Advise on moving to Poland-Cracow (working for an international company in Krakow)

Hello everyone,

I am working in an international company , they have opened a new branch in Cracow and they need my help there . So I am planning to move to Cracow-Poland next year to work in the new branch . However the offer is not so tempting .

I would like to know if this amount of money if enough to rent a good place for me , my wife and our 1 year old-child , an average furnitured two room apartment should be okay .

And to live an average living . The offer will cover health insurance for me and my family & 100.000 PLN gross salary per year & Pension . After tax deductions it will be ~ 6650 PLN\month .

I heard that I need to pay ~2800 PLN\month for such apartment , which leaves 3850 PLN\month .
Can I live a decent live with this amount of money ?
Note : I live in a place that the cost of food and basic-market-things is almost the same as in Cracow .
What do you think ? should i accept the offer ?

Thanks in advance for your advise

go for it, Krakow's a pretty cool place, but with that money your missus will need to get a job too.
Plus it's Krakow :)

And they have shisha.

Thanks smurf,

So with 6650 I want make it unless my wife get a job ?
Note : I am not willing to eat outside what so ever.

AT Dominika99
I am a none smoker :) . But I have one at home :) 'for friends'

Here, this time I read your post and have some real advice:


I don't know where you live now, but there are a lot of things you should consider. Would this move to Krakow be permanent, or would you just help out in the opening and leave? Are they offering you less money for Krakow than you're making in your current position? If you have a young kid, how much do you know about Poland and what it might be like to raise a kid here?


The average monthly salary in Poland is about 3,000 zloty, so you would be making twice the national average. It's enough for a good and comfortable life if you're smart with your money.

Who told you it costs 3,000 zloty for an apartment in Krakow? That seems very high to me. I pay 1,000 zloty for 50 sq metres in Warsaw, and I live in the city centre. (I'm renting from a friend of the family, but I'm just saying it's possible to find a bargain like this and 3,000 zloty for Krakow is WAY too high.)

I did a search for two-room apartments in Krakow (dwupokojowe means two-room.) Look at the prices:

mieszkania.trovit.pl/do-wynajecia-mieszkanie-dwupokojowe-krak%C3%B3w


That depends where you're living now and how much money you're making. I wouldn't make a big move like this, especially if you've got family, unless it really means a step up for you.

Thats a god d*mn good barking you've got there!

2-2400 including bills is realistic for a 60+ square meter apt. in Krakow.

I might have to call bullshiit on that statement. Market price for that size in that location is at the very least two thousand. The administration charge alone on 50m is going to be nearly half the rent you're claiming to pay.

I'm getting a good deal, but quite a few people are in this city. Just takes patience and time to hunt around. I was paying 1,600 in Wola when I first moved here...

Just saying he was told 2,800 for two rooms, and I think that's outrageous. You say 2k, but I figure he can find a decent place for 1,600 if he makes a good effort.

How many foreigners do you know who makes a good effort ;-)
But sure, It might be possible in Nowa huta.

Harry, I never lie :)

The lady i rent from has had this apartment since at least the 1970s, but I never asked about further history or details... I also didn't mention that it's old. It's an old kamienica, and one of the few buildings that survived the war. I had a very old laundry machine when I first moved in (it broke, and now I have a new one,) very worn wooden floors, leakage stains on the ceiling that need a paint job, old windows that I have to stuff with towels during the cold winters, an old bathtub that I have to crouch in to wash.

I don't mind all that stuff, I love it here and the location can't be beat. But I was told (by the owner) that most Poles who view the place run fast when they see there are no modern conveniences and appliances, hence the low price.


Did you look at the link? I'm not seeing Nowa Huta, and I'm seeing prices way under 2k.

All the foreigners I know make a good effort. I also know Arabs here and in Krakow who are very successful and work hard (no, not at kebab restaurants.) That's why I've gone to the trouble to reply at length to this guy.

It depends where your company offices are situated. If you don't mind 20/30 min rides on the tram/bus into the city centre, then you can definitely get a good sized 2 bed apartment for circa 1700pln. I used to pay 1200pln (all in) for a studio in Kazimierz but that's a good 4 yrs ago and my preference was location rather than space. Podgorze is a nice area suitable for a young family.

PS: When i first moved to Krakow i was told never to live in Nowa Huta - i can gladly pass on the same advice!

Thanks everyone for the good advice and efforts replying and helping , I was told that polish people are very kind and helpful , I feel it already .

Yes , this is a big move for me and my family , and that’s why I am not sure if should go for it or not .

Actually I don’t mind spending 30 minutes on tram\bus every morning , so if it is cheaper then I don’t mind to rent outside the city center . But do I need to pay more for warming up the place ?

I think I read the other day that only buildings in Krakow’s city center enjoy government heating system . ‘don’t know where I read that’

If that’s true then I would assume I will need to pay more Gasoline to warm the apartment , if that’s the case then do you know how much I need to pay for a two rooms apartment ‘average’ and how much Gasoline I need to pay to warm the place for 24/7 since my wife and son will be there all the time ?

Yeah right, more like 1.200-1.500 PLN per month. Don't come here Mohammad life is tough and the winters are brutal. Plus you need to speak Polish to get by. Decline the offer and stay where you are.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_in_Europe_by_monthly_average_wage

Average salary these days in Poland as a whole is now over 3500zl - I think it's somewhere about 3700zl now.

Well that still sucks, but at least it's better than before.

Not necessarily, Polish languange is not the deal breaker here. Krakow is multi and you can get by OK.
Mohammad, here's my penny's worth. Firstly, think about your career - is this an opportunity for progress within the company? If yes, does the remunation package reflect that? Think about the relocation costs. Secondly, talk to your family (alot), is your wife comfortable with the move? Will she be looking to work here?! Do more research, fly to Poland for a week and taste the lifestyle here. Just don't rush the decision unless ofcourse you have very little choice!

Depends on perspective. Let's say a couple takes home 6000zl a month net - given the low levels of personal debt in Poland and the highly likely possibility of them not having to pay rent, they've got 1500 EUR a month in disposable income. Not bad at all, all things considered.

The majority of Poles live in their homes for free?


This is really funny. I'm sure he can manage to pick items up and place them in a shopping basket.

That is assuming all his shopping will be at supermarkets. You know we still have delikatesy here.

On, no! I forgot those dangerous delikatesy.

He's likely to die of starvation here, you're right.

I found about Poland's culture from this blog,it was helpful: cometopoland.wordpress.com