Cost of Living Comparison Between Lodz and Krakow Cost of Living Comparison Between Lodz and Krakow

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,542 in Lodz versus $1,888 in Krakow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Lodz versus $2,721 in Krakow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,969 in Lodz versus $3,553 in Krakow.

Living in Lodz costs roughly 18% less than in Krakow, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lodz 12% above, Krakow 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.27 zł 38.06

$13.05 zł 48.37

-21.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.92 zł 185

$55.0 zł 204

-9.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 zł 35.90

$9.75 zł 36.13

-0.62%

Cappuccino

$3.75 zł 13.91

$4.37 zł 16.20

-14.19%

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

$2.77 zł 10.26

$2.59 zł 9.58

6.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 zł 10.60

$2.62 zł 9.71

9.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.94 zł 18.32

$4.75 zł 17.62

4.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 zł 19.68

$4.25 zł 15.75

24.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 zł 3.97

$1.19 zł 4.39

-10.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 zł 4.38

$1.61 zł 5.97

-26.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 zł 5.45

$1.84 zł 6.82

-20.11%

Eggs

$3.64 zł 13.47

$4.01 zł 14.86

-9.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 zł 40.90

$10.11 zł 37.45

9.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.25 zł 26.85

$8.17 zł 30.28

-11.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.37 zł 45.84

$14.15 zł 52.4

-12.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 zł 4.66

$1.36 zł 5.03

-7.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 zł 6.29

$1.80 zł 6.67

-5.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 zł 9.34

$1.89 zł 7.01

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 zł 11.35

$3.21 zł 11.91

-4.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 zł 3.12

$0.97 zł 3.59

-13.40%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 zł 3.45

$1.09 zł 4.05

-14.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 zł 5.26

$1.33 zł 4.94

6.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 zł 2.32

$0.87 zł 3.22

-28.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 zł 21.85

$6.81 zł 25.23

-13.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.14 zł 26.47

$6.93 zł 25.68

3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 zł 4.33

$1.28 zł 4.73

-8.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 zł 6.94

$1.78 zł 6.60

5.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 zł 4.30

$1.64 zł 6.06

-29.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.0 zł 200

$35.41 zł 131

52.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 zł 6.24

$2.40 zł 8.88

-30.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 zł 2.25

$1.11 zł 4.11

-45.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 zł 35.02

$12.66 zł 46.92

-25.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 zł 5.83

$1.70 zł 6.31

-7.65%

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

$31.8K zł 117.7K

$32.3K zł 119.7K

-1.65%

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

$27.9K zł 103.3K

$29.8K zł 110.4K

-6.42%

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

$327 zł 1,213

$341 zł 1,264

-4.02%

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

$9.03 zł 33.46

$9.12 zł 33.79

-0.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.04 zł 66.9

$19.14 zł 70.9

-5.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.77 zł 144

$46.99 zł 174

-17.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 zł 69.2

$25.87 zł 95.9

-27.79%

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 zł 30.39

$9.22 zł 34.16

-11.06%

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

$532 zł 1,970

$474 zł 1,755

12.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K zł 41.1K

$10.1K zł 37.3K

10.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.7 zł 292

$102 zł 379

-23.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.75 zł 155

$40.95 zł 152

1.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 zł 346

$93.8 zł 347

-0.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 zł 381

$129 zł 477

-20.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$633 zł 2,347

$978 zł 3,623

-35.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 zł 1,829

$786 zł 2,912

-37.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 zł 4,178

$1,561 zł 5,783

-27.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$875 zł 3,244

$1,165 zł 4,316

-24.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,356 zł 12.4K

$5,794 zł 21.5K

-42.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,502 zł 9,271

$3,789 zł 14.0K

-33.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,695 zł 6,279

$2,011 zł 7,451

-15.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.87

6.64

3.46%

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

Last update for Lodz: September 6, 2026

Last update for Krakow: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $633 in Lodz and $978 in Krakow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 19% 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: $50.0 in Lodz vs $55.0 in Krakow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $251 per month, with Lodz 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

Lodz vs Krakow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lodz wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Krakow. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lodz the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 19% lower in Krakow. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $633 in Lodz versus $978 in Krakow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Krakow. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Lodz – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $55.0 in Krakow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,542 in Lodz versus $1,888 in Krakow, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lodz but tight or insufficient in Krakow. The gap between the two cities makes Lodz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lodz delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,542 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lodz hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lodz and Krakow 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 Lodz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.