Cost of Living Comparison Between Szczecin and Warsaw Cost of Living Comparison Between Szczecin and Warsaw

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,389 in Szczecin versus $2,203 in Warsaw.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,074 in Szczecin versus $3,083 in Warsaw.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,760 in Szczecin versus $3,963 in Warsaw.

Living in Szczecin costs roughly 37% less than in Warsaw, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Szczecin 1% above, Warsaw 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.50 zł 35.09

$11.89 zł 43.90

-20.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.39 zł 179

$63.4 zł 234

-23.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.62 zł 31.83

$10.91 zł 40.28

-20.99%

Cappuccino

$3.02 zł 11.16

$4.61 zł 17.01

-34.49%

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

$1.88 zł 6.93

$2.44 zł 9.01

-22.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 zł 5.71

$2.36 zł 8.73

-34.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 zł 11.59

$5.37 zł 19.81

-41.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 zł 12.01

$5.52 zł 20.37

-41.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 zł 3.36

$1.10 zł 4.07

-17.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 zł 4.83

$1.65 zł 6.11

-20.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 zł 4.10

$1.93 zł 7.14

-42.49%

Eggs

$3.37 zł 12.46

$4.08 zł 15.05

-17.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.65 zł 35.65

$10.51 zł 38.82

-8.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 zł 24.45

$7.74 zł 28.59

-14.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.62 zł 50.3

$15.31 zł 56.5

-11.04%

Apples (1kg)

$0.93 zł 3.45

$1.34 zł 4.94

-30.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 zł 6.66

$1.82 zł 6.71

-1.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 zł 6.05

$1.97 zł 7.29

-16.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.60 zł 9.61

$3.80 zł 14.02

-31.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 zł 3.30

$0.92 zł 3.40

-3.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 zł 4.06

$0.98 zł 3.61

12.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 zł 4.30

$1.51 zł 5.58

-22.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 zł 2.18

$0.73 zł 2.69

-19.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.53 zł 20.44

$6.65 zł 24.55

-16.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.79 zł 25.07

$8.10 zł 29.92

-16.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 zł 4.15

$1.19 zł 4.39

-5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 zł 5.84

$1.91 zł 7.05

-17.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 zł 2.92

$1.15 zł 4.23

-31.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.24 zł 101

$29.38 zł 109

-7.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 zł 7.50

$2.65 zł 9.80

-23.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 zł 3.59

$1.37 zł 5.06

-29.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.40 zł 49.49

$13.50 zł 49.86

-0.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 zł 5.96

$1.67 zł 6.15

-3.59%

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

$32.1K zł 118.5K

$31.9K zł 117.6K

0.70%

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

$29.7K zł 109.8K

$32.1K zł 118.5K

-7.29%

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

$251 zł 926

$362 zł 1,339

-30.82%

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

$12.73 zł 46.99

$9.38 zł 34.64

35.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.09 zł 74.2

$17.79 zł 65.7

12.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.68 zł 117

$50.4 zł 186

-37.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.2 zł 196

$29.35 zł 108

81.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.56 zł 24.24

$9.63 zł 35.56

-31.88%

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

$355 zł 1,310

$607 zł 2,242

-41.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,985 zł 29.5K

$15.3K zł 56.6K

-47.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.1 zł 266

$112 zł 414

-35.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.21 zł 137

$43.79 zł 162

-15.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 zł 305

$113 zł 416

-26.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.2 zł 359

$126 zł 466

-22.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$637 zł 2,353

$1,274 zł 4,706

-50.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 zł 1,924

$1,005 zł 3,712

-48.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 zł 4,384

$2,245 zł 8,289

-47.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$874 zł 3,227

$1,610 zł 5,946

-45.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,412 zł 12.6K

$6,477 zł 23.9K

-47.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,476 zł 9,142

$4,194 zł 15.5K

-40.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,645 zł 6,073

$2,216 zł 8,183

-25.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.88

-0.87%

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

Last update for Szczecin: August 16, 2026

Last update for Warsaw: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $637 in Szczecin and $1,274 in Warsaw. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Warsaw pays 35% 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: $48.00 in Szczecin vs $63.0 in Warsaw for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $258 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 Warsaw: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Szczecin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 35% lower in Warsaw. 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: $637 in Szczecin versus $1,274 in Warsaw. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,389 per month in Szczecin versus $2,203 in Warsaw – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Szczecin runs roughly 8% less than in Warsaw. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,389 in Szczecin versus $2,203 in Warsaw, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Szczecin but tight or insufficient in Warsaw. The gap between the two cities makes Szczecin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Szczecin 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, Szczecin 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 Szczecin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Warsaw. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.