Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lviv and Krakow

For one person, living is cheaper in Lviv: $1,009 a month against $1,815 in Krakow, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

49

Cost of Living Index in Lviv
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Lviv Living Index
88

Cost of Living Index in Krakow
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Krakow Living Index

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Lviv

🇺🇦 Ukraine

$1,009

/mo nomad

Krakow

🇵🇱 Poland

$1,815

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lviv and in Krakow

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,009 in Lviv versus $1,815 in Krakow.

Lviv $1,009
Krakow $1,815

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,537 in Lviv versus $2,587 in Krakow.

Lviv $1,537
Krakow $2,587

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,065 in Lviv versus $3,359 in Krakow.

Lviv $2,065
Krakow $3,359

Living in Lviv costs roughly 44% less than in Krakow, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lviv is 25% below, Krakow is 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.62 ₴297

$11.83 zł 45.95

-44.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.09 ₴1,620

$50.5 zł 196

-28.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.47 ₴290

$9.81 zł 38.12

-34.05%

Cappuccino

$2.17 ₴97.2

$4.22 zł 16.40

-48.58%

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

$1.33 ₴59.9

$2.59 zł 10.06

-48.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 ₴61.2

$2.35 zł 9.12

-42.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 ₴113

$4.63 zł 17.98

-45.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ₴136

$4.72 zł 18.32

-35.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ₴55.7

$1.07 zł 4.14

15.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 ₴37.23

$1.50 zł 5.84

-44.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 ₴75.5

$1.76 zł 6.83

-4.55%

Eggs

$2.11 ₴94.9

$3.90 zł 15.13

-45.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.84 ₴397

$9.40 zł 36.53

-5.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 ₴222

$7.87 zł 30.57

-37.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 ₴339

$13.41 zł 52.1

-43.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.32 ₴59.0

$1.34 zł 5.20

-1.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ₴70.4

$1.69 zł 6.56

-7.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 ₴77.0

$1.80 zł 6.98

-4.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.65 ₴119

$3.07 zł 11.93

-13.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₴37.66

$0.88 zł 3.40

-4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 ₴26.04

$1.02 zł 3.98

-43.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 ₴67.8

$1.21 zł 4.70

24.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₴23.48

$0.80 zł 3.12

-35.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₴145

$6.24 zł 24.24

-48.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.76 ₴303

$6.40 zł 24.86

5.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 ₴44.13

$1.21 zł 4.70

-19.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ₴72.0

$1.67 zł 6.49

-4.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 ₴25.74

$1.57 zł 6.10

-63.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.61 ₴880

$33.06 zł 128

-40.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 ₴133

$2.22 zł 8.63

33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 ₴15.45

$1.01 zł 3.91

-66.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 ₴193

$12.48 zł 48.51

-65.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 ₴76.0

$1.67 zł 6.49

1.20%

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

$29.5K ₴1.3M

$30.7K zł 119.3K

-3.96%

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

$24.4K ₴1.1M

$28.6K zł 111.2K

-14.73%

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

$83.7 ₴3,755

$325 zł 1,261

-74.22%

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

$6.01 ₴270

$8.70 zł 33.80

-30.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.35 ₴330

$17.84 zł 69.3

-58.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.82 ₴1,428

$45.16 zł 175

-29.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.18 ₴637

$24.28 zł 94.3

-41.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 ₴204

$8.57 zł 33.29

-46.91%

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

$332 ₴14.9K

$463 zł 1,799

-28.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,236 ₴324.8K

$9,760 zł 37.9K

-25.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.8 ₴3,941

$96.7 zł 376

-9.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.50 ₴1,952

$40.10 zł 156

8.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 ₴4,368

$89.1 zł 346

9.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 ₴4,498

$122 zł 473

-17.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 ₴22.6K

$937 zł 3,642

-46.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 ₴17.3K

$735 zł 2,854

-47.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$934 ₴41.9K

$1,477 zł 5,738

-36.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 ₴28.1K

$1,147 zł 4,456

-45.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,014 ₴90.4K

$5,395 zł 21.0K

-62.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,263 ₴56.7K

$3,529 zł 13.7K

-64.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$669 ₴30.0K

$1,894 zł 7,360

-64.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.33

6.62

101.36%

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

Last update for Lviv: October 11, 2026

Last update for Krakow: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Lviv

$385 38.2%

Krakow

$735 40.5% 90.6% $349

Groceries & Markets

Lviv

$183 18.2%

Krakow

$237 13.1% 29.1% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Lviv

$148 14.7%

Krakow

$156 8.6% 5.7% $8.5

Eating Out

Lviv

$128 12.7%

Krakow

$227 12.5% 77.7% $99

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lviv

$97 9.6%

Krakow

$351 19.4% 262% $254

Sport & Entertainment

Lviv

$41 4.1%

Krakow

$62 3.4% 52.2% $21

Getting Around

Lviv

$27 2.6%

Krakow

$47 2.6% 75.2% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $503 in Lviv and $937 in Krakow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 183% 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: $36.00 in Lviv vs $50.0 in Krakow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $237 per month, with Lviv cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇦 Lviv

🇵🇱 Krakow

🕒 Local time

15:24 3:24 PM

14:24 2:24 PM

1 h behind Lviv

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

728,350

806,201

💱 Currency

Ukrainian Hryvnia UAH ₴

Polish Złoty PLN zł

📈 Exchange rate

100 UAH = 2.23 USD

100 UAH = 1.98 EUR

1 PLN = 0.257 USD

1 PLN = 0.229 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD, EUR to UAH – Ukrainian Hryvnia Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇺🇦 Ukrainian Hryvnia (₴)

Ukrainian Hryvnia exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 44.89 UAH (100 UAH = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 50.47 UAH (100 UAH = 1.98 EUR).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

USD to UAH in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Lviv Krakow 290 km

From you

Lviv
Krakow

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

Lviv vs Krakow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lviv wins on cost – living expenses run 80% lower than in Krakow. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lviv the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 183% 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: $503 in Lviv versus $937 in Krakow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Krakow. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Lviv – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $50.0 in Krakow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,009 in Lviv versus $1,815 in Krakow, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lviv but tight or insufficient in Krakow. The gap between the two cities makes Lviv the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lviv delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,009 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lviv hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lviv 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 Lviv gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.