Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zabrze and Krakow

For one person, living is cheaper in Zabrze: $1,493 a month against $1,815 in Krakow, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Zabrze
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,493
/mo nomad
Krakow
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,815
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zabrze and in Krakow

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,493 in Zabrze versus $1,815 in Krakow.

  • Zabrze $1,493
  • Krakow $1,815

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,098 in Zabrze versus $2,587 in Krakow.

  • Zabrze $2,098
  • Krakow $2,587

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,703 in Zabrze versus $3,359 in Krakow.

  • Zabrze $2,703
  • Krakow $3,359

Living in Zabrze costs roughly 18% less than in Krakow, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Zabrze 11% above, Krakow 34% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zabrze
Krakow
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.13 zł 39.36
$11.83 zł 45.95
-14.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.13 zł 133
$50.5 zł 196
-32.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.65 zł 33.60
$9.81 zł 38.12
-11.82%
Cappuccino
$3.76 zł 14.62
$4.22 zł 16.40
-10.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 zł 8.33
$2.59 zł 10.06
-17.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 zł 7.36
$2.35 zł 9.12
-19.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.48 zł 13.51
$4.63 zł 17.98
-24.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.64 zł 18.02
$4.72 zł 18.32
-1.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zabrze
Krakow
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.97 zł 3.77
$1.07 zł 4.14
-9.35%
White Bread (500g)
$1.19 zł 4.61
$1.50 zł 5.84
-20.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.46 zł 5.66
$1.76 zł 6.83
-17.05%
Eggs
$3.23 zł 12.56
$3.90 zł 15.13
-17.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.98 zł 30.99
$9.40 zł 36.53
-15.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.59 zł 21.71
$7.87 zł 30.57
-28.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.95 zł 46.43
$13.41 zł 52.1
-10.89%
Apples (1kg)
$1.03 zł 4.01
$1.34 zł 5.20
-23.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.40 zł 5.42
$1.69 zł 6.56
-17.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.46 zł 5.66
$1.80 zł 6.98
-18.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.61 zł 10.12
$3.07 zł 11.93
-14.98%
Potato (1kg)
$0.98 zł 3.81
$0.88 zł 3.40
11.36%
Onion (1kg)
$0.84 zł 3.27
$1.02 zł 3.98
-17.65%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 zł 4.80
$1.21 zł 4.70
2.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60 zł 2.33
$0.80 zł 3.12
-25.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.77 zł 22.40
$6.24 zł 24.24
-7.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.23 zł 24.21
$6.40 zł 24.86
-2.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 zł 4.05
$1.21 zł 4.70
-14.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71 zł 6.62
$1.67 zł 6.49
2.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Zabrze
Krakow
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.06 zł 4.11
$1.57 zł 6.10
-32.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.40 zł 118
$33.06 zł 128
-8.05%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.75 zł 6.79
$2.22 zł 8.63
-21.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.74 zł 2.86
$1.01 zł 3.91
-26.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.06 zł 39.07
$12.48 zł 48.51
-19.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.69 zł 6.56
$1.67 zł 6.49
1.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.1K zł 116.8K
$30.7K zł 119.3K
-2.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K zł 100.7K
$28.6K zł 111.2K
-9.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zabrze
Krakow
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$338 zł 1,312
$325 zł 1,261
4.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.91 zł 38.52
$8.70 zł 33.80
13.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.31 zł 67.3
$17.84 zł 69.3
-2.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zabrze
Krakow
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.82 zł 147
$45.16 zł 175
-16.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.08 zł 93.6
$24.28 zł 94.3
-0.82%
Cinema Ticket
$7.70 zł 29.91
$8.57 zł 33.29
-10.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zabrze
Krakow
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$477 zł 1,853
$463 zł 1,799
3.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.1K zł 47.0K
$9,760 zł 37.9K
24.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zabrze
Krakow
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.2 zł 273
$96.7 zł 376
-27.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.68 zł 123
$40.10 zł 156
-21.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.1 zł 350
$89.1 zł 346
1.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.5 zł 359
$122 zł 473
-24.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zabrze
Krakow
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$670 zł 2,601
$937 zł 3,642
-28.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$513 zł 1,995
$735 zł 2,854
-30.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$975 zł 3,787
$1,477 zł 5,738
-34.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$808 zł 3,139
$1,147 zł 4,456
-29.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,950 zł 11.5K
$5,395 zł 21.0K
-45.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,240 zł 8,702
$3,529 zł 13.7K
-36.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zabrze
Krakow
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,894 zł 7,360
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.19
6.62
8.61%

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

Last update for Zabrze: October 12, 2026

Last update for Krakow: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Zabrze
$513
Krakow
$735 43.1% $221
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zabrze
$365
Krakow
$351 3.8% $14
Groceries & Markets
Zabrze
$198
Krakow
$237 19.4% $39
Eating Out
Zabrze
$195
Krakow
$227 16.4% $32
Clothing & Footwear
Zabrze
$128
Krakow
$156 22.2% $28
Sport & Entertainment
Zabrze
$53
Krakow
$62 17% $9.1
Getting Around
Zabrze
$40
Krakow
$47 16.3% $6.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $670 in Zabrze and $937 in Krakow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Zabrze vs $50.0 in Krakow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $237 per month, with Zabrze cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇱 Zabrze
🇵🇱 Krakow
🕒 Local time
01:17 1:17 AM
01:17 1:17 AM
Same time as Zabrze
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
169,831
806,201
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PLN – Polish Złoty Converter

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Zabrze Krakow 87 km
From you
  • Zabrze
  • Krakow

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
Zabrze vs Krakow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Zabrze or Krakow?
Zabrze wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Krakow. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zabrze the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Zabrze and in Krakow?
You'd need roughly $2,239 in Zabrze and $2,722 in Krakow to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Zabrze compared to Krakow?
Rent for a central apartment: $670 in Zabrze versus $937 in Krakow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Zabrze or in Krakow?
Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Krakow. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Zabrze and in Krakow?
Dining out is cheaper in Zabrze – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $50.0 in Krakow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Zabrze or in Krakow?
At $1,493 in Zabrze versus $1,815 in Krakow, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zabrze but tight or insufficient in Krakow. The gap between the two cities makes Zabrze the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Zabrze or Krakow?
Both work as nomad bases, but Zabrze delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,493 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Zabrze hard to pass up.
How safe is Zabrze compared to Krakow?
Safety-wise, Zabrze and Krakow are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Zabrze gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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