Cost of Living Comparison Between Warsaw and Szczecinek Cost of Living Comparison Between Warsaw and Szczecinek

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,040 in Warsaw versus $1,539 in Szczecinek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,889 in Warsaw versus $2,179 in Szczecinek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,737 in Warsaw versus $2,820 in Szczecinek.

Living in Warsaw is roughly 33% more expensive than Szczecinek, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Warsaw 52% above, Szczecinek 15% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.04 zł 40.27

$10.66 zł 38.85

3.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 zł 212

$24.71 zł 90.1

135.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 zł 35.52

$9.21 zł 33.58

5.75%

Cappuccino

$4.29 zł 15.64

$3.69 zł 13.44

16.26%

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

$2.11 zł 7.70

$1.04 zł 3.80

102.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 zł 6.62

$0.70 zł 2.54

158.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.45 zł 16.23

$4.19 zł 15.28

6.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 zł 17.08

$1.53 zł 5.60

205.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 zł 4.20

$1.11 zł 4.04

3.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 zł 4.97

$1.06 zł 3.86

28.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 zł 6.70

$1.55 zł 5.63

18.71%

Eggs

$3.63 zł 13.24

$3.40 zł 12.41

6.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.11 zł 36.87

$8.33 zł 30.39

21.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.98 zł 25.45

$7.51 zł 27.38

-7.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.55 zł 53.1

$12.79 zł 46.63

13.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 zł 4.71

$1.02 zł 3.72

26.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 zł 6.51

$1.98 zł 7.21

-9.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 zł 7.06

$1.94 zł 7.09

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 zł 13.21

$3.07 zł 11.18

17.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 zł 3.86

$0.93 zł 3.38

13.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 zł 4.29

$0.70 zł 2.55

68.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 zł 5.25

$1.55 zł 5.66

-7.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 zł 2.43

$0.69 zł 2.53

-2.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.29 zł 19.30

$5.43 zł 19.80

-2.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.29 zł 30.24

$8.48 zł 30.93

-2.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 zł 5.20

$1.11 zł 4.07

28.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 zł 6.86

$1.60 zł 5.82

17.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 zł 4.23

$1.11 zł 4.05

4.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.77 zł 109

$32.71 zł 119

-8.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 zł 9.60

$2.37 zł 8.63

10.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 zł 3.56

$0.77 zł 2.82

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.42 zł 48.95

$13.61 zł 49.62

-1.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 zł 6.23

$1.76 zł 6.42

-2.84%

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

$33.4K zł 121.8K

$34.3K zł 124.9K

-2.52%

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

$33.6K zł 122.5K

$30.2K zł 109.9K

11.42%

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

$357 zł 1,302

$361 zł 1,318

-1.17%

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

$10.03 zł 36.58

$11.75 zł 42.83

-14.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.56 zł 64.0

$15.59 zł 56.8

12.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.87 zł 164

$37.01 zł 135

21.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.23 zł 107

$19.41 zł 70.8

50.59%

Cinema Ticket

$9.70 zł 35.36

$7.54 zł 27.51

28.65%

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

$580 zł 2,114

$377 zł 1,373

53.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K zł 57.1K

$6,552 zł 23.9K

139.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.2 zł 362

$122 zł 445

-18.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.99 zł 171

$46.47 zł 169

1.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 zł 337

$110 zł 400

-15.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 zł 404

$90.2 zł 329

22.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,161 zł 4,233

$505 zł 1,843

129.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 zł 3,244

$494 zł 1,803

79.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,033 zł 7,414

$962 zł 3,506

111.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 zł 5,566

$807 zł 2,944

89.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,283 zł 22.9K

$2,673 zł 9,747

135.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,074 zł 14.9K

$2,552 zł 9,307

59.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,228 zł 8,126

$1,354 zł 4,938

64.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.55

4.2

79.76%

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

Last update for Warsaw: June 1, 2026

Last update for Szczecinek: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,161 in Warsaw and $505 in Szczecinek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Warsaw pays 65% 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 $25.00 in Szczecinek for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $227 per month, with Szczecinek 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 Szczecinek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Warsaw and Szczecinek differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($2,040 vs $1,539 including rent). Szczecinek is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Warsaw pays 65% 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 $505 in Szczecinek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,040 per month in Warsaw versus $1,539 in Szczecinek – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $1,539 in Szczecinek versus $2,040 in Warsaw, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Szczecinek but tight or insufficient in Warsaw. The gap between the two cities makes Szczecinek the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Warsaw and Szczecinek 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 Szczecinek gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Warsaw. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.