Cost of Living Comparison Between Zakopane and Krakow Cost of Living Comparison Between Zakopane and Krakow

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,563 in Zakopane versus $1,738 in Krakow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,340 in Zakopane versus $2,487 in Krakow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,117 in Zakopane versus $3,236 in Krakow.

Living in Zakopane costs roughly 10% less than in Krakow, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Zakopane 17% above, Krakow 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 zł 29.22

$10.66 zł 38.85

-24.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.82 zł 105

$55.2 zł 201

-47.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.92 zł 32.51

$9.30 zł 33.91

-4.09%

Cappuccino

$3.54 zł 12.92

$4.03 zł 14.71

-12.16%

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

$1.96 zł 7.14

$2.22 zł 8.08

-11.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 zł 6.65

$2.22 zł 8.10

-18.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 zł 11.80

$4.03 zł 14.69

-19.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 zł 11.60

$4.16 zł 15.15

-23.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 zł 3.48

$1.10 zł 4.01

-12.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 zł 5.75

$1.45 zł 5.27

8.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 zł 5.03

$1.47 zł 5.37

-6.12%

Eggs

$2.46 zł 8.97

$3.75 zł 13.66

-34.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.10 zł 25.86

$9.05 zł 32.99

-21.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.36 zł 19.53

$6.37 zł 23.23

-15.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.71 zł 20.82

$11.55 zł 42.11

-50.56%

Apples (1kg)

$0.83 zł 3.04

$1.25 zł 4.54

-33.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 zł 5.77

$1.81 zł 6.61

-12.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 zł 6.08

$1.80 zł 6.54

-7.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 zł 10.79

$3.13 zł 11.41

-5.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.32 zł 1.15

$1.05 zł 3.82

-69.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 zł 3.21

$1.01 zł 3.69

-12.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 zł 2.52

$1.36 zł 4.95

-49.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 zł 2.38

$0.66 zł 2.42

-1.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 zł 17.09

$5.48 zł 19.98

-14.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.03 zł 18.34

$6.84 zł 24.92

-26.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 zł 3.91

$1.23 zł 4.49

-13.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 zł 5.76

$1.76 zł 6.43

-10.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 zł 4.03

$1.10 zł 4.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.27 zł 165

$39.51 zł 144

14.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.62 zł 5.89

$2.51 zł 9.14

-35.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 zł 2.79

$1.02 zł 3.70

-25.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 zł 20.08

$12.91 zł 47.05

-57.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 zł 6.36

$1.72 zł 6.25

1.74%

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

$34.3K zł 125.0K

$33.0K zł 120.3K

3.92%

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

$24.8K zł 90.5K

$31.4K zł 114.3K

-20.87%

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

$240 zł 874

$270 zł 984

-11.18%

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

$8.35 zł 30.45

$9.39 zł 34.22

-11.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.24 zł 55.6

$16.80 zł 61.2

-9.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.27 zł 33.81

$39.23 zł 143

-76.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.84 zł 54.1

$22.83 zł 83.2

-35.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 zł 25.08

$8.22 zł 29.95

-16.30%

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

$312 zł 1,138

$446 zł 1,626

-29.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,436 zł 8,880

$13.3K zł 48.5K

-81.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 zł 211

$77.8 zł 283

-25.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.57 zł 75.0

$44.83 zł 163

-54.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.1 zł 201

$99.5 zł 363

-44.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.4 zł 184

$111 zł 406

-54.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 zł 2,742

$908 zł 3,308

-17.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$804 zł 2,929

$768 zł 2,799

4.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,382 zł 5,038

$1,585 zł 5,778

-12.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,606 zł 5,855

$1,189 zł 4,333

35.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,953 zł 18.1K

$5,925 zł 21.6K

-16.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,743 zł 17.3K

$3,808 zł 13.9K

24.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,686 zł 6,146

$1,961 zł 7,148

-14.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

7.77

-16.34%

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

Last update for Zakopane: June 2, 2026

Last update for Krakow: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $752 in Zakopane and $908 in Krakow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 16% 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: $29.00 in Zakopane vs $55.0 in Krakow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $173 vs $222 per month, with Zakopane 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

Zakopane vs Krakow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zakopane wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Krakow. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zakopane the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Krakow earns 16% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $752 in Zakopane versus $908 in Krakow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Krakow. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Zakopane – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $55.0 in Krakow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,563 in Zakopane versus $1,738 in Krakow, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zakopane but tight or insufficient in Krakow. The gap between the two cities makes Zakopane the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Zakopane delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,563 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Zakopane hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Zakopane 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.

Expats usually find Zakopane gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.