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: $2,024 in Warsaw versus $1,375 in Szczecin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,895 in Warsaw versus $1,989 in Szczecin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,766 in Warsaw versus $2,603 in Szczecin.

Living in Warsaw is roughly 47% more expensive than Szczecin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Warsaw 51% above, Szczecin 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.65 zł 38.78

$9.52 zł 34.66

11.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.9 zł 204

$48.30 zł 176

15.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 zł 34.21

$8.70 zł 31.65

8.05%

Cappuccino

$4.30 zł 15.66

$3.18 zł 11.59

35.22%

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

$2.10 zł 7.65

$1.85 zł 6.73

13.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 zł 6.86

$1.44 zł 5.25

31.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 zł 16.12

$3.24 zł 11.78

36.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 zł 16.33

$3.19 zł 11.62

40.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 zł 4.32

$0.92 zł 3.33

29.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 zł 5.20

$1.28 zł 4.66

11.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 zł 6.73

$0.92 zł 3.34

101.09%

Eggs

$3.61 zł 13.13

$3.39 zł 12.34

6.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.31 zł 37.54

$9.76 zł 35.54

5.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.90 zł 25.12

$6.40 zł 23.30

7.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.44 zł 52.6

$13.02 zł 47.38

10.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 zł 4.61

$0.90 zł 3.29

41.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 zł 6.47

$1.72 zł 6.26

3.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 zł 7.27

$1.41 zł 5.12

41.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 zł 13.73

$2.14 zł 7.78

76.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 zł 3.83

$0.89 zł 3.26

17.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 zł 4.45

$1.08 zł 3.93

12.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 zł 5.51

$0.96 zł 3.50

57.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 zł 2.59

$0.57 zł 2.08

24.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.47 zł 19.92

$5.38 zł 19.58

1.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.49 zł 30.89

$6.82 zł 24.83

24.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 zł 5.03

$1.08 zł 3.93

27.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 zł 6.84

$1.50 zł 5.45

25.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 zł 4.27

$0.78 zł 2.82

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.68 zł 108

$27.16 zł 98.9

9.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.77 zł 10.10

$2.11 zł 7.68

31.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 zł 3.74

$0.99 zł 3.59

4.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.79 zł 50.2

$13.66 zł 49.71

0.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 zł 6.28

$1.75 zł 6.37

-1.14%

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

$33.6K zł 122.2K

$32.9K zł 119.6K

2.19%

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

$33.5K zł 122.1K

$31.3K zł 113.9K

7.17%

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

$363 zł 1,322

$259 zł 944

39.97%

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

$10.23 zł 37.22

$10.68 zł 38.87

-4.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.25 zł 62.8

$17.11 zł 62.3

0.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.78 zł 159

$29.67 zł 108

47.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.60 zł 104

$16.12 zł 58.7

77.42%

Cinema Ticket

$9.72 zł 35.40

$6.58 zł 23.94

47.72%

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

$591 zł 2,150

$377 zł 1,373

56.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K zł 56.6K

$8,149 zł 29.7K

90.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 zł 365

$56.1 zł 204

78.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.21 zł 172

$30.75 zł 112

53.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 zł 345

$74.3 zł 270

27.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 zł 392

$83.6 zł 304

28.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 zł 4,164

$639 zł 2,327

78.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$913 zł 3,322

$547 zł 1,991

66.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,068 zł 7,527

$983 zł 3,577

110.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 zł 5,638

$821 zł 2,990

88.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,290 zł 22.9K

$3,469 zł 12.6K

81.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,953 zł 14.4K

$2,435 zł 8,865

62.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,251 zł 8,193

$1,695 zł 6,171

32.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.55

6.36

18.71%

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

Last update for Warsaw: April 26, 2026

Last update for Szczecin: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,144 in Warsaw and $639 in Szczecin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Warsaw pays 33% 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: $56.0 in Warsaw vs $48.00 in Szczecin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $248 vs $208 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 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Warsaw pays 33% 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: $1,144 in Warsaw versus $639 in Szczecin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,024 per month in Warsaw versus $1,375 in Szczecin – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Szczecin runs roughly 9% less than in Warsaw. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,375 in Szczecin versus $2,024 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 47% less than in Warsaw. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.