Cost of Living · PL vs US
🇵🇱 Warsaw vs 🇺🇸 New York: what everyday life costs
Monthly essentials: $1,039 in Poland vs $2,410 in United States — 132.03% more expensive.
Biggest differences
Much cheaper in United States
- 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand): 31.52%
- 👟 Running shoes (brand): 31.54%
- 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle: 31.58%
Closest to Poland prices
- 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center: +160.98%
- 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center: +160.97%
- 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center: +160.97%
The full basket (32 items)
| Item | Poland | United States | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center | $671 | $1,750 | +160.98% |
| 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center | $536 | $1,400 | +160.97% |
| 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center | $1,226 | $3,200 | +160.97% |
| Food out | |||
| 🍜 Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $8.47 | $18.00 | +112.51% |
| 🍽️ Dinner for two, mid-range | $35.30 | $75.00 | +112.46% |
| 🍔 Fast-food combo meal | $5.54 | $11.00 | +98.56% |
| Groceries | |||
| 🥛 Milk, 1L | $0.64 | $1.10 | +71.88% |
| 🍞 Bread, fresh loaf 500g | $1.85 | $3.20 | +72.97% |
| 🥚 Eggs, dozen | $1.97 | $3.40 | +72.59% |
| 🍗 Chicken breast, 1kg | $5.78 | $10.00 | +73.01% |
| 🍚 White rice, 1kg | $2.31 | $4.00 | +73.16% |
| 🍎 Apples, 1kg | $2.77 | $4.80 | +73.29% |
| 🧀 Local cheese, 1kg | $6.94 | $12.00 | +72.91% |
| 💧 Water, 1.5L bottle | $1.16 | $2.00 | +72.41% |
| Drinks | |||
| 🍺 Domestic beer, pint (draught) | $2.82 | $6.00 | +112.77% |
| 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle | $6.08 | $8.00 | +31.58% |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $2.35 | $5.00 | +112.77% |
| 🥤 Coke/Pepsi, 330ml | $1.33 | $2.30 | +72.93% |
| Transport | |||
| 🚇 Public transport, monthly pass | $32.76 | $65.00 | +98.41% |
| 🎫 Public transport, one-way | $1.39 | $2.75 | +97.84% |
| 🚕 Taxi start (normal tariff) | $1.88 | $4.00 | +112.77% |
| 🛣️ Taxi, per km | $0.85 | $1.80 | +111.76% |
| ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L | $0.72 | $0.95 | +31.94% |
| Utilities & comms | |||
| 💡 Basic utilities, 85m² apartment | $101 | $200 | +98.41% |
| 🌐 Internet, 60Mbps+ unlimited | $35.28 | $70.00 | +98.41% |
| 📱 Mobile plan, 10GB+ data | $22.68 | $45.00 | +98.41% |
| Lifestyle | |||
| 🏋️ Gym membership, month | $23.53 | $50.00 | +112.49% |
| 🎬 Cinema seat | $6.59 | $14.00 | +112.44% |
| 💈 Men's haircut | $14.12 | $30.00 | +112.46% |
| 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand) | $41.82 | $55.00 | +31.52% |
| 👟 Running shoes (brand) | $68.42 | $90.00 | +31.54% |
| 💻 Coworking hot desk, month | $118 | $250 | +112.48% |
Estimated from World Bank — Consumption price levels with per-item elasticity — model figures, not quotes. Compare any pair in the interactive tool.
Related
Frequently asked questions
- How much more expensive is United States than Poland?
- A single person's monthly essentials run about $2,410 in United States versus $1,039 in Poland — 132.03% more. Rents differ the most; world-priced goods like petrol and electronics the least.
- What does a beer cost in United States?
- A domestic draught pint is roughly $6.00 in United States, versus about $2.82 in Poland.
- How much is rent in United States compared to Poland?
- A 1-bedroom city-center apartment is estimated at $1,750/month in United States versus $671/month in Poland (+160.98%). Housing is the most locally-priced item in the basket.
- How are these prices estimated?
- Curated US baseline prices scaled by each country's purchasing-power price level with per-item elasticities (housing 1.4, services 1.1, groceries 0.8, world-priced goods 0.4) — model estimates for orientation, not quotes.