Poland

Living in Poland: the short version

Poland is one of the EU’s fastest-growing economies, with a large tech sector in Warsaw, Kraków and Wrocław and living costs well below Western Europe. Many foreign IT workers contract through a Polish sole proprietorship, which can be tax-efficient.

Best for: IT professionals, engineers and people wanting an affordable EU base.

How to move to Poland: main visa and residency routes

Summaries only — requirements and income thresholds change. Always check the official sources below.

Temporary residence and work permit

Combined permit for people employed by a Polish company.

EU Blue Card

For highly qualified workers with a qualifying salary.

Residence for business activity

For people running a business registered in Poland.

Healthcare for newcomers

Employees are enrolled in the public NFZ system through payroll; many employers also offer private medical packages.

How Poland compares

Calculated from our data for all 55 countries. How we calculate this

Cost of living rank

21st cheapest of 55

Single person, core costs

$915/mo

Family of four, core costs

$1,745/mo

Take-home on $60,000

$42,107/yr

• Renting a one-bedroom home takes about 27% of the average local salary in Poland, less than the median of 36% across the countries we cover.
• Core monthly costs for one person (rent, groceries, transport, utilities, internet and eating out) come to about $915, or 50% of the average local monthly salary.
• On a gross salary of $60,000 taxed locally, our estimate leaves $42,107 a year after income tax and employee social security (an effective rate of 30%), the 38th highest take-home pay of 55 countries. After single-person core costs, that leaves roughly $31,127 a year to save or spend.
• Countries with a similar overall cost of living: Hungary, Costa Rica, Chile.
• Cheaper options in Europe: Bulgaria, Georgia.

Estimates for planning, using simplified national tax brackets in US dollars; local taxes, deductions and your own spending will differ. Try your own numbers in the tax calculator or budget planner.

Our guides to Poland

• Czech Republic vs Poland: Which Is Better for Expats? · Cost of Living

Sources and methodology

Figures on this page are estimates in US dollars, compiled from the international datasets below and converted at recent exchange rates. The cost of living index uses New York City as 100. Guidance was last reviewed on September 30, 2026. Found something out of date? Tell us.