Cost of Living Comparison Between Olsztyn and Warsaw Cost of Living Comparison Between Olsztyn and Warsaw

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,464 in Olsztyn versus $2,040 in Warsaw.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,997 in Olsztyn versus $2,889 in Warsaw.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,531 in Olsztyn versus $3,737 in Warsaw.

Living in Olsztyn costs roughly 28% less than in Warsaw, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Olsztyn 9% above, Warsaw 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.65 zł 38.84

$11.04 zł 40.26

-3.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.46 zł 169

$58.1 zł 212

-20.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 zł 27.37

$9.74 zł 35.51

-22.90%

Cappuccino

$2.96 zł 10.80

$4.29 zł 15.63

-31.00%

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

$1.69 zł 6.16

$2.11 zł 7.70

-19.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 zł 6.69

$1.81 zł 6.61

1.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.27 zł 11.94

$4.45 zł 16.22

-26.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 zł 13.93

$4.68 zł 17.07

-18.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 zł 4.03

$1.15 zł 4.19

-4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 zł 4.82

$1.36 zł 4.97

-2.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 zł 5.46

$1.84 zł 6.70

-18.48%

Eggs

$3.45 zł 12.59

$3.63 zł 13.23

-4.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.89 zł 32.40

$10.11 zł 36.86

-12.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 zł 21.92

$6.98 zł 25.44

-13.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.06 zł 36.69

$14.55 zł 53.1

-30.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.10 zł 4.00

$1.29 zł 4.71

-14.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 zł 5.75

$1.79 zł 6.51

-11.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 zł 7.43

$1.94 zł 7.06

5.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 zł 10.14

$3.62 zł 13.21

-23.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 zł 2.89

$1.06 zł 3.86

-25.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 zł 4.50

$1.18 zł 4.29

5.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 zł 4.19

$1.44 zł 5.24

-20.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 zł 2.46

$0.67 zł 2.43

1.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.57 zł 20.30

$5.29 zł 19.29

5.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 zł 29.68

$8.29 zł 30.23

-1.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 zł 3.71

$1.43 zł 5.20

-28.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 zł 6.23

$1.88 zł 6.86

-9.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 zł 4.08

$1.16 zł 4.23

-3.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.10 zł 98.8

$29.77 zł 109

-8.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 zł 7.21

$2.63 zł 9.60

-24.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 zł 2.69

$0.98 zł 3.56

-24.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.79 zł 50.3

$13.42 zł 48.94

2.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 zł 6.48

$1.71 zł 6.22

4.09%

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

$32.8K zł 119.4K

$33.4K zł 121.7K

-1.93%

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

$30.8K zł 112.3K

$33.6K zł 122.5K

-8.31%

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

$271 zł 989

$357 zł 1,302

-24.05%

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

$9.10 zł 33.18

$10.03 zł 36.57

-9.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 zł 63.7

$17.56 zł 64.0

-0.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 zł 119

$44.87 zł 164

-27.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.36 zł 59.6

$29.23 zł 107

-44.03%

Cinema Ticket

$8.01 zł 29.18

$9.70 zł 35.35

-17.42%

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

$133 zł 486

$580 zł 2,113

-76.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K zł 56.8K

$15.7K zł 57.1K

-0.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.0 zł 350

$99.2 zł 362

-3.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.72 zł 170

$46.99 zł 171

-0.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.9 zł 302

$92.5 zł 337

-10.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 zł 394

$111 zł 404

-2.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 zł 2,332

$1,161 zł 4,232

-44.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 zł 2,007

$890 zł 3,243

-38.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$979 zł 3,568

$2,033 zł 7,412

-51.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$608 zł 2,218

$1,526 zł 5,564

-60.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,992 zł 14.6K

$6,283 zł 22.9K

-36.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,823 zł 10.3K

$4,074 zł 14.9K

-30.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,472 zł 5,364

$2,228 zł 8,123

-33.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.81

7.55

-23.05%

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

Last update for Olsztyn: June 1, 2026

Last update for Warsaw: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $640 in Olsztyn and $1,161 in Warsaw. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Warsaw pays 51% 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: $46.00 in Olsztyn vs $58.0 in Warsaw for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $246 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 Warsaw: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Olsztyn is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Warsaw earns 51% less. 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: $640 in Olsztyn versus $1,161 in Warsaw. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Warsaw. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Olsztyn – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $58.0 in Warsaw. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,464 in Olsztyn versus $2,040 in Warsaw, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Olsztyn but tight or insufficient in Warsaw. The gap between the two cities makes Olsztyn the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Olsztyn is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Warsaw, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Olsztyn 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.

Expats usually find Olsztyn gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Warsaw. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.