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: $2,040 in Warsaw versus $1,464 in Olsztyn.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,889 in Warsaw versus $1,997 in Olsztyn.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,737 in Warsaw versus $2,531 in Olsztyn.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.04 zł 40.26

$10.65 zł 38.84

3.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 zł 212

$46.46 zł 169

25.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 zł 35.51

$7.51 zł 27.37

29.69%

Cappuccino

$4.29 zł 15.63

$2.96 zł 10.80

44.93%

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

$2.11 zł 7.70

$1.69 zł 6.16

24.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 zł 6.61

$1.84 zł 6.69

-1.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.45 zł 16.22

$3.27 zł 11.94

36.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 zł 17.07

$3.82 zł 13.93

22.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 zł 4.19

$1.10 zł 4.03

4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 zł 4.97

$1.32 zł 4.82

3.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 zł 6.70

$1.50 zł 5.46

22.67%

Eggs

$3.63 zł 13.23

$3.45 zł 12.59

5.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.11 zł 36.86

$8.89 zł 32.40

13.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.98 zł 25.44

$6.01 zł 21.92

16.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.55 zł 53.1

$10.06 zł 36.69

44.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 zł 4.71

$1.10 zł 4.00

17.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 zł 6.51

$1.58 zł 5.75

13.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 zł 7.06

$2.04 zł 7.43

-4.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 zł 13.21

$2.78 zł 10.14

30.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 zł 3.86

$0.79 zł 2.89

34.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 zł 4.29

$1.24 zł 4.50

-4.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 zł 5.24

$1.15 zł 4.19

25.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 zł 2.43

$0.68 zł 2.46

-1.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.29 zł 19.29

$5.57 zł 20.30

-5.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.29 zł 30.23

$8.14 zł 29.68

1.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 zł 5.20

$1.02 zł 3.71

40.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 zł 6.86

$1.71 zł 6.23

9.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 zł 4.23

$1.12 zł 4.08

3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.77 zł 109

$27.10 zł 98.8

9.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 zł 9.60

$1.98 zł 7.21

32.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 zł 3.56

$0.74 zł 2.69

32.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.42 zł 48.94

$13.79 zł 50.3

-2.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 zł 6.22

$1.78 zł 6.48

-3.93%

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

$33.4K zł 121.7K

$32.8K zł 119.4K

1.97%

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

$33.6K zł 122.5K

$30.8K zł 112.3K

9.07%

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

$357 zł 1,302

$271 zł 989

31.66%

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

$10.03 zł 36.57

$9.10 zł 33.18

10.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.56 zł 64.0

$17.49 zł 63.7

0.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.87 zł 164

$32.68 zł 119

37.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.23 zł 107

$16.36 zł 59.6

78.67%

Cinema Ticket

$9.70 zł 35.35

$8.01 zł 29.18

21.10%

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

$580 zł 2,113

$133 zł 486

334.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K zł 57.1K

$15.6K zł 56.8K

0.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.2 zł 362

$96.0 zł 350

3.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.99 zł 171

$46.72 zł 170

0.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 zł 337

$82.9 zł 302

11.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 zł 404

$108 zł 394

2.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,161 zł 4,232

$640 zł 2,332

81.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 zł 3,243

$551 zł 2,007

61.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,033 zł 7,412

$979 zł 3,568

107.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 zł 5,564

$608 zł 2,218

150.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,283 zł 22.9K

$3,992 zł 14.6K

57.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,074 zł 14.9K

$2,823 zł 10.3K

44.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,228 zł 8,123

$1,472 zł 5,364

51.43%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Olsztyn: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,161 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: $58.0 in Warsaw vs $46.00 in Olsztyn for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $210 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.

Warsaw pays 51% more on average, 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: $1,161 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 17% 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 $58.0 in Warsaw. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,464 in Olsztyn versus $2,040 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.