151

$1,469 zł 5,355

33.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.77

6.8

14.26%

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

Last update for Krakow: June 2, 2026

Last update for Zgorzelec: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $908 in Krakow and $660 in Zgorzelec. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 34% 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 $49.00 in Zgorzelec for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $212 per month, with Zgorzelec 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 Zgorzelec: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zgorzelec wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Krakow. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zgorzelec the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Krakow pays 34% 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 $660 in Zgorzelec. 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 Zgorzelec – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $55.0 in Krakow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,388 in Zgorzelec versus $1,738 in Krakow, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zgorzelec but tight or insufficient in Krakow. The gap between the two cities makes Zgorzelec the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Zgorzelec delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,388 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Zgorzelec hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Krakow and Zgorzelec 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 Zgorzelec gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.