Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lodz and Warsaw

For one person, living is cheaper in Lodz: $1,492 a month against $2,051 in Warsaw, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lodz, Poland
Warsaw, Poland
Lodz
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,492
/mo nomad
Warsaw
🇵🇱 Poland
$2,051
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lodz and in Warsaw

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lodz and in Warsaw actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,492 in Lodz versus $2,051 in Warsaw.

  • Lodz $1,492
  • Warsaw $2,051

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,191 in Lodz versus $2,950 in Warsaw.

  • Lodz $2,191
  • Warsaw $2,950

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,889 in Lodz versus $3,850 in Warsaw.

  • Lodz $2,889
  • Warsaw $3,850

Living in Lodz costs roughly 27% less than in Warsaw, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lodz 10% above, Warsaw 51% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lodz
Warsaw
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.67 zł 37.93
$11.43 zł 44.81
-15.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.77 zł 183
$62.0 zł 243
-24.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.80 zł 34.50
$10.30 zł 40.40
-14.56%
Cappuccino
$3.55 zł 13.93
$4.22 zł 16.54
-15.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 zł 10.97
$2.21 zł 8.67
26.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 zł 10.65
$2.20 zł 8.62
23.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.65 zł 18.25
$4.59 zł 18.01
1.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.16 zł 20.25
$5.01 zł 19.65
2.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lodz
Warsaw
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.98 zł 3.86
$1.10 zł 4.31
-10.91%
White Bread (500g)
$1.08 zł 4.23
$1.47 zł 5.76
-26.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.34 zł 5.27
$1.62 zł 6.35
-17.28%
Eggs
$3.47 zł 13.59
$3.92 zł 15.37
-11.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.50 zł 41.19
$9.08 zł 35.62
15.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.92 zł 27.14
$6.39 zł 25.06
8.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.97 zł 46.96
$14.50 zł 56.9
-17.45%
Apples (1kg)
$1.15 zł 4.50
$1.17 zł 4.60
-1.71%
Banana (1kg)
$1.67 zł 6.53
$1.75 zł 6.87
-4.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.32 zł 9.10
$1.76 zł 6.90
31.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.00 zł 11.76
$4.08 zł 16.02
-26.47%
Potato (1kg)
$0.78 zł 3.07
$0.90 zł 3.54
-13.33%
Onion (1kg)
$0.93 zł 3.66
$0.94 zł 3.67
-1.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.40 zł 5.47
$1.41 zł 5.54
-0.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60 zł 2.35
$0.70 zł 2.76
-14.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.80 zł 22.75
$6.37 zł 25.00
-8.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.76 zł 26.51
$6.48 zł 25.40
4.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 zł 4.53
$1.16 zł 4.55
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 zł 6.88
$1.73 zł 6.78
1.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Lodz
Warsaw
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.10 zł 4.31
$1.16 zł 4.56
-5.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$52.1 zł 204
$28.24 zł 111
84.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.54 zł 6.06
$2.55 zł 10.00
-39.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.54 zł 2.11
$1.26 zł 4.95
-57.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.35 zł 36.67
$12.94 zł 50.8
-27.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.61 zł 6.31
$1.76 zł 6.92
-8.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4K zł 119.1K
$30.6K zł 120.1K
-0.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.3K zł 110.9K
$30.5K zł 119.5K
-7.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lodz
Warsaw
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$321 zł 1,258
$340 zł 1,335
-5.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.43 zł 33.05
$9.07 zł 35.55
-7.06%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.64 zł 69.2
$16.28 zł 63.9
8.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lodz
Warsaw
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.34 zł 143
$47.15 zł 185
-22.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.84 zł 70.0
$28.50 zł 112
-37.40%
Cinema Ticket
$8.34 zł 32.70
$9.01 zł 35.35
-7.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lodz
Warsaw
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$511 zł 2,004
$599 zł 2,349
-14.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.2K zł 40.0K
$14.3K zł 56.2K
-28.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lodz
Warsaw
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$73.4 zł 288
$106 zł 417
-31.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.53 zł 159
$39.28 zł 154
3.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.7 zł 356
$107 zł 420
-15.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.9 zł 388
$111 zł 437
-11.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lodz
Warsaw
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$599 zł 2,349
$1,173 zł 4,599
-48.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$472 zł 1,849
$956 zł 3,748
-50.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,096 zł 4,297
$2,103 zł 8,246
-47.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$833 zł 3,265
$1,559 zł 6,112
-46.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,108 zł 12.2K
$6,040 zł 23.7K
-48.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,352 zł 9,223
$3,932 zł 15.4K
-40.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lodz
Warsaw
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,627 zł 6,382
$2,093 zł 8,210
-22.27%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.87
6.68
2.84%

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

Last update for Lodz: October 20, 2026

Last update for Warsaw: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lodz
$472
Warsaw
$956 103% $484
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lodz
$347
Warsaw
$366 5.5% $19
Groceries & Markets
Lodz
$222
Warsaw
$235 6.1% $14
Eating Out
Lodz
$202
Warsaw
$224 10.6% $21
Clothing & Footwear
Lodz
$137
Warsaw
$164 20% $27
Getting Around
Lodz
$61
Warsaw
$42 31.3% $19
Sport & Entertainment
Lodz
$53
Warsaw
$65 22.9% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $599 in Lodz and $1,173 in Warsaw. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Warsaw pays 29% 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: $47 in Lodz vs $62 in Warsaw for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $235 per month, with Lodz cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇱 Lodz
🇵🇱 Warsaw
🕒 Local time
01:46 1:46 AM
01:46 1:46 AM
Same time as Lodz
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
711,332
1,861,599 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PLN – Polish Złoty Converter

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 USD = 3.92 PLN (1 PLN = 0.255 USD). 1 EUR = 4.39 PLN (1 PLN = 0.228 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lodz Warsaw 120 km
From you
  • Lodz
  • Warsaw

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Warsaw: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lodz or Warsaw?
Lodz wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Warsaw. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Lodz the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Lodz or in Warsaw?
On paper, salaries run 22% lower in Lodz. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Lodz compared to Warsaw?
Rent for a central apartment: $599 in Lodz versus $1,173 in Warsaw. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Lodz or in Warsaw?
Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Warsaw. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Lodz and in Warsaw?
Dining out is cheaper in Lodz – a meal for two runs $47 versus $62 in Warsaw. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Lodz or in Warsaw?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Lodz is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Lodz or Warsaw?
Both work as nomad bases, but Lodz delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,492 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lodz hard to pass up.
How safe is Lodz compared to Warsaw?
Safety-wise, Lodz and Warsaw are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Should I move to Lodz or to Warsaw?
It comes down to priorities – Lodz wins on affordability, Warsaw on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

Lodz vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?