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: $2,025 in Warsaw versus $1,455 in Olsztyn.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,904 in Warsaw versus $1,981 in Olsztyn.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,783 in Warsaw versus $2,506 in Olsztyn.

Living in Warsaw is roughly 39% more expensive than in Olsztyn, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Warsaw 52% above, Olsztyn 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.75 zł 40.73

$10.64 zł 40.34

1.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.6 zł 215

$46.03 zł 174

23.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.45 zł 35.82

$7.54 zł 28.57

25.33%

Cappuccino

$4.17 zł 15.79

$3.02 zł 11.46

38.08%

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

$2.10 zł 7.98

$1.69 zł 6.40

24.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 zł 6.93

$1.90 zł 7.21

-3.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.47 zł 16.93

$3.30 zł 12.50

35.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 zł 17.21

$3.83 zł 14.52

18.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 zł 4.51

$1.05 zł 3.98

13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 zł 5.39

$1.36 zł 5.16

4.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 zł 6.78

$1.49 zł 5.65

20.13%

Eggs

$3.57 zł 13.54

$3.27 zł 12.40

9.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 zł 37.84

$8.87 zł 33.62

12.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.92 zł 26.25

$6.02 zł 22.82

14.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.53 zł 55.1

$9.81 zł 37.16

48.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 zł 4.93

$1.14 zł 4.32

14.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 zł 7.05

$1.50 zł 5.67

24.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 zł 7.33

$2.01 zł 7.61

-3.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 zł 14.27

$2.69 zł 10.20

40.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 zł 4.00

$0.75 zł 2.84

41.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 zł 4.69

$1.19 zł 4.52

4.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 zł 5.46

$1.15 zł 4.38

25.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 zł 2.73

$0.73 zł 2.77

-1.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.55 zł 21.03

$5.44 zł 20.61

2.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.75 zł 29.37

$8.04 zł 30.48

-3.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 zł 5.20

$0.99 zł 3.75

38.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 zł 7.07

$1.71 zł 6.49

9.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 zł 4.42

$1.07 zł 4.04

9.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.63 zł 112

$27.54 zł 104

7.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 zł 10.10

$1.99 zł 7.54

33.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 zł 3.85

$0.71 zł 2.70

43.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.35 zł 50.6

$13.84 zł 52.4

-3.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 zł 6.77

$1.75 zł 6.64

2.29%

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

$32.8K zł 124.1K

$33.3K zł 126.1K

-1.54%

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

$32.6K zł 123.5K

$31.2K zł 118.2K

4.46%

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

$357 zł 1,351

$278 zł 1,053

28.36%

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

$10.23 zł 38.76

$9.00 zł 34.13

13.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 zł 66.3

$17.01 zł 64.5

2.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.37 zł 168

$32.99 zł 125

34.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.18 zł 111

$16.57 zł 62.8

76.10%

Cinema Ticket

$9.39 zł 35.59

$8.12 zł 30.76

15.64%

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

$571 zł 2,165

$136 zł 515

320.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K zł 58.1K

$15.8K zł 59.9K

-2.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.7 zł 374

$96.4 zł 365

2.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.99 zł 178

$47.27 zł 179

-0.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 zł 359

$80.9 zł 307

17.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 zł 414

$111 zł 422

-1.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 zł 4,301

$640 zł 2,427

77.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$922 zł 3,494

$532 zł 2,016

73.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 zł 7,923

$958 zł 3,631

118.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 zł 5,784

$596 zł 2,260

155.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,322 zł 24.0K

$3,909 zł 14.8K

61.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,919 zł 14.9K

$2,714 zł 10.3K

44.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,150 zł 8,148

$1,425 zł 5,402

50.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.55

5.81

29.95%

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

Last update for Warsaw: July 13, 2026

Last update for Olsztyn: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,135 in Warsaw and $640 in Olsztyn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Warsaw pays 51% 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: $57.0 in Warsaw vs $46.00 in Olsztyn for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $208 per month, with Olsztyn 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 Olsztyn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Olsztyn is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 51% 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: $1,135 in Warsaw versus $640 in Olsztyn. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Warsaw. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Olsztyn – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $57.0 in Warsaw. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,455 in Olsztyn versus $2,025 in Warsaw, a $1,500 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 39% less than in Warsaw. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.