$3,000-$4,000 a month - would we have enough money to live in Poland?

For example:

dom.gratka.pl/mieszkania-do-wynajecia/lista/pomorskie,gdynia.html
autogielda.pl/nieruchomosci_do_wynajecia_mieszkania.html?sposob=rosnaco&wedlug=miejscowosc&strona=8
gazetadom.pl/dom/0,0.html

All in Polish... make your son help you ;)

jwojcie

These are great sites ! Thank you !

OK, It looks like we are going to go! Starting looking for flats in Gdynia and Storage units here in Colorado. Now, I am starting to get nervous after all the negative things she has been telling me. Now that I know we can financially make it there I need to know the truths about living in the Tri-Cities. Good and bad. Are American's really targeted after dark there? Is heating water really that expensive? and... Really... electricity is so expensive that I should turn my computer off in between uses ? ETC..... She said she is trying to give me the worst case... so I do not expect to much ! She has been back to Poland 4 times in the last 12 years BUT she has not "lived" there in 12 years. I suspect things have changed A LOT since she has lived there... Your thoughts?

maybe your new neighbours can give you an idea of gas, electric costs etc. just ask them and budget accordingly.

Enjoy Poland! You will be fine, trust me. After the initial adjustment you most likely will like it there. I'm not from the North, but from I can say Americans are well liked in Poland.

Your wife is preparing you for the worst possible scenario, which is a good place to start because it can only get better. As far as your family is concerned, your son will benefit the most, a real opportunity to hone his Polish language skills and the possibility to spend time with the grandparents and Polish family in order to establish his identity. The only advice I can give you, is do not come to Poland as a American capitalist ( you will fail ), arrive here as an American married to a Polish lady, who wishes to learn and absorb all things Polish, this way life will be exciting and you will be presented with less obstacles. You could start by buying some of the Norman Davies ( historical)books on Poland. Having lived in Poland for many years, if I had to choose another place to live in PL outside of Warsaw, it would be in the Tri-city. Enjoy- happiness and success to your family with your relocation.

Your wife has a beautiful heart. Be proud of her and go ... your income is good enough. When your son sees what her mother is like ... you will be actually giving him a great gift!

You are a lucky man. Celebrate and move to Poland :)

Thank you ! I will relish in my new family (had them for awhile but not able to "Talk" to them.) Now, maybe after I learn their language , I will (Maybe) become part of her family. My son will benefit the most! (I think) and my wife will be able to rest her heart ... that she "did" the right thing! Thank you all ! and please do not stop posting! I WANT TO LEARN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AS I CAN ABOUT POLAND! thanks

I am sure you are already! :)


I think you will ... spend some time among us and eventually you will start speaking like a pro :D


Be sure


This is not the exact place though ... but yes this thread seems to have treated you well somehow. Some people would like to throw stones at anything they see (because ofcourse, some people are just too big a looser).

Anyways ... be good when you are here. Be friendly ... people like to see a foreign man among us being happy. There are people (very few) who don't like anything. They might not like you and try to make you feel that it is because you are not one of them! Actually no good man can be one of them because they are racist, facist and contain everything bad in them.

I am sure u'r gonna be a good influence to your children too, by being someone who is a positive figure in a normal and acceptable way :)

I sure hope what you all said is true!! I am looking forward with guided eyes. We are now trying to find a flat and we are looking into a storage unit for the things we are not taking or selling off.

Looking to have a BIG garage sale in the coming months to get rid of a lot of junk we have collected. Still can not figure out a good solution for the car that we owe too much on. Told her what you all said.."should sell the car for as much as possible and take a loan out for the rest" (cheaper) but she says "NO!"

I know this is a bad time (too late) to mention... but I am allergic to sea food ! and I know they eat a lot of it... and it is cheaper than BEEF or any other meat. Will I be able to get around this? (I know I will have to) but will I be able to find meat somewhere cheaper? hahaha where to shop for the best price in Gdynia? In America, I know where to get best deals!!! how to figure that out there? Maybe just time?

Again (for the 100th time) Thank you all for the input!

Shawn & Sylwia (And Lukas)

I hope you not allergic to pork. Or potatoes. If not you will be fine :)

Meat is not expensive in PL, you will have a network of friends and family in Gydnia waiting inline to give you advice were to shop.

Your wife can look here for a indication of prices: carrefour.pl/page/pl/tanie-promocje/strona-glowna/

Yes.It's an old Polish custom to hunt Americans after dark.It's not easy since they are not very common in Poland and it may take a while before you trace one.The best areas for Americans hunting are traditionally Warsaw and Cracow but you may also get lucky in other bigger towns.I recently managed to trace one in Wroclaw and soon hope to add another trophy to my collection.The open season begins May 1st and ends September 31st when they are most numerous in PL.

Lots of Polish "American Hunters" don't follow the seasons. I was chased today by a pack of illegal hunters far outside of the season. Even after yelling at them that I was only half, they still continued. Barbarians, rules are rules...it's a shame that they don't follow them.


Learn to love pork. Beef here sucks.

Outrages,though I am not sure if half Americans are legally protected during closed season.(Need to check in my "Americans hunting guide").Anyway I am glad you made it.I remember in 1988 bastards like that almost caused complete extinction of Americans population in PL.Luckily for true hunters the iron curtain fell soon after.

ROFLMAO !!! you guys are GREAT !!!!

American standards?...At least in Poland he will not have to deal with jigaboos all the time.

none of this is cheaper in Europe (at least not in Germany or Poland).

1.cloths - depends on what you buy
2.tools - you can get cheap tools here too
3.holidays - only cheaper in Europe because everything is so close to each other but even in
Poland it is not cheaper than in the US. We were spending at least 3000 PLN a month just for
not counting the rent and other bills.
4. fuel - don't even go there, it's about 50% cheaper here than in any European country I know.
5. electronic equipment - I'd say it's cheaper here too
6. services - what kind of services are you talking about?

Either you don't live in the states or you've never been to Europe, sorry man.

always worth checking prices in germany. for some Poles it's just a step over the (non-existent) border

s2good2 is exactly the kind of immigrants Poland needs.He will be more than fine since they can bring stuff (clothes,electronics etc) from States so all he needs to worry bout are monthly bills which I am sure won't be more than he pays in the US.s2good2 you should consider shipping a vehicle from the States but not KIA or junk like that but an expensive one.You can ship it (if you owned it for 6months in the US) WITHOUT ANY DUTIES OR TAXES.Same for your other personal stuff,just make sure your wife get a paper from Polish embassy called "mienie przesiedleńcze".


On a serious note,NO they are not targeted though I would NOT fly stars and stripes all over the place.Don't show off and you will be fine.

Don't listen to grubas, bring your horse,stetson and don't forget your american drool...

Wow ! just packed the first box the ship to Poland and 3 for storage. Sold the 2nd living room Sofa and Love Seat as well as the Cocktail table and the two end tables. Very empty and very mind sobering of what we are doing! It is now real and against MY mother wishes we are now "set in stone" we are going ! (a little scared <-- me)

don't worry, Poland is OK if you have at least 5000 PLN a month to live of

Nothing to be scared of,you can always go back to the States if you won't like Poland.The only thing I would worry about is that you don't speak Polish and this may make you feel alienated.

lol, it never ceases to amaze me when I hear the folks from the US post a dollar figure and tease somebody living in Poland asking the question will this be enough, just a few points,

yes that amount is well and truly enough, (average wages in Poland approx 3500zl) Americans think their S..t don't stink and think because there American they should have the best..the truth is that the average Pole has a better quality of life than that of the average American..

If America didn't have any credit they would be a third world country.
Americans have stuffed up there own country and now they want to stuff up Poland.

yeah, according to the statistics, lol We all know that the reality doesn't match it at all.

How? Rent for 3 bedroom flat is 2500 to 3000zl Those prices were posted here earlier by people that live IN Poland !


This is the poor attitude I worry about!!!! I am merely trying to plan for the future! I do not live there and I do not know what the economy is like ! how dare you tell me that "I do not think my Sh!t does not stink!? I had questions and asked! I thought that was what this forum was for!

Until you, EVERYONE has been very helpful and VERY Nice.... What happened to you to make you so ANGRY and so against America? What ever it is ...Please do NOT take it out on me. I did nothing to require such an attack.


By the way, Not stuffing up Poland! I am leaving the only life I know for my Wife and son so they can be with her Sick Father!

Your original question was a put down, you don't have to be boy genius to work out that a lifestyle on 12000zl approx 4000US$ per month would have to be pretty good if the average Pole earns 3500zl... (I must say that I know very very people who earn that sort of money)

I just read that forum members earn in the higher bracket lol)
I have not attacked you, I have just made a valid point.
Don't tell me that if you say something crititical of the US you are anti american, this is communist mentality.. if your not with me you are against me.

why do you even care? :-) This forum is full of jerks, you'll get used to it after a while.

DO NOT LIVE IN POLAND SO THEREFORE I DO NOT KNOW !! no boy genius! HAVE NO CLUE hence the question!


Yes you did attack me! if you live in Poland you have no idea of what "the quality of living is in America"


No, not necessarily, But in the context you put forward you were VERY ANTI AMERICAN!!


How would you know "the quality of life here in the states ?"& what is "stuffed up "..Really? If you live here you are against your own words. If you do not .. Well then you have no clue!

You !! only! everyone else, please help with the original context of this forum, But you, please leave me alone! you are an angry, American hating person that is hell bound on proving your point... NOT interested

My God I am just trying to provide for my family and make sure we will not be a bruden on our family or the Polish Gov.. and He/she has to lash out like that !! THIS IS WHAT I WAS TOLD ABOUT! Angry Polish people!

I am not cowering to him/her but I will say that I am not going to lower myself to that place! I will no longer answer what he/she has to say !


Thank you ! I am now seeing that ... Well not everybody here is "Happy" with Americans. Oh well what to do ? Problem for them is... I am still coming to Poland and it is ONLY for my wife and son.. well and for grandpa ! ...who knows might like it and stay ! lol

you gotta love Poland to stay there for good. It's a nice country (still a little underdeveloped though), the Poles are OK however pretty odd sometimes. If you can live there totally independent from their economy and people, you're gonna have a good life. You have to be aware that even though most of them don't make much money, almost everything is more or equally expensive as in the states.