Moving to another city or country is always a challenge, especially because, apart from new environment, you have to reconsider your monthly expenses in order to plan your budget wisely. Although Kraków is one of the biggest cities in Poland, comparing to other European cities, cost of life there is quite attractive and not that high. In this article we would like to tell you how much life in Krakow costs and what expenses you will have to face after moving there.
Accommodation
Undoubtedly, the cost of accommodation depends on the type of a flat and its location, the closer to the centre – the more expensive. What is the most common choice made by an average Krakow resident? Usually, according to a research, the most popular are two-room apartments and studios. The average rental price of the particular accommodation is following:
1 bedroom apartment in the centre – PLN 2100 (€490) + utilities PLN 350 (€80)
1 bedroom apartment outside the centre – PLN 1500 (€350)
2 bedroom apartment in the centre – PLN 3100 (€723) + utilities PLN 500 (€115)
2 bedroom apartment outside the centre – PLN 2400 (€560)
Room (or a bed) in a dorm PLN 385-1000 (€90-230)
If you want to buy an apartment, the price per square meter would be around PLN 9500 (€2200) in the city centre and PLN 6000 (€1400) outside the centre.
Food
Food takes one of the most important places when calculating your expenses. Cooking by yourself instead of eating out every day would always save you some money. While buying products it’s also worth paying attention to the supermarket you do shopping at. The most popular among Kraków residents are Auchan, Tesco, Carrefour, Biedronka etc. There are also small local shops such as Żabka or Fresh Market, where the prices are quite higher. Here is an approximate price list of some basic products:
Eggs (10 pcs) – PLN 6 (€1.40)
Bread – PLN 3 (€0.70)
Milk (1l) – PLN 2.50 (€0.59)
Chicken breasts (1 kg) – PLN 16 (€3.70)
Beef round (1 kg) – PLN 30 (€7.00)
Potatoes (1 kg) – PLN 1-2 (€0.23-0.47)
Rice – PLN 2 (€0.47)
Tomatoes (1 kg) – PLN 5-8 (€1.16-1.86)
Oranges – PLN 4.70 (€1.09)
Pasta – PLN 2-3 (€0.47-0.70)
Tea – PLN 4.50 (€1.05)
Apples (1 kg) – PLN 3.50 (€0.82)
Cheese (1 kg) – PLN 25 (€5.82)
Beer (0.5 l) – PLN 3-7 (€0.70-1.63)
Coffee (1 kg) – PLN 25 (€5.82)
Transport
To move around the city you can use buses, trolleybuses and trams. Tickets for all kinds of transport are the same, only the time of their validity differs. A one-way bus or tram ticket in the city costs PLN 3.80 (€0.90), while a 24-hour ticket for all public transport is PLN 15 (€3.50). It is also possible to buy a ticket that allows you to travel and transfer for 20, 40, 60 or 90 minutes. It’s also worth buying a monthly ticket which costs PLN 89 (€20,73).
The taxi tariff in Krakow is around PLN 2 (€0.47) per kilometer with a starting price of PLN 6 (€1.4) so a 5 km trip can cost you around PLN 16 (€3.73).
Entertainment
Kraków is always hustling and bustling with life, so you’ll never be bored there. Numerous museums open their doors for both tourists and residents and a lot of workshops, festivals and concerts as well as other events are organized in Kraków every day. Prices of the museums vary from PLN 5 to 50 (€1.16-11.65). A ticket to the cinema would cost around PLN 30 (€7) and the price of a theatre ticket may reach PLN 100 (€23.29). An average price of a month pass to the gym may be PLN 120 (€27.95).
In Kraków there are plenty of restaurants that will suit all tastes so finding a good one for yourself would not be a problem. A meal at a not expensive restaurant with a drink would cost you PLN 25-35 per person (€6-8), lunch in the fast food restaurant to PLN 20 (€5) and a meal in quite a fancy restaurant may be around PLN 50-60 (€12-15).
One of the most visited cities in Poland, Kraków is highly attractive among Poles and foreigners who want to start their business or build a career. The Krakow job market is relatively open to expats. There is a considerable amount of job offers for English speakers, even for those who do not speak Polish. Most of these offers are in multinational corporate offices in Krakow or in the tourism sector. We hope that our guide was helpful and would ease you plan your expenses without any considerable loss. If you have more questions contact us and we would be glad to help you!