Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Warsaw and Zgorzelec

For one person, living is cheaper in Zgorzelec: $1,416 a month against $1,995 in Warsaw, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

95

Cost of Living Index in Warsaw
Learn more

Warsaw Living Index
68

Cost of Living Index in Zgorzelec
Learn more

Zgorzelec Living Index

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Warsaw

🇵🇱 Poland

$1,995

/mo nomad

Zgorzelec

🇵🇱 Poland

$1,416

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Warsaw and in Zgorzelec

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Warsaw and in Zgorzelec actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,995 in Warsaw versus $1,416 in Zgorzelec.

Warsaw $1,995
Zgorzelec $1,416

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,866 in Warsaw versus $2,062 in Zgorzelec.

Warsaw $2,866
Zgorzelec $2,062

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,737 in Warsaw versus $2,707 in Zgorzelec.

Warsaw $3,737
Zgorzelec $2,707

Living in Warsaw is roughly 41% more expensive than in Zgorzelec, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Warsaw 48% above, Zgorzelec 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.57 zł 45.51

$8.90 zł 35.01

30.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.8 zł 243

$51.7 zł 204

19.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.95 zł 39.15

$7.51 zł 29.55

32.49%

Cappuccino

$4.31 zł 16.95

$3.09 zł 12.16

39.48%

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

$2.32 zł 9.15

$0.91 zł 3.60

154.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 zł 8.92

$1.63 zł 6.42

39.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.54 zł 17.88

$1.48 zł 5.81

206.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 zł 20.37

$2.05 zł 8.06

152.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 zł 4.18

$0.95 zł 3.73

11.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 zł 6.07

$1.20 zł 4.73

28.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 zł 6.01

$1.40 zł 5.50

9.29%

Eggs

$3.80 zł 14.95

$3.51 zł 13.83

8.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 zł 34.88

$8.58 zł 33.77

3.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.80 zł 26.75

$5.84 zł 22.96

16.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.56 zł 57.3

$13.05 zł 51.3

11.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 zł 4.57

$0.86 zł 3.40

34.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 zł 6.69

$1.50 zł 5.88

13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 zł 6.58

$1.64 zł 6.45

1.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 zł 17.13

$1.55 zł 6.09

180.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 zł 3.68

$0.62 zł 2.43

51.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 zł 3.57

$1.01 zł 3.97

-9.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 zł 5.62

$1.27 zł 4.99

12.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 zł 2.73

$0.64 zł 2.51

7.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.15 zł 24.22

$4.64 zł 18.25

32.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.20 zł 24.40

$7.53 zł 29.62

-17.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 zł 4.31

$0.85 zł 3.34

28.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 zł 6.67

$1.47 zł 5.77

15.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 zł 4.45

$1.09 zł 4.30

3.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.41 zł 108

$29.10 zł 114

-5.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 zł 10.11

$2.32 zł 9.13

10.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 zł 5.10

$1.05 zł 4.12

23.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.56 zł 49.40

$12.75 zł 50.2

-1.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 zł 6.82

$1.62 zł 6.36

6.79%

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

$30.0K zł 118.0K

$30.4K zł 119.5K

-1.20%

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

$30.4K zł 119.5K

$27.7K zł 108.9K

9.80%

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

$329 zł 1,294

$288 zł 1,134

14.08%

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

$9.08 zł 35.71

$7.87 zł 30.96

15.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.00 zł 63.0

$18.41 zł 72.4

-13.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.70 zł 184

$37.66 zł 148

24.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 zł 110

$21.48 zł 84.5

29.98%

Cinema Ticket

$8.80 zł 34.63

$7.34 zł 28.86

19.89%

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

$592 zł 2,330

$483 zł 1,900

22.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K zł 71.6K

$7,450 zł 29.3K

144.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 zł 413

$77.2 zł 304

36.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.96 zł 153

$37.75 zł 149

3.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 zł 425

$86.2 zł 339

25.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 zł 441

$109 zł 428

3.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,150 zł 4,523

$599 zł 2,355

92.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 zł 3,581

$515 zł 2,026

76.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,144 zł 8,434

$968 zł 3,810

121.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,456 zł 5,727

$824 zł 3,240

76.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,018 zł 23.7K

$2,959 zł 11.6K

103.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 zł 15.2K

$2,159 zł 8,495

78.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 zł 8,072

$1,369 zł 5,385

49.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

6.63

0.75%

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

Last update for Warsaw: November 2, 2026

Last update for Zgorzelec: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Warsaw

$910 45.6%

Zgorzelec

$515 36.4% 43.4% $395

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Warsaw

$354 17.7%

Zgorzelec

$315 22.2% 11.1% $39

Groceries & Markets

Warsaw

$236 11.8%

Zgorzelec

$202 14.2% 14.5% $34

Eating Out

Warsaw

$226 11.3%

Zgorzelec

$152 10.8% 32.4% $73

Clothing & Footwear

Warsaw

$164 8.2%

Zgorzelec

$139 9.9% 14.9% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Warsaw

$64 3.2%

Zgorzelec

$52 3.7% 18.6% $12

Getting Around

Warsaw

$41 2.1%

Zgorzelec

$41 2.9% 0.1% $0.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,150 in Warsaw and $599 in Zgorzelec. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Warsaw pays 50% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $62 in Warsaw vs $52 in Zgorzelec for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $202 per month, with Zgorzelec cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇱 Warsaw

🇵🇱 Zgorzelec

🕒 Local time

10:46 10:46 AM

Same time as Warsaw

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,861,599 Capital

29,534

💱 Currency

Polish Złoty PLN zł

📈 Exchange rate

1 PLN = 0.254 USD

1 PLN = 0.227 EUR

1 PLN = 0.254 USD

1 PLN = 0.227 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Warsaw Zgorzelec 430 km

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Zgorzelec: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zgorzelec wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Warsaw. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Zgorzelec the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 50% 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: $1,150 in Warsaw versus $599 in Zgorzelec. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,995 per month in Warsaw versus $1,416 in Zgorzelec – Zgorzelec is about 29% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Warsaw runs roughly 6% less than in Zgorzelec. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your 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 Zgorzelec are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Zgorzelec wins on affordability, Warsaw on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.