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: $2,153 in Warsaw versus $1,463 in Elblag.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,118 in Warsaw versus $2,095 in Elblag.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,082 in Warsaw versus $2,727 in Elblag.

Living in Warsaw is roughly 47% more expensive than in Elblag, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Warsaw 57% above, Elblag 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.62 zł 47.98

$12.59 zł 47.88

0.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.3 zł 245

$28.33 zł 108

126.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.53 zł 40.03

$7.65 zł 29.10

37.65%

Cappuccino

$4.52 zł 17.20

$3.71 zł 14.13

21.83%

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

$2.43 zł 9.25

$2.24 zł 8.53

8.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 zł 8.74

$1.71 zł 6.49

34.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.89 zł 18.60

$3.12 zł 11.87

56.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 zł 19.85

$3.94 zł 14.97

32.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 zł 4.32

$1.08 zł 4.12

5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 zł 6.08

$1.68 zł 6.41

-4.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 zł 7.02

$0.99 zł 3.76

86.87%

Eggs

$3.95 zł 15.00

$3.87 zł 14.70

2.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.47 zł 36.00

$9.07 zł 34.48

4.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.20 zł 27.40

$7.57 zł 28.77

-4.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.58 zł 59.3

$12.13 zł 46.13

28.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 zł 4.75

$1.41 zł 5.35

-11.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 zł 6.99

$1.79 zł 6.82

2.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 zł 6.92

$1.60 zł 6.10

13.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 zł 15.33

$3.35 zł 12.75

20.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 zł 3.33

$0.84 zł 3.19

4.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 zł 3.69

$1.42 zł 5.39

-31.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 zł 5.84

$1.22 zł 4.62

26.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 zł 2.75

$0.54 zł 2.07

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 zł 24.77

$4.31 zł 16.40

51.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.68 zł 25.39

$6.77 zł 25.73

-1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 zł 4.49

$0.55 zł 2.10

114.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 zł 7.16

$1.47 zł 5.58

27.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 zł 4.54

$1.07 zł 4.07

11.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.05 zł 110

$25.61 zł 97.4

13.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 zł 9.83

$2.31 zł 8.80

11.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 zł 5.00

$0.87 zł 3.31

51.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.54 zł 51.5

$10.57 zł 40.19

28.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 zł 6.39

$1.58 zł 6.02

6.33%

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

$31.3K zł 119.1K

$32.4K zł 123.0K

-3.24%

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

$31.2K zł 118.6K

$26.6K zł 101.2K

17.20%

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

$366 zł 1,393

$269 zł 1,024

36.10%

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

$8.92 zł 33.91

$8.41 zł 31.99

6.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.20 zł 65.4

$14.80 zł 56.3

16.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 zł 191

$43.27 zł 165

16.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.82 zł 110

$22.78 zł 86.6

26.51%

Cinema Ticket

$9.75 zł 37.08

$5.56 zł 21.16

75.36%

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

$623 zł 2,370

$342 zł 1,301

82.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K zł 60.2K

$1,976 zł 7,514

700.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 zł 426

$83.5 zł 317

34.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.82 zł 159

$39.01 zł 148

7.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 zł 427

$91.9 zł 349

22.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 zł 467

$104 zł 394

18.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 zł 4,701

$624 zł 2,372

98.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$967 zł 3,679

$530 zł 2,016

82.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,167 zł 8,242

$970 zł 3,689

123.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 zł 6,000

$819 zł 3,113

92.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,401 zł 24.3K

$2,250 zł 8,556

184.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,165 zł 15.8K

$2,368 zł 9,006

75.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,145 zł 8,159

$1,358 zł 5,165

57.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

6.89

-3.48%

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

Last update for Warsaw: September 14, 2026

Last update for Elblag: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,236 in Warsaw and $624 in Elblag. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Warsaw pays 58% 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: $64.0 in Warsaw vs $28.00 in Elblag for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $225 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, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 58% 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: $1,236 in Warsaw versus $624 in Elblag. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% 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 $28.00 versus $64.0 in Warsaw. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,463 in Elblag versus $2,153 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 47% less than in Warsaw. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.