Cost of Living Comparison Between Warsaw and Bialystok Cost of Living Comparison Between Warsaw and Bialystok

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,006 per month in Warsaw vs $1,423 in Bialystok, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,899 per month in Warsaw vs $2,009 in Bialystok, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,792 per month in Warsaw vs $2,595 in Bialystok, rent included.

Warsaw costs about 41% more than Bialystok, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Warsaw and Bialystok sit above the global median – Warsaw by 49%, Bialystok by 6%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.90 zł 39.84

$9.66 zł 35.30

12.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.5 zł 206

$48.35 zł 177

16.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 zł 35.38

$8.14 zł 29.74

18.92%

Cappuccino

$4.28 zł 15.63

$3.22 zł 11.76

32.92%

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

$2.14 zł 7.83

$1.87 zł 6.83

14.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 zł 6.68

$1.68 zł 6.14

8.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 zł 16.48

$3.28 zł 11.98

37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 zł 17.18

$2.89 zł 10.58

62.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 zł 4.37

$1.09 zł 3.99

10.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 zł 4.93

$1.20 zł 4.37

12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 zł 6.53

$1.17 zł 4.28

52.99%

Eggs

$3.52 zł 12.85

$3.01 zł 11.00

16.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 zł 36.83

$8.51 zł 31.09

18.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.96 zł 25.45

$5.97 zł 21.81

16.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.28 zł 52.2

$10.94 zł 39.99

30.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 zł 4.72

$0.89 zł 3.27

44.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 zł 6.81

$1.81 zł 6.60

2.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 zł 7.16

$1.72 zł 6.29

13.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 zł 13.19

$2.21 zł 8.08

63.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 zł 3.97

$0.94 zł 3.42

15.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 zł 4.31

$1.02 zł 3.71

15.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 zł 5.52

$1.15 zł 4.20

31.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 zł 2.46

$0.59 zł 2.16

13.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.35 zł 19.56

$5.05 zł 18.45

5.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.27 zł 30.21

$6.69 zł 24.46

23.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 zł 4.98

$1.26 zł 4.59

7.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 zł 7.10

$1.61 zł 5.90

20.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 zł 4.44

$1.06 zł 3.87

15.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.89 zł 109

$34.86 zł 127

-14.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 zł 9.83

$2.21 zł 8.07

21.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 zł 3.72

$0.52 zł 1.91

96.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.84 zł 50.6

$12.14 zł 44.37

14.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 zł 6.40

$1.69 zł 6.16

3.55%

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

$32.6K zł 119.3K

$33.5K zł 122.4K

-2.53%

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

$33.4K zł 122.1K

$29.1K zł 106.5K

14.69%

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

$358 zł 1,308

$309 zł 1,130

15.74%

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

$10.14 zł 37.06

$8.55 zł 31.26

18.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.61 zł 64.4

$16.57 zł 60.6

6.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.24 zł 162

$37.02 zł 135

19.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 zł 106

$18.65 zł 68.2

55.71%

Cinema Ticket

$9.78 zł 35.76

$6.64 zł 24.26

47.29%

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

$570 zł 2,084

$344 zł 1,258

65.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K zł 56.0K

$9,413 zł 34.4K

62.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.9 zł 358

$90.3 zł 330

8.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.82 zł 171

$31.45 zł 115

48.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 zł 338

$77.2 zł 282

19.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 zł 400

$96.5 zł 353

13.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,121 zł 4,097

$539 zł 1,970

107.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$912 zł 3,333

$483 zł 1,766

88.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,032 zł 7,429

$855 zł 3,124

137.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 zł 5,615

$727 zł 2,657

111.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,351 zł 23.2K

$2,780 zł 10.2K

128.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,022 zł 14.7K

$2,477 zł 9,055

62.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,257 zł 8,250

$1,568 zł 5,732

43.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.55

6.47

16.69%

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

Last update for Warsaw: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bialystok: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,121 in Warsaw versus $539 in Bialystok. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 44% higher in Warsaw, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56.0 in Warsaw versus $48.00 in Bialystok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $245 vs $200 – making Bialystok the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Warsaw vs Bialystok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Warsaw costs about 41% more than Bialystok, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,009 per month in Warsaw and $2,134 in Bialystok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bialystok, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $570 per month in Warsaw and $344 in Bialystok. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Warsaw, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bialystok, where all-in costs run around $1,423, than in Warsaw at $2,006. In Bialystok it covers expenses comfortably, while in Warsaw it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bialystok costs $1,423 versus $2,006 in Warsaw. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bialystok. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Warsaw makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.