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: $1,916 in Krakow versus $1,479 in Zgorzelec.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,662 in Krakow versus $2,177 in Zgorzelec.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,409 in Krakow versus $2,875 in Zgorzelec.

Living in Krakow is roughly 30% more expensive than in Zgorzelec, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Krakow 41% above, Zgorzelec 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.69 zł 47.26

$9.36 zł 34.86

35.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 zł 202

$52.1 zł 194

4.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.26 zł 38.22

$8.22 zł 30.60

24.82%

Cappuccino

$4.57 zł 17.02

$3.23 zł 12.02

41.49%

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

$2.48 zł 9.22

$0.96 zł 3.59

158.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 zł 9.30

$1.71 zł 6.37

46.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 zł 17.51

$1.63 zł 6.07

188.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 zł 15.48

$2.10 zł 7.80

98.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 zł 4.34

$1.00 zł 3.74

17.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 zł 5.77

$1.28 zł 4.76

21.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 zł 7.01

$1.45 zł 5.38

29.66%

Eggs

$4.23 zł 15.75

$3.61 zł 13.43

17.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.90 zł 36.86

$9.38 zł 34.94

5.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.60 zł 28.30

$6.19 zł 23.03

22.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.37 zł 49.80

$13.10 zł 48.79

2.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 zł 5.17

$0.94 zł 3.52

47.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 zł 6.46

$1.64 zł 6.09

6.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 zł 6.73

$1.76 zł 6.56

2.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.30 zł 12.28

$1.64 zł 6.10

101.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 zł 3.50

$0.66 zł 2.44

42.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 zł 3.88

$1.10 zł 4.11

-5.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 zł 4.74

$1.33 zł 4.95

-4.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 zł 2.85

$0.73 zł 2.73

5.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.48 zł 24.13

$5.08 zł 18.91

27.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.86 zł 25.54

$8.07 zł 30.06

-14.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 zł 4.70

$0.89 zł 3.32

41.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 zł 6.56

$1.42 zł 5.28

23.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.57 zł 5.86

$1.28 zł 4.75

22.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.57 zł 129

$27.63 zł 103

25.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 zł 8.73

$2.47 zł 9.20

-5.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 zł 3.89

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.54 zł 46.71

$13.23 zł 49.25

-5.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 zł 6.26

$1.63 zł 6.06

3.07%

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

$31.4K zł 116.8K

$32.0K zł 119.2K

-2.03%

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

$30.5K zł 113.7K

$28.6K zł 106.4K

6.78%

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

$328 zł 1,222

$306 zł 1,139

7.27%

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

$9.16 zł 34.12

$8.14 zł 30.30

12.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.35 zł 72.0

$20.35 zł 75.8

-4.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.06 zł 172

$39.98 zł 149

15.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.93 zł 92.8

$24.28 zł 90.4

2.68%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 zł 33.89

$7.87 zł 29.31

15.63%

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

$453 zł 1,686

$513 zł 1,909

-11.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K zł 37.9K

$7,804 zł 29.1K

30.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.8 zł 357

$84.5 zł 315

13.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.15 zł 157

$39.11 zł 146

7.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 zł 358

$91.5 zł 341

4.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 zł 464

$113 zł 422

9.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$935 zł 3,480

$712 zł 2,651

31.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$784 zł 2,918

$460 zł 1,714

70.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 zł 5,618

$1,171 zł 4,361

28.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 zł 4,398

$893 zł 3,326

32.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,858 zł 21.8K

$3,437 zł 12.8K

70.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,669 zł 13.7K

$2,017 zł 7,512

81.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,934 zł 7,201

$1,405 zł 5,233

37.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

6.65

0.60%

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

Last update for Krakow: August 1, 2026

Last update for Zgorzelec: August 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $935 in Krakow and $712 in Zgorzelec. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 38% 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 $52.0 in Zgorzelec for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $213 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 30% 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.

Average pay runs 38% 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: $935 in Krakow versus $712 in Zgorzelec. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% 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 $52.0 versus $54.0 in Krakow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,479 in Zgorzelec versus $1,916 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 $1,479 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 30% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.