The Best Places to Live in Poland & the Cheapest Cities

Poland offers great value for anyone looking for a new base in Europe. While it may not be the continent’s most glamorous destination, it has some charming old cities and a rapidly developing capital. In this post, we’ll look at the best places to live in Poland and highlight the cheapest cities for digital nomads, remote workers or anyone looking for both a good standard of living and cheap living costs.

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5 of the Best Cities to Live in Poland & Work Remotely

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1. Krakow

Krakow has long been Poland’s most popular city with visitors. Dating back to the 7th Century, what is now the country’s second city, boasts one of the most beautiful old towns in Europe. Its long and complex history makes it one of the most intriguing to get to know. Meanwhile having a reputation as something of a tourist destination, makes it a bit easier for foreigners to settle and get to know people than it might be in a smaller town where English is less widely spoken.

Slightly cheaper than the capital Warsaw or Gdansk, Krakow is an affordable city to live in. You can find rooms in shared apartments for under 250 Euros/month while you can find your own studio or one bedroom flat for something in the region of 400-550.

While winters are cold, Krakow’s southerly location ensures it has slightly warmer summers than most Polish cities. It also has the advantage of being close to the popular town of Zakopane and the beautiful Tatra Mountains, making the city a good base for nature lovers.

Estimated Living Costs (explanation below) in Krakow – 600-1000 Euros/month

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2. Szczecin

If saving money is your priority, there are lots of cheap options for city living in Poland. In truth, most are fairly uninspiring, often industrial places with not much entertainment. Szczecin is perhaps the best of the real cheap options.

Located in the far northwest of the country, just 15 km from the German border, Szczecin is a green, riverside city with a laid back atmosphere. The level of English spoken is good and while it may lack the nightlife and fun factor of other Polish cities, those looking for a more tranquil pace of life ought to enjoy it. There are plenty of pleasant cafes to work and it also ranks very well in terms of internet speeds.

The main attraction though will be the low cost of living. You can find your own flat for as little as 300 Euros per month, outstanding value for a city in the very heart of Europe. It’s also worth noting that you can reach Berlin in less than two hours by road or rail, meaning if you get a little bit bored in Szczecin, a day or weekend trip to the German capital is an easy option.

Estimated Living Costs in Szczecin – 500-800 Euros/month

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3. Warsaw

As for Poland’s capital, Warsaw is by far the largest city in Poland and is one of the ten biggest in the EU as a whole, making it the obvious choice for anyone looking for big city living in Poland.

It has changed dramatically since the fall of communism, having already had to virtually rebuild itself following near total destruction during World War II. Warsaw today is a bustling capital with the skyscrapers of its business district towering over historic neighbourhoods. Today it feels as though Warsaw is finally moving on from its dark past and is going through something of a renaissance as a major cultural and economic hub which is drawing in people from far and wide.

While Warsaw is Poland’s most expensive city, it’s still good value compared to most other European capitals and other cities of its size. The higher cost of living, certainly isn’t putting Poles off from moving though and Warsaw’s population is growing faster than any of the other 15 largest cities in the country.

Estimated Living Costs in Warsaw – 700-1100 Euros/month

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4. Wroclaw

If you are looking for a city that is of a smaller size than Warsaw but still good fun then Wroclaw is a nice option. It has a population that is roughly a third of that of the capital, but in terms of life and character, it more than makes up for that.

It is a university city with a large student population which helps to ensure there are plenty of nightlife and entertainment options throughout the week. You certainly don’t get that sleepy feel you might in one of the smaller towns.

Wroclaw is also one of Poland’s prettiest cities. Built on twelve islands, Wroclaw is a city of rivers, canals and bridges. While comparisons to Venice may be a bit of a stretch, you won’t tire of wandering around its pretty old centre.

In terms of trips away, it’s the closest major Polish city to Prague, while you’re also relatively close to the German border with Dresden around three hours away by road.

Estimated Living Costs in Wroclaw– 600-950 Euros/month

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5. Gdansk

Finally we head to Poland’s only coastline and the port city of Gdansk. Historically, its location on the Baltic Coast has ensured it has had an important role to play throughout the centuries in which it has regularly changed hands between periods of Polish, German and Prussian rule.

Its multi-ethnic make-up and history perhaps in part explains why it has developed into one of Poland’s few cities that truly feels international. That diverse mix has helped it grow into one of the country’s leading digital nomad hubs with a number of quirky districts and plenty of great cafes with easy wifi access, helping to attract remote workers from further afield.

Gdansk does rank as one of the more expensive Polish cities and is the most expensive outside of Warsaw according to our research with relatively high accommodation prices. However given the overall cheapness of Poland, that will be a worthwhile trade-off for some nomads looking for a safe, modern city to base themselves.

Estimated Living Costs in Gdansk – 650-1000 Euros/month

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Estimated Living Costs Calculation Explained:

The estimated living costs in Poland featured in this post (above and below) aim to cover the total living costs. That includes renting accommodation. The lower figure in the ranges given should cover the cost of renting a room in a shared apartment and being relatively careful with what you spend in general. The higher figure offers some leeway which should cover the cost of renting your own apartment or studio and perhaps a slightly higher standard of living with more nights out and suchlike. However clearly everybody’s idea of a ‘normal lifestyle’ is different so use the figures as a means of comparison rather than as a definitive guide.

The rental prices factored in are those of renting a regular room or flat like a local would. If you’re a digital nomad and are planning a shorter stay of just a few months or less and will be renting off Airbnb, then you might want to add around 10-20% to the suggested budgets to cover the higher cost of shorter term accommodation. Also consider that in some of the smaller, less touristic cities, it will be more difficult to find a good Airbnb at a good price.

We have used Polish living cost data from Numbeo as a guide when forming the estimations.

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What are the Cheapest Cities to Live in Poland?

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The following table shows the estimated cost of living in 15 of the largest cities in Poland:

City	Estimated Cost of Living (Monthly in Euros)
Warsaw	700-1100
Gdansk	650-1000
Krakow	600-1000
Wroclaw	600-950
Poznan	600-950
Gdynia	600-950
Bydgoszcz	550-850
Torun	550-850
Lodz	550-850
Szczecin	500-800
Lublin	500-800
Katowice	500-800
Bialystok	500-750
Rzeszow	500-750
Radom	500-700

The table above shows there is quite a range in terms of the cost of living across Poland. Warsaw is clearly the most expensive place in the country but it’s not vastly pricier than other major cities such as Gdansk, Krakow, Wroclaw or Poznan. All of those still work much more affordable than even the cheapest places to live in Belgium for example.

If you’re just starting out on the remote working journey, aren’t making a huge income or just want to save as much money as you can, then smaller cities such as Radom or Rzeszow are decent options. However you should be aware that these kinds of places won’t have much of an international scene and may be slightly difficult to get used to unless you speak good Polish.

It’s worth noting that none of these budgets for living in Poland factor in the cost of any travel or health insurance packages which will depend on your age and circumstances.

Also note that the currency in Poland is the Zloty and not the Euro. At the time of writing (December 2020), one Euro is worth 4.45 Zloty.

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Read more – Malta Digital Nomad Guide