Cost of Living Comparison Between Warsaw and Elblag Cost of Living Comparison Between Warsaw and Elblag

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,038 in Warsaw versus $1,579 in Elblag.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,911 in Warsaw versus $2,196 in Elblag.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,784 in Warsaw versus $2,814 in Elblag.

Living in Warsaw is roughly 29% more expensive than in Elblag, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Warsaw 53% above, Elblag 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.66 zł 39.83

$10.98 zł 41.00

-2.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.1 zł 210

$29.86 zł 112

87.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.65 zł 36.04

$7.74 zł 28.93

24.68%

Cappuccino

$4.11 zł 15.36

$4.16 zł 15.55

-1.20%

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

$2.12 zł 7.92

$2.14 zł 8.01

-0.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 zł 7.06

$1.82 zł 6.79

3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.44 zł 16.58

$3.35 zł 12.52

32.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 zł 16.73

$4.71 zł 17.60

-4.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 zł 4.47

$1.15 zł 4.29

4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 zł 5.34

$1.38 zł 5.15

3.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 zł 6.81

$1.76 zł 6.56

3.41%

Eggs

$3.61 zł 13.48

$3.60 zł 13.45

0.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 zł 38.30

$10.33 zł 38.59

-0.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 zł 26.71

$7.19 zł 26.85

-0.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.25 zł 53.2

$14.39 zł 53.8

-0.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 zł 4.73

$1.31 zł 4.88

-3.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 zł 6.93

$1.84 zł 6.87

0.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 zł 7.58

$2.03 zł 7.59

Tomato (1kg)

$3.74 zł 13.98

$3.78 zł 14.11

-1.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 zł 3.90

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 zł 4.44

$1.18 zł 4.40

0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 zł 5.47

$1.47 zł 5.48

-0.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 zł 2.67

$0.73 zł 2.72

-2.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.45 zł 20.35

$4.50 zł 16.80

21.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 zł 29.91

$6.68 zł 24.94

19.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 zł 5.10

$1.38 zł 5.17

-0.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 zł 7.04

$1.94 zł 7.24

-3.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 zł 4.52

$1.11 zł 4.14

9.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.26 zł 113

$25.55 zł 95.4

18.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 zł 10.00

$2.70 zł 10.07

-0.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 zł 3.78

$0.98 zł 3.67

3.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.55 zł 50.6

$13.78 zł 51.5

-1.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 zł 6.59

$1.77 zł 6.62

-0.56%

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

$33.2K zł 123.9K

$32.3K zł 120.9K

2.50%

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

$32.7K zł 122.1K

$27.2K zł 101.8K

19.96%

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

$351 zł 1,311

$360 zł 1,343

-2.40%

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

$9.98 zł 37.28

$10.12 zł 37.82

-1.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.14 zł 64.0

$14.86 zł 55.5

15.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.33 zł 162

$35.03 zł 131

23.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 zł 108

$13.40 zł 50.1

115.82%

Cinema Ticket

$9.65 zł 36.07

$6.32 zł 23.62

52.69%

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

$589 zł 2,199

$584 zł 2,181

0.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K zł 58.1K

$2,080 zł 7,770

648.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.4 zł 364

$99.5 zł 372

-2.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.77 zł 178

$48.03 zł 179

-0.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 zł 352

$93.4 zł 349

0.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 zł 406

$110 zł 410

-0.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,123 zł 4,194

$691 zł 2,582

62.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$897 zł 3,352

$497 zł 1,856

80.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,054 zł 7,673

$994 zł 3,715

106.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,533 zł 5,728

$814 zł 3,042

88.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,293 zł 23.5K

$2,224 zł 8,309

182.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,875 zł 14.5K

$2,251 zł 8,410

72.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,200 zł 8,220

$1,362 zł 5,089

61.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.55

7.86%

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

Last update for Warsaw: July 28, 2026

Last update for Elblag: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,123 in Warsaw and $691 in Elblag. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Warsaw pays 62% 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: $56.0 in Warsaw vs $30.00 in Elblag for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $248 vs $246 per month, with Elblag 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

Warsaw vs Elblag: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Elblag is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 62% higher in Warsaw, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,123 in Warsaw versus $691 in Elblag. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Warsaw. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Elblag – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $56.0 in Warsaw. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,579 in Elblag versus $2,038 in Warsaw, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Elblag but tight or insufficient in Warsaw. The gap between the two cities makes Elblag the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Elblag 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, Warsaw and Elblag 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 Elblag gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Warsaw. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.