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: $2,025 in Warsaw versus $1,560 in Szczecinek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,904 in Warsaw versus $2,175 in Szczecinek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,783 in Warsaw versus $2,789 in Szczecinek.

Living in Warsaw is roughly 30% more expensive than in Szczecinek, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Warsaw 52% above, Szczecinek 17% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.75 zł 40.77

$10.90 zł 41.35

-1.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.6 zł 215

$24.52 zł 93.0

130.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.45 zł 35.86

$9.36 zł 35.50

0.96%

Cappuccino

$4.17 zł 15.81

$3.64 zł 13.82

14.56%

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

$2.10 zł 7.98

$1.03 zł 3.91

103.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 zł 6.93

$0.70 zł 2.67

161.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.47 zł 16.95

$4.12 zł 15.62

8.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 zł 17.23

$1.51 zł 5.73

200.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 zł 4.51

$1.06 zł 4.02

12.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 zł 5.40

$1.09 zł 4.15

30.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 zł 6.79

$1.58 zł 6.01

13.29%

Eggs

$3.57 zł 13.56

$3.46 zł 13.11

3.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 zł 37.88

$8.18 zł 31.02

22.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.92 zł 26.27

$7.24 zł 27.47

-4.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.53 zł 55.1

$13.18 zł 50.0

10.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 zł 4.93

$1.05 zł 4.00

23.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 zł 7.06

$1.99 zł 7.56

-6.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 zł 7.34

$1.88 zł 7.12

2.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 zł 14.29

$3.03 zł 11.49

24.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 zł 4.00

$0.87 zł 3.32

21.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 zł 4.70

$0.67 zł 2.54

85.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 zł 5.47

$1.51 zł 5.73

-4.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 zł 2.73

$0.72 zł 2.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.55 zł 21.05

$5.36 zł 20.34

3.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.75 zł 29.40

$7.83 zł 29.70

-1.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 zł 5.21

$1.06 zł 4.03

29.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 zł 7.08

$1.66 zł 6.28

12.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 zł 4.43

$1.06 zł 4.01

10.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.63 zł 112

$32.83 zł 125

-9.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 zł 10.11

$2.28 zł 8.65

16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 zł 3.86

$0.76 zł 2.89

34.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.35 zł 50.6

$13.51 zł 51.3

-1.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 zł 6.78

$1.67 zł 6.34

7.19%

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

$32.8K zł 124.3K

$33.3K zł 126.3K

-1.60%

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

$32.6K zł 123.6K

$30.0K zł 113.9K

8.53%

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

$357 zł 1,353

$367 zł 1,393

-2.92%

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

$10.23 zł 38.80

$11.59 zł 43.96

-11.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 zł 66.4

$16.07 zł 61.0

8.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.37 zł 168

$36.83 zł 140

20.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.18 zł 111

$19.35 zł 73.4

50.80%

Cinema Ticket

$9.39 zł 35.63

$7.43 zł 28.20

26.38%

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

$571 zł 2,168

$370 zł 1,404

54.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K zł 58.1K

$6,626 zł 25.1K

131.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.7 zł 375

$121 zł 460

-18.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.99 zł 178

$45.21 zł 172

3.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 zł 359

$110 zł 417

-13.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 zł 415

$90.7 zł 344

20.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 zł 4,305

$507 zł 1,922

123.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$922 zł 3,497

$491 zł 1,864

87.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 zł 7,931

$965 zł 3,661

116.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 zł 5,790

$802 zł 3,042

90.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,322 zł 24.0K

$2,936 zł 11.1K

115.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,919 zł 14.9K

$2,296 zł 8,713

70.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,150 zł 8,157

$1,317 zł 4,995

63.28%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Szczecinek: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,135 in Warsaw and $507 in Szczecinek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Warsaw pays 63% 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: $57.0 in Warsaw vs $25.00 in Szczecinek for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $225 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 30% in total monthly costs ($2,025 vs $1,560 including rent). Szczecinek is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 63% 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: $1,135 in Warsaw versus $507 in Szczecinek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,025 per month in Warsaw versus $1,560 in Szczecinek – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Szczecinek runs roughly 11% less than in Warsaw. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,560 in Szczecinek versus $2,025 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 30% less than in Warsaw. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.