Cost of Living in Krakow (Cracow), Poland

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How Much Does It Cost to Live In Krakow (Cracow)?

Kraków is a city that serves as a historical monument of sorts in Poland. It is also Poland’s second largest city.

While the tourist population is large in this gem of a city, Krakow‘s beat is dictated by the university students who roam around its busy streets, visiting libraries and local eateries.

In comparison to Warsaw, many say that Krakow is a deal to live in.

The city is easily accessible by public transport which is also very affordable in comparison to US prices.

Of course, if you’re not careful with your money, you might overspend.

RESTAURANTS

While it’s true that everything is more expensive in the rynek, which is the main market square area, the city is small, its beer is cheap as are the Polish eateries. A dinner in a restaurant can cost from 4$ to over 25$ – it all depends where – and what – you eat. Also, the cost of your meal largely depends on the restaurant/bar location.

MARKETS

The cost of your monthly need of groceries also depends on your diet, but you can count on spending around 160$ per month. However, one good thing about being in a city located in a naturally rich country, is the fresh food! You can always buy fresh fruits and vegetables directly from the farmers at many open markets in Krakow. Local shops are opened till late or simply work 24/7.

TRANSPORTATION

Public transportation system is great but not the best. Traffic, though, is very aggressive here and there are instances of roadrage. In general, Poland has a high rate of traffic victims. But when it comes to public transport within the city itself, it is great, affordable and gets you around town fast and cheap.

UTILITIES (MONTHLY)

As far as utilities go in Krakow, your best bet would be to ask about the cost of bills before you rent the place. Your bills in Krakow will definitely be higher than they would be in any other smaller city in Poland. Basic utilities like electricity, water, gas and garbage services in an apartment of 85m2 will cost you around 190$. During winter, the bills might go up because of the heating.

SPORTS & LEISURE

Krakow, over the last years has definitely worked on enabling many outdoor activities but revamping various parks, creating more cycle paths etc – since the country itself has gorgeous nature and great predispositions for outdoor sports. But, if you want to workout indoors, a membership in a gym or a fitness club will cost you around 30$. As for leisure activities, a cinema ticket costs around 6$, depending on the seat and the day of the week.

CLOTHING & SHOES

Krakow has a huge range of mid and big-sized shopping centers and malls, so you can literally choose as per your convenience. Prices are not as low as in some other Polish cities, though. Here, you can buy quality jeans for no less than 65$, and running sneakers of brands like Nike for around 70$. Lighter pieces of clothing will cost you just over 30$.

RENT PER MONTH

Unfortunately, Krakow is expensive. Especially accommodation is costly. Finding a flat for lower than 570$ is rather difficult. The cost of rent, however, still depends on where you want to live in Krakow: for example, should you choose a flat in the Old Town or Kazimierz, you’ll probably have a great apartment in a great location but you’ll be paying 70% of your income or more for that.

Cost of Living Averages Table for Krakow (Cracow)

How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Krakow (Cracow)?

Not surprisingly, since the rents are very high in Krakow (higher than in most Polish cities), an average person living in this city, spends the same percentage of their salary on rent, as they do on food

In that sense, the biggest expenses for people living in Krakow, are definitely both rent and food.

Rents have skyrocketed over the last years due to an increase in tourism and the emerging AirBnB’s.

Apart from rent and food, restaurants and transportation also share the same amount of percentages of people’s everyday expenses.

Utilities in Poland have a somewhat higher percentage than in most other countries, and this applies to Krakow too.

Average Costs Breakdown

Krakow (Cracow): Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages

Salaries are higher in Krakow than in most other places in Poland, which is definitely good news!

The problem, however, remains in the fact that though the salaries are high – most people don’t get to earn them.

The average monthly net salary in Krakow is nearly 950$ (which is definitely a salary worthy of many famous European capitals), but most people earn only around 600$ or less.

So, make no mistake while looking at these huge numbers – even though it’s a European city, you can’t attain a level that is easily achievable in the Western world, unless you nailed a high-paid job.

Krakow Safety Overview

READ THE FULL REPORT: Krakow Safety Review

Safety Index:

68

• OVERALL RISK: LOW
• TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
• PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
• NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW
• MUGGING RISK: LOW
• TERRORISM RISK: LOW
• SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM
• WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW

Cost of Living by City in Krakow (Cracow)