Overview
Poland is located in Central Europe and has a lot of advantages for digital nomads and travellers that want a mid to long term stay.
Housing (Renting)
I chose to rent an apartment close to the center for convenience.
- Renting: 2800 zl
Housing here is quite affordable compared to US. Most of the major cities have good prices. Currently, Warsaw (the Capital) is the most expensive, especially near the center. This applies to every major city in Poland. Generally, the closer and more convenient it is to the center, the pricier it is.
If you are on a budget, you can rent a room instead. Usually it is way cheaper (1500 zl or less), but you will have to deal with other people. There are a few places you can look for a place or room to rent.
I personally used the Warsaw Expats facebook page to find mine.
Food, Drinks and Utility Bills
On a monthly basis, here is how much I spend on average:
- Home Cooked Food – 700 zl
- Leisure and Food/Drinks – 250 zl
- Gym – 90 zl
- Electric Bill – 90 zl
Total: 1130 zl
I normally buy the usual stuff like chicken/beef, vegetables, rice and potatoes. Usually once a week I will be going out for drinks or dining out. Gym prices usually range between 90 to 150 zl. Most gyms here will have classes such as kickboxing, yoga or aerobics.
Travelling Expenses
My monthly travel expenses vary, but it comes out to an average of: 320 zl
The breakdown of that:
- Uber Rides: 230 zl
- Bus Rides: 90 zl
When it comes to travelling around the different places in Warsaw for digital nomads, the popular options are below.
Rent or get a City Bike
When it comes to going to nearby super markets, friends place or the center of the city, city bikes are cheap and affordable. You can find these near bus stops.
Lime Scooter
This is the popular option for the younger crowd. You need to download the Lime app to use it.
Public Bus and Metro
The public bus is also reliable. You buy the ticket via the ticket machine close to the bus stop. Alternatively, you can get a card from the center or use an app called Jakdojade which allows you to pay online. Here is a simple guide on how to use Jakdojade.
The metro is mainly around the city center, Warsaw has a very convenient metro that takes you around the city quickly.
Rental Car
Not the most popular option, but if you have a valid driving license in EU, you can definitely pick this for short road trips.
Here is a list of websites for car rental:
Uber or Taxi
Uber is much more convenient as you can call them from anywhere.
The only time I took a taxi was the first time I arrived in Poland. Taxi is also slightly more expensive and requires cash most of the time, which is not convenient most of the time if you prefer paying with card. They typically cost somewhere between 1.8-3.0 zł [0.4-0.7 EUR] per kilometer.
Train
Train is one of the most popular options for travelling within the country.
PKP is the main company running all the trains in Poland. Tickets run from 60 to 300 zl.
Plane
As Poland is in the EU, travelling to either Western or Eastern Europe is very easy. Wizz Air has very affordable prices and if you are on a budget, you should have a look at it.
Leisure Activities
Here is where I spend most of my money:
- Drinks or food with friends
- Occasional trip to other polish cities
Average monthly: 250 zl
Poland has a lot of great scenery and history. Parks and museums are some really popular tourist spots. Since I live in Warsaw, I can only recommend places here. All the areas are close to the center of Warsaw.
Scenic Areas
- Łazienki Park
- Royal Castle of Warsaw (Zamek Królewski w Warszawie)
- Warsaw Old Town
- Vistula River
- Culture and Science (Pałac Kultury i Nauki)
Malls and Shopping
Nightlife
- Voodoo Club(ul. Pustola 19) – Has a variety of dance parties each week with a different theme (Summer, K Pop, Rock etc.)
- Enklawa Klub (ul. Mazowiecka 12) – High tech nightclub with state-of-the-art lighting effects & a line-up of DJs & live acts.
- Teatro Cubano (ul. Aleksandra Fredry 6) – A bar/club with Latin music. Great dancers should definitely come here.
Monthly Total
- Rent – 2800 zl
- Utility Bill – 90 zl
- Food – 700 zl
- Leisure – 250 zl
- Gym – 100 zl
- Travelling – 320 zl
Total: 4260 zl
This is how much I spend on average a month (excluding any big travels). Most of the time I work from home, so I tend to spend less on leisure activities.
Depending on the time of the exchange, the monthly cost would be around 1100-1300 USD for a similar lifestyle which cannot be gotten with this price in the US.
You can use sites like Numbeo and Costof.live to check the most recent prices.
kenny