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: $2,186 in Warsaw versus $1,538 in Szczecinek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,095 in Warsaw versus $2,268 in Szczecinek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,004 in Warsaw versus $2,998 in Szczecinek.

Living in Warsaw is roughly 42% more expensive than in Szczecinek, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Warsaw 58% above, Szczecinek 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.62 zł 46.98

$12.12 zł 45.14

4.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.0 zł 238

$45.60 zł 170

40.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.78 zł 40.13

$9.16 zł 34.12

17.69%

Cappuccino

$4.58 zł 17.06

$3.54 zł 13.17

29.38%

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

$2.51 zł 9.35

$1.21 zł 4.49

107.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 zł 8.83

$0.94 zł 3.52

152.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.71 zł 17.52

$3.28 zł 12.22

43.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.37 zł 20.01

$1.46 zł 5.42

267.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 zł 4.36

$0.94 zł 3.51

24.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 zł 6.01

$1.30 zł 4.86

23.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 zł 6.81

$1.49 zł 5.55

22.82%

Eggs

$4.19 zł 15.62

$3.85 zł 14.34

8.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.75 zł 36.31

$8.22 zł 30.61

18.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.17 zł 26.68

$6.18 zł 23.00

16.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.84 zł 59.0

$13.95 zł 52.0

13.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.32 zł 4.93

$1.25 zł 4.64

5.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 zł 6.65

$1.22 zł 4.54

46.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 zł 6.93

$1.74 zł 6.47

6.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 zł 16.07

$2.62 zł 9.76

64.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 zł 3.53

$0.81 zł 3.02

17.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 zł 3.42

$0.84 zł 3.12

9.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 zł 5.60

$1.29 zł 4.80

16.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 zł 2.71

$0.70 zł 2.59

4.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.84 zł 25.47

$5.98 zł 22.27

14.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.85 zł 25.52

$8.17 zł 30.41

-16.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 zł 4.45

$1.22 zł 4.53

-2.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 zł 7.19

$1.52 zł 5.67

26.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 zł 4.31

$1.10 zł 4.09

5.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.88 zł 111

$31.01 zł 115

-3.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 zł 9.97

$2.47 zł 9.20

8.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 zł 5.17

$1.05 zł 3.91

32.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.57 zł 50.5

$12.23 zł 45.55

10.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 zł 6.58

$1.58 zł 5.89

12.03%

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

$31.9K zł 118.9K

$32.1K zł 119.4K

-0.46%

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

$32.2K zł 120.0K

$29.2K zł 108.5K

10.58%

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

$379 zł 1,410

$311 zł 1,159

21.69%

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

$9.49 zł 35.35

$8.34 zł 31.05

13.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.87 zł 66.5

$19.91 zł 74.1

-10.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 zł 189

$39.85 zł 148

27.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.15 zł 112

$23.69 zł 88.2

27.27%

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 zł 36.96

$8.23 zł 30.64

20.66%

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

$620 zł 2,310

$212 zł 789

192.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K zł 57.8K

$7,863 zł 29.3K

97.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$114 zł 425

$83.6 zł 311

36.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.74 zł 159

$39.04 zł 145

9.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 zł 417

$91.6 zł 341

22.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 zł 471

$115 zł 430

9.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 zł 4,722

$583 zł 2,171

117.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$994 zł 3,701

$557 zł 2,075

78.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,200 zł 8,193

$1,107 zł 4,121

98.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 zł 5,939

$930 zł 3,464

71.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,459 zł 24.0K

$3,077 zł 11.5K

109.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,168 zł 15.5K

$2,328 zł 8,669

79.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,195 zł 8,173

$1,369 zł 5,098

60.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

4.2

58.33%

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

Last update for Warsaw: September 5, 2026

Last update for Szczecinek: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,268 in Warsaw and $583 in Szczecinek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Warsaw pays 60% 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: $64.0 in Warsaw vs $46.00 in Szczecinek for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $218 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 42% in total monthly costs ($2,186 vs $1,538 including rent). Szczecinek is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 60% 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: $1,268 in Warsaw versus $583 in Szczecinek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,186 per month in Warsaw versus $1,538 in Szczecinek – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Szczecinek runs roughly 4% less than in Warsaw. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,538 in Szczecinek versus $2,186 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 42% less than in Warsaw. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.