Cost of Living Comparison Between Olsztyn and Krakow Cost of Living Comparison Between Olsztyn and Krakow

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,837 in Olsztyn versus $1,888 in Krakow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,797 in Olsztyn versus $2,721 in Krakow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,758 in Olsztyn versus $3,553 in Krakow.

Living in Olsztyn costs roughly 3% less than in Krakow, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Olsztyn 33% above, Krakow 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.40 zł 49.89

$13.05 zł 48.60

2.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.4 zł 199

$55.0 zł 205

-2.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.59 zł 35.72

$9.75 zł 36.30

-1.64%

Cappuccino

$3.53 zł 13.14

$4.37 zł 16.28

-19.22%

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

$2.66 zł 9.90

$2.59 zł 9.63

2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 zł 7.35

$2.62 zł 9.75

-24.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 zł 11.72

$4.75 zł 17.70

-33.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 zł 15.10

$4.25 zł 15.83

-4.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 zł 4.18

$1.19 zł 4.41

-5.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 zł 5.11

$1.61 zł 6.00

-14.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 zł 5.40

$1.84 zł 6.85

-21.20%

Eggs

$3.95 zł 14.70

$4.01 zł 14.93

-1.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.49 zł 39.07

$10.11 zł 37.63

3.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.63 zł 28.42

$8.17 zł 30.42

-6.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.60 zł 58.1

$14.15 zł 52.7

10.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 zł 4.78

$1.36 zł 5.05

-5.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 zł 6.30

$1.80 zł 6.70

-6.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 zł 7.34

$1.89 zł 7.05

4.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.70 zł 13.77

$3.21 zł 11.96

15.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 zł 3.68

$0.97 zł 3.60

2.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 zł 4.84

$1.09 zł 4.07

19.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 zł 5.40

$1.33 zł 4.97

9.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 zł 2.82

$0.87 zł 3.23

-12.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.82 zł 21.65

$6.81 zł 25.35

-14.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 zł 29.23

$6.93 zł 25.81

13.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 zł 4.25

$1.28 zł 4.76

-10.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 zł 6.14

$1.78 zł 6.64

-7.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 zł 4.06

$1.64 zł 6.09

-33.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.15 zł 101

$35.41 zł 132

-23.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 zł 7.81

$2.40 zł 8.92

-12.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 zł 2.88

$1.11 zł 4.13

-30.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.67 zł 39.74

$12.66 zł 47.15

-15.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 zł 6.19

$1.70 zł 6.34

-2.35%

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

$33.3K zł 123.8K

$32.3K zł 120.3K

2.93%

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

$31.0K zł 115.6K

$29.8K zł 110.9K

4.22%

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

$313 zł 1,166

$341 zł 1,270

-8.23%

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

$10.13 zł 37.71

$9.12 zł 33.96

11.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.00 zł 70.7

$19.14 zł 71.3

-0.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 zł 202

$46.99 zł 175

15.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.55 zł 87.7

$25.87 zł 96.3

-8.97%

Cinema Ticket

$9.28 zł 34.55

$9.22 zł 34.33

0.65%

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

$401 zł 1,492

$474 zł 1,764

-15.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K zł 55.6K

$10.1K zł 37.5K

48.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 zł 393

$102 zł 381

3.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 zł 190

$40.95 zł 152

24.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 zł 394

$93.8 zł 349

12.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 zł 416

$129 zł 479

-13.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$934 zł 3,478

$978 zł 3,640

-4.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$738 zł 2,746

$786 zł 2,926

-6.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,835 zł 6,832

$1,561 zł 5,811

17.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,428 zł 5,318

$1,165 zł 4,337

22.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,917 zł 14.6K

$5,794 zł 21.6K

-32.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,774 zł 10.3K

$3,789 zł 14.1K

-26.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,451 zł 5,403

$2,011 zł 7,487

-27.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.52

6.64

13.25%

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

Last update for Olsztyn: September 5, 2026

Last update for Krakow: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $934 in Olsztyn and $978 in Krakow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 39% 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: $53.0 in Olsztyn vs $55.0 in Krakow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $251 per month, with Olsztyn 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

Olsztyn vs Krakow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Olsztyn wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Krakow. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Olsztyn the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 39% 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: $934 in Olsztyn versus $978 in Krakow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Krakow pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Olsztyn – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $55.0 in Krakow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,837 in Olsztyn versus $1,888 in Krakow, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Olsztyn but tight or insufficient in Krakow. The gap between the two cities makes Olsztyn the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Olsztyn delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,837 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Olsztyn hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Olsztyn 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 Olsztyn gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.