Cost of Living Comparison Between Warsaw and Zgorzelec Cost of Living Comparison Between Warsaw and Zgorzelec

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,129 in Warsaw versus $1,479 in Zgorzelec.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,028 in Warsaw versus $2,177 in Zgorzelec.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,927 in Warsaw versus $2,875 in Zgorzelec.

Living in Warsaw is roughly 44% more expensive than in Zgorzelec, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Warsaw 57% above, Zgorzelec 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.86 zł 44.17

$9.36 zł 34.86

26.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.1 zł 231

$52.1 zł 194

19.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 zł 39.15

$8.22 zł 30.60

27.86%

Cappuccino

$4.44 zł 16.55

$3.23 zł 12.02

37.46%

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

$2.39 zł 8.88

$0.96 zł 3.59

148.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 zł 8.76

$1.71 zł 6.37

37.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.48 zł 20.42

$1.63 zł 6.07

236.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.45 zł 20.29

$2.10 zł 7.80

159.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 zł 4.35

$1.00 zł 3.74

17.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 zł 6.11

$1.28 zł 4.76

28.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 zł 7.11

$1.45 zł 5.38

31.72%

Eggs

$4.01 zł 14.94

$3.61 zł 13.43

11.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.46 zł 38.97

$9.38 zł 34.94

11.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.47 zł 27.81

$6.19 zł 23.03

20.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.19 zł 56.6

$13.10 zł 48.79

15.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.32 zł 4.91

$0.94 zł 3.52

40.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 zł 6.47

$1.64 zł 6.09

6.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 zł 7.35

$1.76 zł 6.56

11.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 zł 13.38

$1.64 zł 6.10

118.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 zł 3.47

$0.66 zł 2.44

40.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 zł 3.55

$1.10 zł 4.11

-13.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 zł 5.77

$1.33 zł 4.95

16.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 zł 2.83

$0.73 zł 2.73

4.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.87 zł 25.57

$5.08 zł 18.91

35.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.80 zł 29.06

$8.07 zł 30.06

-3.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 zł 4.59

$0.89 zł 3.32

38.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 zł 6.99

$1.42 zł 5.28

32.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 zł 4.46

$1.28 zł 4.75

-6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.61 zł 110

$27.63 zł 103

7.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 zł 9.76

$2.47 zł 9.20

6.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 zł 5.00

$1.05 zł 3.89

27.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.19 zł 49.10

$13.23 zł 49.25

-0.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 zł 6.33

$1.63 zł 6.06

4.29%

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

$31.5K zł 117.2K

$32.0K zł 119.2K

-1.62%

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

$32.3K zł 120.2K

$28.6K zł 106.4K

12.95%

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

$354 zł 1,318

$306 zł 1,139

15.70%

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

$9.28 zł 34.54

$8.14 zł 30.30

14.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.13 zł 67.5

$20.35 zł 75.8

-10.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.4 zł 188

$39.98 zł 149

26.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.30 zł 109

$24.28 zł 90.4

20.68%

Cinema Ticket

$9.56 zł 35.61

$7.87 zł 29.31

21.47%

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

$592 zł 2,205

$513 zł 1,909

15.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K zł 55.7K

$7,804 zł 29.1K

91.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 zł 417

$84.5 zł 315

32.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.91 zł 160

$39.11 zł 146

9.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 zł 414

$91.5 zł 341

21.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 zł 468

$113 zł 422

10.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 zł 4,677

$712 zł 2,651

76.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$971 zł 3,615

$460 zł 1,714

110.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,217 zł 8,255

$1,171 zł 4,361

89.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,592 zł 5,929

$893 zł 3,326

78.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,424 zł 23.9K

$3,437 zł 12.8K

86.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,957 zł 14.7K

$2,017 zł 7,512

96.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,273 zł 8,463

$1,405 zł 5,233

61.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.88

6.65

3.46%

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

Last update for Warsaw: August 3, 2026

Last update for Zgorzelec: August 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,256 in Warsaw and $712 in Zgorzelec. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Warsaw pays 62% 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: $62.0 in Warsaw vs $52.0 in Zgorzelec for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $213 per month, with Zgorzelec 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 Zgorzelec: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zgorzelec wins on cost – living expenses run 44% 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 62% 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: $1,256 in Warsaw versus $712 in Zgorzelec. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,129 per month in Warsaw versus $1,479 in Zgorzelec – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Zgorzelec runs roughly 7% less than in Warsaw. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,479 in Zgorzelec versus $2,129 in Warsaw, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zgorzelec but tight or insufficient in Warsaw. The gap between the two cities makes Zgorzelec the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Zgorzelec delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,479 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Zgorzelec hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Warsaw and Zgorzelec 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 Zgorzelec gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Warsaw. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.