Cost of Living Comparison Between Warsaw and Szczecin Cost of Living Comparison Between Warsaw and Szczecin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,203 in Warsaw versus $1,389 in Szczecin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,083 in Warsaw versus $2,074 in Szczecin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,963 in Warsaw versus $2,760 in Szczecin.

Living in Warsaw is roughly 59% more expensive than in Szczecin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Warsaw 61% above, Szczecin 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.89 zł 43.90

$9.50 zł 35.09

25.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 zł 234

$48.39 zł 179

30.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 zł 40.28

$8.62 zł 31.83

26.57%

Cappuccino

$4.61 zł 17.01

$3.02 zł 11.16

52.65%

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

$2.44 zł 9.01

$1.88 zł 6.93

29.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 zł 8.73

$1.55 zł 5.71

52.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.37 zł 19.81

$3.14 zł 11.59

71.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.52 zł 20.37

$3.25 zł 12.01

69.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 zł 4.07

$0.91 zł 3.36

20.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 zł 6.11

$1.31 zł 4.83

25.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 zł 7.14

$1.11 zł 4.10

73.87%

Eggs

$4.08 zł 15.05

$3.37 zł 12.46

21.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 zł 38.82

$9.65 zł 35.65

8.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.74 zł 28.59

$6.62 zł 24.45

16.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.31 zł 56.5

$13.62 zł 50.3

12.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 zł 4.94

$0.93 zł 3.45

44.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 zł 6.71

$1.80 zł 6.66

1.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 zł 7.29

$1.64 zł 6.05

20.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.80 zł 14.02

$2.60 zł 9.61

46.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 zł 3.40

$0.89 zł 3.30

3.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 zł 3.61

$1.10 zł 4.06

-10.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 zł 5.58

$1.17 zł 4.30

29.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 zł 2.69

$0.59 zł 2.18

23.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 zł 24.55

$5.53 zł 20.44

20.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.10 zł 29.92

$6.79 zł 25.07

19.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 zł 4.39

$1.12 zł 4.15

6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 zł 7.05

$1.58 zł 5.84

20.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 zł 4.23

$0.79 zł 2.92

45.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.38 zł 109

$27.24 zł 101

7.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 zł 9.80

$2.03 zł 7.50

30.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 zł 5.06

$0.97 zł 3.59

41.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.50 zł 49.86

$13.40 zł 49.49

0.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 zł 6.15

$1.61 zł 5.96

3.73%

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

$31.9K zł 117.6K

$32.1K zł 118.5K

-0.70%

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

$32.1K zł 118.5K

$29.7K zł 109.8K

7.86%

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

$362 zł 1,339

$251 zł 926

44.56%

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

$9.38 zł 34.64

$12.73 zł 46.99

-26.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.79 zł 65.7

$20.09 zł 74.2

-11.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.4 zł 186

$31.68 zł 117

59.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.35 zł 108

$53.2 zł 196

-44.79%

Cinema Ticket

$9.63 zł 35.56

$6.56 zł 24.24

46.80%

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

$607 zł 2,242

$355 zł 1,310

71.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K zł 56.6K

$7,985 zł 29.5K

92.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 zł 414

$72.1 zł 266

55.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.79 zł 162

$37.21 zł 137

17.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 zł 416

$82.7 zł 305

36.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 zł 466

$97.2 zł 359

29.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 zł 4,706

$637 zł 2,353

100.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 zł 3,712

$521 zł 1,924

92.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,245 zł 8,289

$1,187 zł 4,384

89.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,610 zł 5,946

$874 zł 3,227

84.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,477 zł 23.9K

$3,412 zł 12.6K

89.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,194 zł 15.5K

$2,476 zł 9,142

69.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,216 zł 8,183

$1,645 zł 6,073

34.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.88

6.82

0.88%

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

Last update for Warsaw: August 18, 2026

Last update for Szczecin: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,274 in Warsaw and $637 in Szczecin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Warsaw pays 35% 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: $63.0 in Warsaw vs $48.00 in Szczecin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $217 per month, with Szczecin 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 Szczecin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Szczecin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 35% 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: $1,274 in Warsaw versus $637 in Szczecin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,203 per month in Warsaw versus $1,389 in Szczecin – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Szczecin runs roughly 8% less than in Warsaw. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,389 in Szczecin versus $2,203 in Warsaw, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Szczecin but tight or insufficient in Warsaw. The gap between the two cities makes Szczecin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Szczecin 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 Szczecin 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 Szczecin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Warsaw. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.