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Possible lifestyle in Poland? Job offer - 12K to 13K PLN.


fgonzalez
19 Feb 2015 #1
Hi Guys,

I am Latin American guy who is being offered with a Sr. Project Management position on Wroclaw on a Multinational, well-known company, but I am concerned with what kind of lifestyle I can get over there with what I am being offered, 12K to 13K PLNs.

I am not demanding a fancy life, just make sure my current lifestyle will not impacted that much. I am married, no kids, live in a little condo (2bedrroms,85 sq/mtrs) have a 2012 SUV car, take small meals outside on a once a week, like when going to a mall and taking some fast food chain combo. We like to take weekend trips to a nice sightseeing place, 1 day trip or low cost hotel, plus meals.

Other than this, I want to make sure I will be to afford to furnish a flat or to rent a furnished one.

Thanks a lot for your support.
Levi_BR 6 | 219
19 Feb 2015 #2
With this salary you will have a comfortable life, don't worry.

If it is this amount AFTER taxes, than actually you will have a VERY comfortable life.
annoyed_local
14 Mar 2015 #3
You will be making as much as four or five locals. It boggles the mind that people getting paid such high salaries compared to those they'll be living among don't even know how to Google.

That "little condo" is almost double the space an average Polish family lives in.

You're either trolling or your privilege is showing.
JollyRomek 7 | 475
14 Mar 2015 #4
You will be making as much as four or five locals.

Depending on what position those locals are holding. As the OP said, he was offered a position in Senior Management. It is not uncommon for locals to earn between 8 - 12k PLN in Senior Management positions in multinational companies.

Having said that, i agree that some of the people that are recruited from abroad are paid more than they are worth just because they speak a language.
jon357 74 | 21,775
14 Mar 2015 #5
12K to 13K PLN

It's a decent salary for Poland (over double the median salary) and you should be able to live a comfortable lifestyle and save a bit. To give an idea, a meal for two in a decent restaurant with drinks costs around 150zl and a bottle of wine in a supermarket costs about 20-30zl.
Levi_BR 6 | 219
16 Mar 2015 #6
To give an idea, a meal for two in a decent restaurant with drinks costs around 150zl

Oh, this is even expensive. Every month when i visit poland i go to a pretty nice restaurant in Stare Miasto at Warsaw and i pay around 90 Pln on a meal for two with 4 or 5 beers.
Harry
16 Mar 2015 #7
a meal for two in a decent restaurant with drinks costs around 150zl

I'd be happy to pay that much for two without drinks. Or even for one person with drinks.

Every month when i visit poland i go to a pretty nice restaurant in Stare Miasto at Warsaw and i pay around 90 Pln on a meal for two with 4 or 5 beers.

In reality a beer in the Old Town doesn't cost less than ten zloty, and that's if somebody wants to drink the big brewery rubbish. A decent craft beer will set one back more like 12zl or 13zl. As 40zl (or 50zl) doesn't get one a meal for two in a Spinx these days, so I'd hate to think what you're describing as a "pretty nice restaurant".
jon357 74 | 21,775
16 Mar 2015 #8
i pay around 90 Pln on a meal for two with 4 or 5 beers.

There are a few nice places in the Starówka (especially the less touristy places and some in the Nowe Miasto round ul. Freta - I recommend Pod Kogutem - a hidden gem) where you can eat for much less. I was thinking of somewhere a bit blingier with a good bottle of wine and orher drinks, coffee afterwards etc. Earning that salary in PL will mean he'll probably spend time with people who do go to the more expensive places.

Thinking of the OP's question, that salary won't make him rich if he's only planning to be there for a few years. Most locals would love that salary, however they have access to long term mortgages, credit for a car etc. If the OP plans to rent somewhere nice to live, travel round Europe in his free time, go away at weekends etc (and especially if he has to pay for flights back to South America) as well as save a little, he won't feel rich - just comfortably off. If that figure is before tax, even more so.

The average (mean) salary in Warsaw is 4 thousand and something after tax (about 7 thousand before). Plenty of people live well on less, however everything depends on expectations.

too late to edit, didn't see your post:

As 40zl (or 50zl) doesn't get one a meal for two in a Spinx these days

Well north of 100 with starters, drinks and a tip and much more if you have the steak or some such.
Harry
16 Mar 2015 #9
There are a few nice places in the Starówka (especially the less touristy places and some in the Nowe Miasto round ul. Freta - I recommend Pod Kogutem - a hidden gem) where you can eat for much less.

It's possible to get more food than one can eat for 20zl at places such as Vega, but those are very much places to get fuel, not nice restaurants.

The average (mean) salary in Warsaw is 4 thousand and something after tax (about 7 thousand before).

Yes, but how many households have only one person bringing in money? I'd say it is very very few.
jon357 74 | 21,775
16 Mar 2015 #10
It's possible to get more food than one can eat for 20zl at places such as Vega,

Or even that all you can eat place under the Marriott if you've got low expectations and can stand going there more than once.

Yes, but how many households have only one person bringing in money? I'd say it is very very few.

Indeed - that will dilute it quite a bit...
Levi_BR 6 | 219
16 Mar 2015 #11
I looked for my credit card receipt. The name of the restaurant is called Zapiecek.
Pretty good evaluated on trip advisor and the food is incredible. tripadvisor.com.br/Restaurant_Review-g274856-d1069242-Reviews-Zapiecek-Warsaw_Mazovia_Province_Central_Poland.html

The only thing that i was slightly wrong about the price, in a meal for 2 with few beers i paid 127.
jon357 74 | 21,775
17 Mar 2015 #12
I looked for my credit card receipt. The name of the restaurant is called Zapiecek.

I went once (to their Jerozolimskie branch) and swore I'd never go again - the service was probably the worst I'd ever seen anywhere in the world and the food nothing special. I won't describe the bad experience since it would be going off-topic and the whole story's here anyway findable through the search engine.

127zl sounds about right for a modest meal there. If the OP wants to eat out anywhere nicer he'll find (especially with a wife or husband who doesn't work and especially if the amount quoted is before tax) that he'll need to keep an eye on his budget - not least because colleagues in that salary range in Wroclaw will have fairly high expectations and, as mentioned before, lower outgoings.

(too late to edit, slow connection out here in in the desert)
With hindsight, it's easy to forget that this is a Wroclaw question rather than a Wawa one. Although Wroclaw isn't as cheap as it used to be, money does go a lot further there and a salary like that, not exceptional in the capital) is a more attractive prospect there.
sobieski 106 | 2,118
17 Mar 2015 #13
Or even for one person with drinks.

150 PLN for a one-person meal? That's insane.
I have been a few times to the Bar Mleczny here at Marymoncka, not so exalted as your dinner places Harry, but it was pretty decent "babcia-style food for a piitance.. We btw rarely spend more as 100-120 PLN for a meal for us together, including drinks.
jon357 74 | 21,775
17 Mar 2015 #14
150 PLN for a one-person meal? That's insane.

saw
It can go a lot higher than that in Warsaw: atelieramaro.pl

Though yes - I go to that bar mleczny sometimes as well, and 2 people can eat 2 courses for under 30 zl - no booze though, no evening opening and definitely no amuse bouche.

Seriously, the OP should be aware that you can travel round Poland staying in OK hotels and eating in decent Italian places etc for not much money - you can however spend a fortune too.
sobieski 106 | 2,118
17 Mar 2015 #15
Though yes - I go to that bar mleczny sometimes as well, and 2 people can eat 2 courses for under 30 zl - no booze though, no evening opening and definitely no amuse bouche.

For sure :). But the food on offer is decent and sometimes after work there is simply no time to cook...And it beats all the take-away "pizzas" :)
Drey
15 Apr 2015 #16
Merged: How far will 500usd per month spending money after food,transportation and accommodation take me?

I was wondering if 500 United States dollars is a lot or too little to have a good time in Warsaw for going out on weekends with friends and doing cool stuff around there?
majkel
16 Apr 2015 #17
Drey

It's definitelly not "a lot", could be enough though. It depends what you want to do, and what you define as cool :)

At the moment 500 USD is around 1700 PLN (I assume it's 500 net).
Dinner in mid restaurant should be around 70-100 pln per person
Dinner in low cost restaurant (or Mc donalds) should be 20-30 pln / person
Cinema ticket is ca 30 pln
Karting is around 100 pln per 30 min
Gym membership probably around 150 pln/month

Of course you can blow through all of it in one night in a club :)

If you have specific questions, fire away.
Gosc123456
16 Apr 2015 #18
Those claiming that with such salary, impossible to be on easy street in Poland obviously do not know anything about Polish (= vs. expat) Poland. Considering that officially 70% of Poles make less than 2,700 per month (for instance a 40-some year old engineer (I am talking about someone with skills and experience) makes 2,800 clear) and that barely 10% of Poles make over 6,000 per month, implying that it's "hard" to live in Poland with 10 or 12k (even gross) in Poland is pure BS. As the majority of Poles have to and often can get by with very low salaries, I think all those posts asking whether they'll be able to cope in Poland with 5-digit salaries are purely indecent.
jon357 74 | 21,775
16 Apr 2015 #19
Remember that a Pole on that salary may well have inherited the place they live in or have access to a long term mortgage, drive a car they bought on credit and will also probably have a working partner. Also, that salary you mention is more likely in the provinces than Warsaw where the salaries and living costs (and usually expectations) are lower. Living in Warsaw on 2800 is not easy for anyone unless they are rent/mortgage free, and the person asking about 12k will have an added (and very large) expense that Polish people do not - plane tickets home and the expenses incurred when back there on a visit.
Drey
16 Apr 2015 #20
Thank you majkel. I meant money to use on clubbing going out with friends and girls. Maybe 1000 with be more enjoyable amount.

Oh and I forgot to mention that I will be a university student. Do you think it will be a reasonable amount concerning taking women out etc
majkel
16 Apr 2015 #21
Drey, 500 bucks should be enough for a student. 1000 should be aplenty. Beer in a bar should be 7-10 pln so that's 200 beers a month ;)

I think that's enough for anyone ;). Fancy restaurants as per post above ;)

Take care
Harry
16 Apr 2015 #22
Beer in a bar should be 7-10 pln

More like 10 to 13 you mean.
majkel
16 Apr 2015 #23
Harry

according to this:
warszawa.pl/ramka/?l=stara/gastronomia/00100,000219.html
7-10 is possible but I don't have first hand Warsaw experience (Poznan).

Anyway, at least we agree on 10 :)
Wulkan - | 3,203
17 Apr 2015 #24
7-10 is possible but I don't have first hand Warsaw experience (Poznan).

Harry is just doing his usual show off as a high class and rich so he doesn't go for anything cheap.

Your price list is right majkel
Drey
17 Apr 2015 #25
Guess I will have a good time thanks guys
sohaib291
1 Sep 2016 #26
Merged:

Advice needed on Cost of Living in Poland; 102000 PLN gross per year for a single person in Krakow



Hi All,

I have been offered 102000 PLN gross per year salary. Seeing it would be 8500 PLN per month and after tax it would be 5780. I wanted to ask if its a reasonable salary for a single person for Krakow, Poland bearing in mind that I am relocating from another country.

How much of it I can save monthly If I spend wisely?

Regards,
DominicB - | 2,707
1 Sep 2016 #27
Reasonable for what? Without further information about yourself and the job, no one can give you an answer. It might be very good, and it might be very bad. You're going to have to provide a lot more detail to get a good answer.

Where are you from? What passports do you hold?

How old are you?

What degrees do you hold, and in what fields? Where did you earn them?

What work experience do you have, concretely?

Describe your skill set.

What languages do you speak, and how well?

Have you ever lived in the EU before? Where, and for how long?

What kind of job is it? Seniority level? Most importantly, in which city will you be working?

How much do you expect to save each month? Do you have debts or obligations back home?

What are your long time plans and career goals?

The more detail you provide, the better the answer will be.

Oh, and one last question? Why Poland, of all places? Wages there are much lower than in richer countries. and the cost of living is high compared to wages, making saving up very difficult.
sohaib291
1 Sep 2016 #28
I am working in I.T

Just wanted an estimate of average monthly 1) Food expenses 2) Utilities 3) Studio apartment (city center and suburbs)
DominicB - | 2,707
1 Sep 2016 #29
There are lots of threads about that in this forum and your questions have been asked and answered many, many times. Look for yourself.
Sparks11 - | 334
1 Sep 2016 #30
All of the info you need is already all over this forum. You need to investigate for yourself a bit and come back with more specific questions.


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