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: $2,006 in Warsaw versus $1,401 in Szczecin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,899 in Warsaw versus $2,004 in Szczecin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,792 in Warsaw versus $2,608 in Szczecin.

Living in Warsaw is roughly 43% more expensive than Szczecin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Warsaw 49% above, Szczecin 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.90 zł 39.84

$9.60 zł 35.09

13.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.5 zł 206

$47.93 zł 175

17.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 zł 35.38

$8.40 zł 30.70

15.24%

Cappuccino

$4.28 zł 15.63

$3.31 zł 12.08

29.31%

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

$2.14 zł 7.83

$1.79 zł 6.54

19.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 zł 6.68

$1.47 zł 5.38

24.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 zł 16.48

$3.24 zł 11.83

39.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 zł 17.18

$3.29 zł 12.02

42.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 zł 4.37

$0.92 zł 3.34

30.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 zł 4.93

$1.28 zł 4.68

5.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 zł 6.53

$0.93 zł 3.41

92.47%

Eggs

$3.52 zł 12.85

$3.25 zł 11.87

8.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 zł 36.83

$9.74 zł 35.60

3.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.96 zł 25.45

$6.28 zł 22.95

10.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.28 zł 52.2

$13.01 zł 47.53

9.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 zł 4.72

$0.95 zł 3.49

35.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 zł 6.81

$1.79 zł 6.53

3.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 zł 7.16

$1.46 zł 5.34

34.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 zł 13.19

$2.15 zł 7.84

67.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 zł 3.97

$0.93 zł 3.39

17.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 zł 4.31

$1.07 zł 3.92

10.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 zł 5.52

$1.04 zł 3.79

45.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 zł 2.46

$0.57 zł 2.10

17.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.35 zł 19.56

$5.31 zł 19.42

0.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.27 zł 30.21

$6.77 zł 24.73

22.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 zł 4.98

$1.10 zł 4.01

23.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 zł 7.10

$1.44 zł 5.27

34.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 zł 4.44

$0.80 zł 2.92

52.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.89 zł 109

$27.12 zł 99.1

10.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 zł 9.83

$2.11 zł 7.70

27.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 zł 3.72

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.84 zł 50.6

$13.35 zł 48.79

3.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 zł 6.40

$1.67 zł 6.09

4.79%

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

$32.6K zł 119.3K

$33.9K zł 123.9K

-3.65%

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

$33.4K zł 122.1K

$30.8K zł 112.6K

8.48%

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

$358 zł 1,308

$253 zł 925

41.33%

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

$10.14 zł 37.06

$10.41 zł 38.04

-2.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.61 zł 64.4

$17.14 zł 62.6

2.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.24 zł 162

$29.60 zł 108

49.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 zł 106

$16.18 zł 59.1

79.48%

Cinema Ticket

$9.78 zł 35.76

$6.83 zł 24.98

43.19%

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

$570 zł 2,084

$380 zł 1,388

50.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K zł 56.0K

$8,204 zł 30.0K

86.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.9 zł 358

$56.0 zł 205

74.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.82 zł 171

$30.67 zł 112

52.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 zł 338

$72.1 zł 263

28.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 zł 400

$85.3 zł 312

28.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,121 zł 4,097

$637 zł 2,330

75.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$912 zł 3,333

$548 zł 2,002

66.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,032 zł 7,429

$962 zł 3,517

111.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 zł 5,615

$819 zł 2,994

87.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,351 zł 23.2K

$3,470 zł 12.7K

83.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,022 zł 14.7K

$2,512 zł 9,180

60.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,257 zł 8,250

$1,612 zł 5,893

40.00%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Szczecin: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,121 in Warsaw and $637 in Szczecin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Warsaw pays 40% 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 $245 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 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Warsaw pays 40% 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: $1,121 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 $2,006 per month in Warsaw versus $1,401 in Szczecin – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Szczecin runs roughly 10% less than in Warsaw. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,401 in Szczecin versus $2,006 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 43% less than in Warsaw. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.