Cost of Living Comparison Between Warsaw and Olsztyn Cost of Living Comparison Between Warsaw and Olsztyn

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,153 in Warsaw versus $1,808 in Olsztyn.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,118 in Warsaw versus $2,733 in Olsztyn.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,082 in Warsaw versus $3,659 in Olsztyn.

Living in Warsaw is roughly 19% more expensive than in Olsztyn, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Warsaw 57% above, Olsztyn 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.62 zł 47.90

$13.39 zł 50.8

-5.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.3 zł 244

$51.9 zł 197

23.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.53 zł 39.96

$9.10 zł 34.53

15.71%

Cappuccino

$4.52 zł 17.17

$3.45 zł 13.10

31.01%

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

$2.43 zł 9.23

$2.52 zł 9.57

-3.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 zł 8.72

$1.98 zł 7.53

16.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.89 zł 18.57

$3.18 zł 12.06

53.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 zł 19.82

$3.98 zł 15.10

31.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 zł 4.31

$1.07 zł 4.07

6.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 zł 6.07

$1.37 zł 5.21

16.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 zł 7.01

$1.50 zł 5.69

23.33%

Eggs

$3.95 zł 14.98

$4.06 zł 15.42

-2.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.47 zł 35.94

$10.13 zł 38.45

-6.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.20 zł 27.35

$7.73 zł 29.34

-6.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.58 zł 59.2

$15.62 zł 59.3

-0.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 zł 4.74

$1.23 zł 4.68

1.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 zł 6.98

$1.75 zł 6.62

5.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 zł 6.91

$1.87 zł 7.09

-2.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 zł 15.30

$3.49 zł 13.25

15.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 zł 3.32

$1.02 zł 3.87

-13.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 zł 3.68

$1.27 zł 4.83

-23.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 zł 5.83

$1.36 zł 5.15

13.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 zł 2.75

$0.75 zł 2.86

-4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 zł 24.73

$5.72 zł 21.72

13.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.68 zł 25.35

$7.91 zł 30.02

-15.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 zł 4.48

$1.15 zł 4.36

2.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 zł 7.15

$1.63 zł 6.17

15.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 zł 4.53

$1.09 zł 4.13

9.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.05 zł 110

$26.74 zł 102

8.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 zł 9.81

$2.07 zł 7.86

24.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 zł 5.00

$0.77 zł 2.91

71.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.54 zł 51.4

$10.58 zł 40.15

27.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 zł 6.38

$1.61 zł 6.11

4.35%

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

$31.3K zł 118.9K

$33.2K zł 126.1K

-5.76%

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

$31.2K zł 118.4K

$29.8K zł 113.3K

4.53%

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

$366 zł 1,391

$305 zł 1,157

20.19%

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

$8.92 zł 33.85

$9.77 zł 37.09

-8.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.20 zł 65.3

$18.85 zł 71.6

-8.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 zł 191

$52.6 zł 200

-4.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.82 zł 109

$23.45 zł 89.0

22.90%

Cinema Ticket

$9.75 zł 37.02

$9.43 zł 35.78

3.39%

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

$623 zł 2,366

$403 zł 1,531

54.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K zł 60.1K

$14.6K zł 55.4K

8.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 zł 426

$104 zł 393

8.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.82 zł 159

$50.7 zł 192

-17.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 zł 426

$105 zł 398

7.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 zł 467

$108 zł 408

14.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 zł 4,693

$919 zł 3,487

34.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$967 zł 3,673

$735 zł 2,791

31.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,167 zł 8,228

$1,785 zł 6,777

21.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 zł 5,990

$1,404 zł 5,329

12.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,401 zł 24.3K

$3,850 zł 14.6K

66.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,165 zł 15.8K

$2,698 zł 10.2K

54.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,145 zł 8,145

$1,456 zł 5,528

47.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

7.52

-11.57%

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

Last update for Warsaw: September 14, 2026

Last update for Olsztyn: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,236 in Warsaw and $919 in Olsztyn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Warsaw pays 47% 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 $52.0 in Olsztyn. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $249, with Warsaw cheaper for home cooking.

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 Olsztyn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Olsztyn is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 47% 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 $919 in Olsztyn. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Warsaw pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Olsztyn – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $64.0 in Warsaw. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,808 in Olsztyn versus $2,153 in Warsaw, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Olsztyn but tight or insufficient in Warsaw. The gap between the two cities makes Olsztyn the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Olsztyn 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 Olsztyn 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 Olsztyn gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Warsaw. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.