Salary of a customer service representative in Krakow

Just asking that what kind of salary is paid in Krakow for foreign people? (Gross)

It totally depends on your nationality.

But finish speakers are not paid as well as others foreigners.
Let me know what you make Gross, and i will tell you whether this is good or not.

Anyways i just saw your other thread, and 5500PLN for a finish speaker is pretty good in Customer Service Area.

Are you doing accounting?

I can tell you that as a Danish speaker you get nothing less than 6500PLN gross, while Swedish and Norweigan speakers usually get around 5500PLN gross like finish speakers.

All other language speakers gets less than this.

I have an offer for 5500 gross for CSR but also one offer for Junior Accountant with English, Swedish and Finnish. We have not discussed about salaries yet. Do you have any opinion about this?

Thanks for helping

Id probably go with the offer of 5500 gross for CSR.
Im currently a Junior accountant, and to be honest its quiet boring and not challenging whatsoever.
Also i doubt that you will get a better offer as a Junior Accountant. Is the offer from Capgemini? (Junir accountant possision)

Yes it is GapGemini possession. Are you working at GapGemini?

Yes I am. And actually you would be working on my Engagement. We are currently looking for a Swedish/Finnish speaker.
So actually its a good position because you will be working on the best paying engagement Cap has here in Krakow.
So you will be able to push them for a pretty good salary i believe, they are starting to get desperate :D

Merged: Customer Service Professional job offer in Krakow, how much salary should I request?

Hello guys, I would like to congratulate you on the great forum, that you have. It has so much information and it seems very useful.

Now, about my question. I am about to receive an offer for the position as Customer service professional with Italian language in Krakow. What kind of a salary you think I should request, considering I'm not from Poland(probably I will have to pay for the rent of an apartment)?? What's the net medium for such position? What's the minimum below which, I should not go?

Thanks and congratulations again on the great forum. :)

In 2011 gross medium was 4000pln, so now it's probably 4500. Net is 2/3 of that.

hays.pl/cs/groups/hays_common/documents/digitalasset/hays_465124.pdf - page 19, column "Woj. Małopolskie"

According to this website:

Kraków has 2 x bigger purchasing power than Rome. So if you get 4500PLN gross = 3300PLN net = 800 eur, then it's similar as if you were getting 1600eur net in Rome. That's provided that you were spending all your money in that city.

Thanx, mate. You've provided me some great info.

Salary of a customer service representative in Krakow in 2015 ?????
who knows ;) ???

Merged: Customer service agent 6k gross - is that ok?

Hi,

I know, It's one of those threads again.

I am a swedish native who got an offer as a customer service agent in Krakow, with 6.000 zloty gross/month.

That salary seem to be fairly good, but when reading through different forums and using different calculator sites for gross/net income - opinions differ quite a lot. Some say it's too little and that I will live like an ameba, while others say it's a good salary for an expat. I understand there is no absolute answer to this question, but I wish to have your opinions on this, too.

I live a modest life: I rarely buy clothes, hardly ever go to clubs and I always cook my own food. I don't drink very often and I don't smoke. I wish to move to Poland since I think the culture and people suits me better than Sweden or UK (where I live now). I am between 24-30 years old and got a few years of customer service experience. I want to rent my own flat.

Main question in regards to the topic:
With this overall information about me - is 6k zloty gross a good/ok salary or am I going to live like a student (in Poland, of course)?

Also, one calculator site tells me I will have around 4275 net income, another says 4800 zloty - which one is more correct?

Thanks in advance!

/Molotov

Hi Molotov :)

6k gross is more close to 4300 PLN net (nowadays less than 1000 EUR) ...

you can survive well as a bachelor with that amount if, indeed, you'll have a pretty modest life: living in a room of a shared flat, no car, ...

Cutting on the entertainment is not mandatory, that's pretty cheap in Poland and I think you like to have a social life ;)
Mind that Krakow is kinda expensive for polish standards, and what really is overpriced are flat rentals, clothing, electronics, flights, car and its expenses.

Besides, Krakow is aesthetically wonderful but very cold and terribly polluted; also, if you don't speak already a slavic language learning polish will be a pain in the a**.

Are you having a very bad life in UK/Sweden to want to move to Krakow for less than 1000 EUR a month? Or is really just to try to see if the culture here fits more yourself?

Hi JanekP!

Thank you for your answer! :-)

You mention shared flat, which is one thing I want to get away from. Is renting my own apartment out of the picture with a 6k gross salary in Krakow?

I'm sad to hear that its badly polluted, I didn't know that. The language is one small reason to why I wish to move there, I would like to learn how to speak it and I am trying to learn it, but not so much lately because of a lot of overtime at work.

Well, I don't want to make this thread political, but one of the biggest reasons to why I wish to leave is because of multiculture and the american-influenced lifestyle that people have here. I want to have kids some day and I wouldn't want them to grow up in a multicultural (criminal) society like Sweden and England. I know, it's never greener on the other side and Poland got its own problems - but the polish people (slavic people in general) that I have met shared most of my values.

My biggest worry is the economic side of things. I wish to live a calm life, rent my own flat (not share), travel with bus/train/bicycle/walk, cook my own food and so on. Nothing fancy. Looking at flats in Krakow, most of them seem to be around 1800-2200 zloty, which then would be half my salary..

Is half your salary on accommodation reasonable in Poland? I'm thinking food and travel cards are cheaper, so maybe people can pay half their salary for their own flat?

Not totally out of the picture, but with only 2k PLN in the pocket after paying rent + bills you'll have really to count the groszy ... even eating as a student you'll need 80 PLN / week, public transportation could cost you 100-150 PLN / month ...

maybe Poland is not extremely multicultural, but is heavily influenced by UK/USA in lifestyle ... people are in part materialistic and tied to the money, Poland and Ukraine are known to be the last bastions of the american dream in Europe ... american fast foods and american coffee are everywhere, very diffused especially if compared with countries like Italy where there are few to none.

Back to the rental cost, mind that Poland is #11 in the world for home ownership rate (as most of the eastern countries) and so the rental market is narrow and overpriced.

Good point, Janek! I would say same, as per americanization and being materialistic, Poland (and other post communist countries) is much more so than any other western European country. In Poland and consorts, everybody speaks about money all the time, what matters is to LOOK and not to BE and they worship everything American. OP won't like it ;). Since I have lived in Poland, I myself have become very materialistic too and like Poles I now talk about money all the time ;)

As to take up employment abroad and to end up in poverty, it is completely stupid (unless of course no other choice)! Having to count each coin before any purchase, being forced to tighten one's belt..... quickly leads to heavy frustration and disgust especially when like in Poland and consorts people are judged as per their wallets.

@OP: you are better off in UK and in Sweden. Do you think you'll find a Polish girl friend and more generally Polish friends if you have no money???? Do you want to live like a monk or like a rat?

PS: like I alway say, it's most amazing all the ignorance read in PF but I expect there are a lot of very young people so no experience with life...

@JanekP You made me think twice now! I spoke to a polish guy yesterday that said I would have a very good salary in polish standards and that it was the norm to put half of your paycheck on your apartment. I get such different opinions on the matter wherever I turn. Some say I would live a comfortable life on this salary, others advice me not to go because of the "low salary".

In regards to the materialism, I have had much fun about that when I used to work with polish people. They refused to buy cheap, imported coke, they only wanted coca-cola!

Once again, I am very thankful for your help!

@InPolska, so you are saying I would live like a monk or a rat if I came to Poland with a 6k gross salary/month and you claim that I am very young with no experience in life? You don't know how old I am and you have no idea what I have done or been in life, so please stop your silly assumptions and attempts to reduce me.

I feel like you have an agenda. Either you dislike Poland or you dislike me and I guess it's me, since I wrote bad about multiculturalism. That says more about you and your intellect than it does about my life experience and age.

You will definitely not live like rat or have trouble making ends meet with that salary. You say you don't shop a lot of clothes, don't go clubbing, don't smoke... I'll even say that you will have to work very hard spending the rest of your net salary by just living. I'll go as far and say it's impossible.

However you will of course have extraordinary expenses from time to time. New phone, computer, cooker, micro (?) and that can set you back some. Electronics have the same price in Poland as in Sweden basically.

Some examples:
Public transport - 89 pln/month
Phone - 40-50 pln/month
Internet+TV (250 mbit/s and ~100 channels) - 140 pln/month
Car insurance - 200 pln/month
Typical main course at a restaurant (nice one) - 60-80 pln
Lunch - 15 pln
Beer at the pub - 10 pln
Beer at home - 5 pln
Vodka at home - 30 pln
Decent pair of shoes - 150-300 pln
Quality shirt - 100 pln
Jeans - 200-300 pln

You can surf in on Tesco website since you can order food online from there. It will give you a good overview of costs of groceries and what you normally buy. Chicken and pork is very cheap down here.

I spend half my net salary on rent, and barring any unexpected expense I never spend all my money during a month. And I'm a smoker and enjoy my occassional nights out, and also needs to pay CSN on quarterly basis.

You won't have a flashy life, you can't buy a house or a shiny new car. But it will be calm and good, but don't expect to save up a lot of money. Have an exit strategy to go back to UK/Sweden. But with that salary you can comfortably come down and feel for yourself if you can live on that money or not, or if you like Poland or not (you will). But you won't starve and you'll have your own apartment.

Worst case you'll have a blast and go home an experience richer.

@Molotov

ur welcome :)

I born and grew up in a village near Poznań and after many years as an expat I'm back here in Wielkopolska, and I can say that is expected to have very different opinions about the lifestyle argument, as in PL the difference between the social classes is still big (but the mid class is growing very fast) and the life for a Dresiarz (term to identify poor and uneducated compatriots of mine that can live with the minimum wage of like 2k PLN thanks to owning an house/living with the parents and sipping VIP Lager beer) is totally a world apart from the life of a mid-class IT specialist that work for a multinational firm and banks 8k PLN.

In generally we use to say that with the low wages "you need to live like a pole" ... what it means "living like a pole"?

Is a set of conditions (owned property, ok with eating lots of potatoes and cabbage, buy 2nd hand clothes from UK, help from family network, ...) that a low-class pole is used to live with, but it's hard for a newcomer expat to live that cheap.

That's why I consider 4k PLN a low wage for an expat, especially from western Europe perspective ... also I think that if you're experienced in your job you can find a better paid position in some international firm, Krakow is filled with multinational companies.

Mind also the social life part ... as a student it would had been much easier, as it was easy for me since I rejoined my polish friends of the past, but here is no Spain ... people are very close into circle of friends, and just going alone into breweries hardly it would help to make any friend. Try various activities, it could help.

@Molotov: if you have only 2,000 after rent, you'll survive and not live. Yes, a lof of Poles do but 1. they survive and 2. they have their families to help. You'll be so frustrated counting each ZL that you'll be very quickly tired of it. In order to be comfortable, a westerner needs at least some 4 or 5,000 net. You'll realize right away that most goods are western brands with same prices as in western countries. I went shopping this morning to Marks & Spencer but if I had to "live" on 2,000 a month, I guarantee I would not be able to go to better stores and whould have to buy garbage instead.

With your 2,000, what in case of emergencies? What if you get sick and need to buy medicine (easy in Poland to spend 150, 200 ZL at the phamacy)? What about dental problems? A mere filling costs minimum some 250 ZL and in case the dentist recommends a crow because you need one, altogether it'll be minimum 1,000 ZL, so half of your income. What if you need to pay for heating? I know people who pay up to 500 a month during winter. Do you think about all this? You sure do not. You know, there are many more expenses than beer, coca-cola or cigarettes and it is necessary to keep money aside for "rainy days" especially when abroad and alone (I save around 40% of my income every month)

On your income, also forget about vacations!

Yes, it's more living like a monk or a rat. If you think that Poles are not Americanized and not materialistic, you'll have the shock of your life.

Personally I don't care whether you come to Poland and barely survive but since I live in Poland and know how much it costs to live properly, I'm telling you.

If you want to live like a rat, it's your choice! ;)

@JanekP
@Nojas

I'm sorry for the late reply. I just wanted to give a big thank you for your help! It's been much appreciated! :-)

Hi guys!

After having readen all your comments, I am wondering if i accept a 4600 PLN CSR position because it sounds that it is not enough even specially if you come from a western european country.

What would be a gross monthly wage wich aloud to "live normally"?

Thanks in advance!

Hello,

I have a job offer as a customer service representative in Krakow using two European languages. I hold a bachelor's degree. I would really appreciate if someone could give me some info on the salary expectations I should have. Thank you in advance.

Hi. Am about to receive an offer to work as a English speaking Customer Service Specialist in Poland. I hold a Bachelors Degree and a Masters Degree as well.

Do any of you know how much is the monthly pay for this role and how much I should ask for, when the offer comes?

Thanks.
OG

Anywhere from 2500 to 5000 PLN gross a month, the higher value if you have real IT education or experience, the lower value if you don't have any RELEVANT experience.

Your bachelors and masters probably won't add very much, unless they are in IT, which will enable you to eventually work help desk. Otherwise, you're being hired solely for your accent, not your brain. All you would be doing is following a prepared script, either in marketing surveys ($ucks), sales leads generation ($ucks bigtime), or low level debt collections ($ucks rotting dead donkey nuts, might as well just shoot yourself and get it over with already). It's a monkey job, and, like a monkey, you will be paid in peanuts. That's why they moved the job to Poland in the first place, so they can pay as little as humanly possible.

The job will do little, if anything, to fatten your savings account, and experience in call centers will do little to enhance your resume. And, at the pay you'll be getting, you'll be living like a monk.

Might as well stay at home with mom and dad, work as a burger flipper or shelf stocker to earn some cash, and work on getting some education and qualifications that actually mean something on the real world job market or spend your time building up a personal network so that you can find a real job. What fields are your bachelors and masters in?

Hello how much should I ask for customer service job in Warszawa with italian? I am mother tongue in italian.

Hi guys
I need to know i have one job offer in Krakow as a Customer Service Executive they offered me 5k zloty gross per month, want to know how much i get in the end net after all deduction? and is it quite enough amount for servive , paying rent and bills and after that able to make a saving some money a part ?

Waiting for your comments and suggestion guys.
i have to respond a company
Thanks in advance who will help me about this regard

Around 30 percent will be cut, you should receive something like 3500 net.

I would not expect to save money, you can only be okay with that in my opinion. you should count around 1500-2000 for rent and bills/ around 1000 for kitchen and other stuff and then for hanging out/ other things, can be hard to save something.

Hi Guys,

would you be able to guide what type of Jobs are available in warsaw and krakow.Anything good for airline experience/customer service.language known only English.