Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Poland and the United States

Name: United States
Address: US

For one person, living is cheaper in Poland: $1,526 a month against $2,701 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Poland
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Poland Living Index
133

Cost of Living Index in the United States
Learn more

United States Living Index

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🇵🇱 Poland

$1,526

/mo nomad

🇺🇸 United States

$2,701

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Poland and in the United States

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

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Poland vs $2,701 in the United States, rent included.

Poland $1,526
United States $2,701

A couple spends around $2,201 per month in Poland vs $3,980 in the United States, rent included.

Poland $2,201
United States $3,980

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Poland vs $5,258 in the United States, rent included.

Poland $2,876
United States $5,258

The regional cost range is wider in the United States ($980–$5,162) than in Poland ($1,081–$2,032), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in Poland is roughly 44% lower than in the United States on average.

Both Poland and the United States are pricier than the global median – Poland by 13%, the United States by 100%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.10 zł 39.67

$19.92 $19.92

-49.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.67 zł 187

$81.0 $81.0

-41.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 zł 34.82

$12.07 $12.07

-26.51%

Cappuccino

$3.50 zł 13.73

$5.55 $5.55

-36.94%

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

$2.04 zł 8.02

$2.67 $2.67

-23.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 zł 7.51

$2.09 $2.09

-8.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 zł 15.40

$5.96 $5.96

-34.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 zł 15.77

$7.76 $7.76

-48.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 zł 3.99

$1.05 $1.05

-2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 zł 5.01

$3.55 $3.55

-63.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 zł 5.79

$4.64 $4.64

-68.32%

Eggs

$3.39 zł 13.31

$4.18 $4.18

-18.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.45 zł 33.18

$12.76 $12.76

-33.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 zł 25.17

$12.63 $12.63

-49.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.23 zł 48.04

$17.22 $17.22

-28.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 zł 4.41

$5.15 $5.15

-78.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 zł 6.35

$1.64 $1.64

-1.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 zł 6.54

$4.46 $4.46

-62.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 zł 10.85

$4.98 $4.98

-44.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 zł 3.23

$2.84 $2.84

-71.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 zł 4.05

$3.09 $3.09

-66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 zł 4.92

$2.19 $2.19

-42.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 zł 2.55

$2.27 $2.27

-71.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 zł 21.33

$10.61 $10.61

-48.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 zł 25.31

$14.71 $14.71

-56.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 zł 4.26

$2.10 $2.10

-48.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 zł 6.39

$3.82 $3.82

-57.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 zł 4.30

$2.35 $2.35

-53.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.56 zł 120

$64.1 $64.1

-52.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 zł 9.25

$3.57 $3.57

-34.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 zł 4.12

$1.85 $1.85

-43.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.82 zł 50.4

$30.19 $30.19

-57.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 zł 6.48

$1.07 $1.07

54.21%

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

$30.8K zł 120.9K

$35.3K $35.3K

-12.81%

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

$27.8K zł 109.4K

$25.9K $25.9K

7.52%

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

$292 zł 1,148

$217 $217

34.89%

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

$9.46 zł 37.14

$61.4 $61.4

-84.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.30 zł 68.0

$74.4 $74.4

-76.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.59 zł 148

$45.08 $45.08

-16.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.48 zł 100

$23.07 $23.07

10.45%

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 zł 29.79

$14.79 $14.79

-48.75%

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

$417 zł 1,639

$1,480 $1,480

-71.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,872 zł 34.8K

$25.5K $25.5K

-65.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.1 zł 327

$53.0 $53.0

56.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.49 zł 151

$42.75 $42.75

-9.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 zł 339

$94.3 $94.3

-8.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.4 zł 386

$115 $115

-14.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 zł 2,730

$1,678 $1,678

-58.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 zł 2,238

$1,313 $1,313

-56.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 zł 4,450

$2,649 $2,649

-57.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$907 zł 3,562

$2,183 $2,183

-58.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,524 zł 13.8K

$3,374 $3,374

4.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,518 zł 9,892

$2,661 $2,661

-5.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,622 zł 6,373

$4,404 $4,404

-63.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.55

3.82%

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

Last update for Poland: October 11, 2026

Last update for the United States: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Poland

$570 37.3%

United States

$1.3K 48.6% 131% $743

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Poland

$319 20.9%

United States

$352 13% 10.5% $33

Groceries & Markets

Poland

$211 13.8%

United States

$411 15.2% 94.6% $200

Eating Out

Poland

$193 12.6%

United States

$327 12.1% 69.4% $134

Clothing & Footwear

Poland

$138 9%

United States

$137 5.1% 0.3% $0.4

Sport & Entertainment

Poland

$53 3.5%

United States

$75 2.8% 41.5% $22

Getting Around

Poland

$43 2.8%

United States

$86 3.2% 103% $44

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $613 in Poland vs $1,609 in the United States. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,181 in Warsaw and $2,730 in Washington, DC.

Average salary: $1,343 in Poland vs $4,533 in the United States. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 162% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 83% more in the United States.

Salaries are 238% higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇵🇱 Poland

🇺🇸 United States

🕒 Local time

14:59 2:59 PM

08:59 8:59 AM

6 h behind Poland

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

38,382,576

340,110,988

💱 Currency

Polish Złoty PLN zł

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 PLN = 0.255 USD

1 PLN = 0.228 EUR

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PLN – Polish Złoty Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇱 Polish Złoty (zł)

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 3.93 PLN (1 PLN = 0.255 USD). 1 EUR = 4.38 PLN (1 PLN = 0.228 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

USD to PLN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Poland United States 8,030 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Poland
United States

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

Poland vs United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Poland is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 77% lower on average.

Housing costs more in the United States: a central one-bedroom averages $1,609 versus $613 in Poland.

$3,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Poland, but in the United States it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Poland is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.