Cost of Living Comparison Between Warsaw and Elk Cost of Living Comparison Between Warsaw and Elk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,040 per month in Warsaw vs $1,395 in Elk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,889 per month in Warsaw vs $2,031 in Elk, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,737 per month in Warsaw vs $2,666 in Elk, rent included.

Warsaw costs about 46% more than Elk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Warsaw and Elk sit above the global median – Warsaw by 52%, Elk by 4%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.04 zł 40.35

$8.22 zł 30.04

34.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 zł 212

$40.31 zł 147

44.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 zł 35.59

$6.68 zł 24.40

45.81%

Cappuccino

$4.29 zł 15.67

$2.15 zł 7.84

99.53%

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

$2.11 zł 7.72

$2.15 zł 7.87

-1.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 zł 6.63

$1.11 zł 4.05

63.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.45 zł 16.26

$4.02 zł 14.67

10.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 zł 17.11

$4.14 zł 15.13

13.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 zł 4.20

$1.03 zł 3.75

11.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 zł 4.98

$1.35 zł 4.92

0.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 zł 6.71

$1.82 zł 6.66

1.10%

Eggs

$3.63 zł 13.26

$2.58 zł 9.42

40.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.11 zł 36.94

$4.79 zł 17.48

111.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.98 zł 25.49

$6.47 zł 23.64

7.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.55 zł 53.2

$13.20 zł 48.22

10.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 zł 4.72

$1.09 zł 3.99

18.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 zł 6.52

$1.88 zł 6.87

-4.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 zł 7.07

$2.02 zł 7.37

-3.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 zł 13.24

$2.81 zł 10.26

28.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 zł 3.87

$0.96 zł 3.52

10.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 zł 4.30

$1.14 zł 4.15

3.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 zł 5.26

$1.39 zł 5.06

3.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 zł 2.44

$0.57 zł 2.07

17.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.29 zł 19.33

$5.34 zł 19.50

-0.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.29 zł 30.29

$7.74 zł 28.29

7.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 zł 5.21

$1.17 zł 4.28

22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 zł 6.88

$1.32 zł 4.83

42.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 zł 4.24

$1.11 zł 4.05

4.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.77 zł 109

$32.10 zł 117

-7.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 zł 9.62

$2.13 zł 7.76

23.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 zł 3.57

$0.52 zł 1.89

88.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.42 zł 49.04

$13.44 zł 49.11

-0.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 zł 6.24

$1.77 zł 6.46

-3.39%

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

$33.4K zł 122.0K

$33.2K zł 121.2K

0.66%

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

$33.6K zł 122.7K

$31.1K zł 113.7K

7.93%

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

$357 zł 1,305

$311 zł 1,135

14.98%

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

$10.03 zł 36.65

$6.92 zł 25.26

44.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.56 zł 64.1

$13.35 zł 48.78

31.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.87 zł 164

$35.98 zł 131

24.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.23 zł 107

$19.76 zł 72.2

47.93%

Cinema Ticket

$9.70 zł 35.43

$6.67 zł 24.37

45.43%

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

$580 zł 2,117

$312 zł 1,140

85.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K zł 57.2K

$5,355 zł 19.6K

192.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.2 zł 363

$83.7 zł 306

18.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.99 zł 172

$27.23 zł 99.5

72.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 zł 338

$85.2 zł 311

8.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 zł 404

$86.7 zł 317

27.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,161 zł 4,241

$551 zł 2,013

110.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 zł 3,250

$459 zł 1,676

93.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,033 zł 7,427

$933 zł 3,407

118.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 zł 5,576

$858 zł 3,133

77.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,283 zł 23.0K

$2,295 zł 8,385

173.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,074 zł 14.9K

$2,077 zł 7,587

96.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,228 zł 8,140

$1,320 zł 4,820

68.87%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Elk: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,161 in Warsaw versus $551 in Elk. 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 69% 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 $58.0 in Warsaw versus $40.00 in Elk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $208 – making Elk 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 Elk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Warsaw is pricier by about 46%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,059 per month in Warsaw and $2,092 in Elk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 18% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Warsaw and $40.00 in Elk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elk, where all-in costs run around $1,395, than in Warsaw at $2,040. In Elk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Warsaw it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Elk – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Elk. 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.