Cost of Living Comparison Between Szczecin and Krakow Cost of Living Comparison Between Szczecin and Krakow

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,405 in Szczecin versus $1,773 in Krakow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,031 in Szczecin versus $2,539 in Krakow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,657 in Szczecin versus $3,305 in Krakow.

Living in Szczecin costs roughly 21% less than in Krakow, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Szczecin 5% above, Krakow 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.39 zł 35.60

$10.91 zł 41.35

-13.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.78 zł 185

$53.7 zł 204

-9.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.52 zł 32.29

$9.55 zł 36.18

-10.79%

Cappuccino

$3.35 zł 12.69

$3.98 zł 15.08

-15.83%

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

$1.85 zł 7.00

$2.21 zł 8.39

-16.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 zł 5.37

$2.26 zł 8.58

-37.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 zł 12.46

$4.16 zł 15.78

-20.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 zł 12.09

$4.04 zł 15.32

-21.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 zł 3.65

$1.16 zł 4.39

-17.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 zł 5.04

$1.45 zł 5.50

-8.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 zł 3.77

$1.46 zł 5.53

-32.19%

Eggs

$3.28 zł 12.44

$3.61 zł 13.66

-9.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.42 zł 35.69

$8.98 zł 34.04

4.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 zł 24.10

$6.51 zł 24.66

-2.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.98 zł 49.18

$11.52 zł 43.65

12.67%

Apples (1kg)

$0.89 zł 3.38

$1.25 zł 4.74

-28.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 zł 6.77

$1.74 zł 6.60

2.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 zł 5.26

$1.80 zł 6.83

-22.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 zł 8.15

$3.03 zł 11.49

-29.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 zł 3.39

$1.02 zł 3.86

-12.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 zł 4.08

$1.06 zł 4.01

1.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 zł 3.87

$1.30 zł 4.94

-21.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 zł 2.14

$0.71 zł 2.68

-21.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.40 zł 20.45

$5.59 zł 21.17

-3.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.41 zł 24.30

$6.44 zł 24.42

-0.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 zł 4.13

$1.23 zł 4.67

-11.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 zł 5.46

$1.70 zł 6.44

-15.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 zł 3.01

$1.11 zł 4.22

-28.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.49 zł 104

$39.41 zł 149

-30.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 zł 8.13

$2.51 zł 9.52

-14.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 zł 3.83

$0.99 zł 3.73

2.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.67 zł 51.8

$13.03 zł 49.38

4.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 zł 6.63

$1.69 zł 6.42

3.55%

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

$33.4K zł 126.7K

$33.1K zł 125.6K

0.90%

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

$30.8K zł 116.9K

$32.5K zł 123.1K

-4.98%

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

$257 zł 974

$278 zł 1,055

-7.67%

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

$10.70 zł 40.56

$9.20 zł 34.86

16.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 zł 66.9

$16.58 zł 62.8

6.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.13 zł 114

$38.22 zł 145

-21.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 zł 62.7

$22.23 zł 84.3

-25.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 zł 25.95

$8.05 zł 30.51

-14.91%

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

$376 zł 1,424

$437 zł 1,655

-13.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,122 zł 30.8K

$12.9K zł 48.8K

-36.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 zł 216

$76.7 zł 291

-25.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.91 zł 117

$45.54 zł 173

-32.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 zł 281

$101 zł 383

-26.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.2 zł 319

$113 zł 428

-25.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$658 zł 2,495

$904 zł 3,426

-27.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$527 zł 1,999

$757 zł 2,870

-30.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$981 zł 3,718

$1,601 zł 6,067

-38.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$817 zł 3,097

$1,154 zł 4,374

-29.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,435 zł 13.0K

$5,725 zł 21.7K

-40.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,448 zł 9,280

$3,721 zł 14.1K

-34.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,622 zł 6,150

$1,883 zł 7,139

-13.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

7.77

-18.15%

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

Last update for Szczecin: July 14, 2026

Last update for Krakow: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $658 in Szczecin and $904 in Krakow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 16% 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: $49.00 in Szczecin vs $54.0 in Krakow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $221 per month, with Szczecin 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

Szczecin vs Krakow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Szczecin wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Krakow. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Szczecin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 16% 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: $658 in Szczecin versus $904 in Krakow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Krakow. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Szczecin – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $54.0 in Krakow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,405 in Szczecin versus $1,773 in Krakow, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Szczecin but tight or insufficient in Krakow. The gap between the two cities makes Szczecin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Szczecin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,405 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Szczecin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Szczecin 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 Szczecin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.