3.1/5
940 reviews
Photo by Lāsma Artmane via Unsplash

Cost of Living in Warsaw

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good

nice

big

safe

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architecture

cheap

culture

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nightlife

cities

clean

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work

Warsaw is a popular destination for digital nomads thanks to its safety, affordability, and modern infrastructure. It's very clean, with excellent public transport, many parks, coworking spaces, and a solid network of cafes ideal for remote work. Social opportunities are decent, with expat meetups making it easier to build a community over time. The restaurant and nightlife scenes are also well-regarded, and most essential services are reliable and affordable compared to Western European cities.

However, the city has drawbacks worth considering. Winters are long, cold, and gray, with limited sunlight stretching into early spring. Many report that locals can appear distant or cold, though some argue this impression fades with familiarity. Despite its size and modern amenities, Warsaw has a relatively small nomad scene, and coworking spaces are often expensive and impersonal. Social inclusion can also be a concern, with recurring mentions of limited LGBTQ+ friendliness and some experiences of racism.

Ultimately, Warsaw offers a high quality of life at a low cost but may not be the best fit for everyone. It's ideal for those looking for a safe and functional base in Europe, but those seeking warm weather, a vibrant nomad community, or a laid-back vibe might prefer cities like Kraków or Gdańsk.

AI-generated summary of reviews

Very safe, very nice. Locals are a bit colder, however, but not in a rude way—just an introspective way. Good options for Airbnbs too, but not as good as Krakow or Budapest.

3 months ago

Lived here, as a guy, most of my youth, so I can't speak about expat experience very much, but I want to address some issues:

1. It's very safe, no pick pocketers, no scammers, no addicts, streets are safe at night, and women are not afraid in general to walk at night, very unlikely to attract even catfishing. Not sure why it rates lower than cities with culture of thinking a single woman is a willing woman.

2. The country itself is not friendly to LGBTQ+ citizens: no gay marriage, pushbacks towards gender correction, and long aggression history from family members. Having said that, it's not bad for visitors: two guys or gals holding hands or kissing may attract attention and possibly some insults if you are unlucky, but that's about it. You will not be denied service anywhere on these grounds.

3. Racism is relatively rare, at least for Poland, with an exception to middle eastern people, which may meet with some enmity. If you keep to tourist/more upscale areas and white collar communities, you'll be fine.

4. Lots to do, most young people speak at least basic English (though few among people remembering communist times). People may sometimes seem abrasive due to a culture of directness and honesty over manners, but they are generally willing to help and are much more open than in western or northern Europe.

5. Cost of living is considerably lower than in other European cities. Accommodation is expensive, like everywhere, but expect to pay 50-66% of what you'd pay in Western Europe. Tourism is not an important industry (relatively), so there are no backpacking hostels with mingling culture that I know of. Overall, however, it is not Asia, so you'd better have a western-level job.

6. Winter can be cold, and autumn is typically overcast and rainy.

7. A mix of nice Old Town, modern downtown and nice modern compounds with old, ugly soviet architecture. Sadly, everything seems to lack a guiding thought and is often laughably incoherent.

8. Lots of parks, big and small! A lot of streets are lined with trees, so, time of year permitting, you are never far away from some green. The city is clean, and areas built after the fall of communism are well-kept, but in the poor districts you may see (ugly) graffiti or an occasional drunkard (especially at night).

9. Free libraries. Although you might not be able to get a member card and borrow books, the larger ones will generally let you work in silence for free, although electric sockets or wifi may be missing. 5G is however cheap and generally reliable enough to stream even movies.

Overall, I'd probably recommend Wrocław/Gdańsk more due to proximity to the mountains/sea and better preserved architecture, but Warsaw is definitely more cosmopolitan and busy.

11 months ago

One of the safest capitals in Europe. A lot of culture, museums, people interested in architecture will be in paradise (mixed styles, from old to modern), cosmopolitan. It is a very big business city, so it is hectic, you can find different people like in every big city, mostly people are friendly and ready to help. The weather is quite good, sometimes it gets cold in the winter but then you can go ice skating :) Many activities, nightlife, nature around the city. One of my favorite capitals in the world.

11 months ago

Warsaw, as a destination for digital nomads, presents a mixed bag of experiences. It's often praised for its affordability, good quality of life, and excellent infrastructure, including fast internet and walkable neighborhoods【8†source】【7†source】. However, it's also characterized by a bustling atmosphere, high traffic, and an ongoing political agenda that some find off-putting.

While many digital nomads and locals have found a home in Warsaw, it's worth noting that this city may not be everyone's first choice. Many reside here out of necessity, due to work or university commitments. This is not to say that Warsaw lacks charm or potential; it's just that it takes time to grow on you. The city's culture, like its architecture, is often described as "brutalist", and it can take up to three years of living there to fully integrate and form a strong social network.

Nevertheless, there are aspects of Warsaw that are beloved by its residents. Enthusiasts of brutalist architecture will find much to admire in the cityscape, and the Vistula river offers delightful kayaking opportunities. The city is also home to a vibrant restaurant scene, although these establishments can be crowded and often require waiting for a table. Prices can be steep, and while the quality of the food is generally high, some establishments may not live up to their hype.

In comparison, cities like Kraków, Gdańsk, and Gdynia, along with smaller towns in Southern Poland, are often considered more appealing to digital nomads. These locations offer a slower pace of life, less crowding, and a more relaxed atmosphere, making them preferable for those who value tranquility and close-knit communities over the hustle and bustle of the capital.

In conclusion, while Warsaw has its merits, it is not a city that appeals to everyone. Its crowdedness, high traffic, and political climate can be off-putting to some. However, for those who are willing to look past these aspects and give it time, Warsaw can offer a unique and rewarding experience. As always, your mileage may vary, and it's recommended to visit before making a commitment.

2 years ago

Warsaw is the best city in Europe in my opinion, I can't see a city with a better quality/price. Safe, clean, affordable, a lot of good restaurants, good nightlife, good airport etc... The only issue is the winter that can be really long and cold, don't expect to see sun before May (until October maximum). Polish people can be a bit cold and seem not so friendly, but with time, you will get closer to them.

2 years ago

I just wanted to mention one thing, It is funny how it is listed that it is not safe for women and is not LGBTQ friendly meanwhile I have lots of friends recently who moved to Warsaw because they consider Warsaw to the safest city in the EU! I also have some Latin America LGBTQ friends coming to Warsaw because it is just safer here. If safety is your main concern, go to Warsaw, it's the best selling point of Warsaw. As a woman it is safe to come back to your place by yourself at 3 am.

2 years ago

How the f is this city in the #1 spot for europe? Is the Warsaw city council paying for the spot?
I spent a month here mostly to help during the ukraine refugee crisis. This was the most meh city I've visited in my life. People are incredibly cold. They have this attitude (I was about to write slavic, but actually I've been to other slavic countries and they've been really friendly, so I don't want to bunch them together) kind of a cold indifference, but you can never tell if they're purposefully being an jerk either. Kind of like a big city attitude without having any of the actual benefits of a real big city to back it up. Like every adult is stuck in angsty teenager mode. There definitely is no customer service, but again, it's not that they are being difficult, they really just don't care. Example:
Went to 3 diff coworking spaces and none of them got back to me about doing a tour. So I spent a whole day physically going to the 3, then picking the least standoffish one (HUBHUB). The receptionist gave me a contract starting on Friday, I paid for a 24/7 access accnt, but I couldn't get my keys till Monday, so wasting the 1st weekend, and I kept bringing up payment and kept being told in the future. They never ended up charging me.

The caveat is that this city DID take in a million refugees without blinking an eye and everyone has shown much charity to all the newcomers. So deep down, they are actually incredibly good people. And there is a lot of classical music w/ free chopin concerts. That was the one redeeming factor for me. Also it was cheap. But I don't mind paying slightly more to not live in an unfriendly snoozefest.

3 years ago

I lived in Central Warsaw on and off for about 1 year pre and post-pandemic. Central Warsaw is the "New York of Eastern Europe".

Pros:
- Very convenient, safe and clean.
- Lots of modern, futuristic buildings. Easy to find nice apartments.
- Very bike-able.
- Not too expensive.
- Lots of coworking spaces.
- Some startup culture and quite a few meetups (pre-pandemic).
- Polish women are beautiful.
- Interesting history.

Cons:
- Not much of a nomad scene.
- Coworking spaces have a rather corporate hustle vibe (WeWork, etc).
- People aren’t very open to foreigners.
- Weather is quite bad most of the year. City is quite polluted.
- Racism and homophobia is frequent,
- Populist government.
- Construction everywhere.

I prefer the laid back vibes of Krakow more.

4 years ago

I already living more than 1 year in Warsaw and i still think it's one of the best cities to live as a nomad as well.
there is plenty of meetups to meet other expats, the people are nice, its cheap, its very big and not crowded, and very clean,
pros:
cheap
easy to make international friends , as there is many meetups
great public transport
plenty of cafes to work from
warm and honest locals
the cons :
Not many nomads,
big city so some places far from each other .
expensive cowork places (around 200-250eur a month for hot desk)

5 years ago

I lived in Warsaw for 5 months and loved it! While it isn't as cool as warm countries like Portugal, Italy and Spain, it is very inexpensive and provides a high-quality life. The best thing is that the city is very active, with lots of things to do. I would have colder months though

5 years ago

I'm there 5 month already, I love this city ! great and honest people great atmosphere and very cheap !
there is many green areas and huge parks, good nightlife, and if you dance Latin (bachata, sals etc..) it have a huge scene.
and if you single guy this city have the most attractive, easy going and beautiful ladies you even meet.

6 years ago

Really enjoyed my time in Warsaw. Besides being cheap, it was beautiful, super liveable, and had a ton of great restaurants and coffee shops everywhere. Very active city with very friendly people. Almost everyone spoke English too which was nice.

6 years ago

Loved Warsaw. The city has great vibes, nice people, a good nomad, and business community, delicious restaurants, fun nightlife, and extremely inexpensive in my eyes (coming from Miami, USA). Got a nice apartment near the city center with less than $600 USD/month and meals out/groceries are half if not a quarter of the price at home. Throughly enjoyed my month in Warsaw and will be back.

6 years ago

Honestly, I enjoyed seeing more of WARSAW than KRAKOW. the 2nd biggest city in POLAND is not as spectacular or wider as the capital. Loved a lot the architecture + the prices in the old and new town (Stare MIASTO and Nove MIASTO). Good food in the center and you have a lot of things to see around there. Although it was pretty much reconstructed after the 2nd World War, the city still has a good shape with skyscrapers and old comunist architecture! :)

6 years ago

I'm a nomad, but this is my city. I was born and raised here. I think it takes at least a few months to understand and feel this city. Because Warsaw has many many levels.

6 years ago

Warsaw is incredible. Berlin-style nightlife is way more accessible, cheap, and friendly than "Western" Europe. Plenty of cafes, co-working spaces, and very very nice public libraries (registration is free! I highly recommend working there!) and overall an atmosphere of getting shit done. People are down-to-Earth, and if you speak English natively you will have plenty of work opportunities.

6 years ago

One of the best cities I've been to. Much better then Berlin, Budapest, etc. so experiences can be quite different. I loved it.

7 years ago

Cleanest city in Europe. Nightlife is big in my opinion, especially Mazowiecka. Also beautiful river with a lot of things to do during the summer.

7 years ago

Warsaw must the most boring capital of Europe. Nothing to see, nothing to do. Polish people very unhelpful and disinterested in talking. City however is remarkable clean and food is very cheap.

7 years ago

nothing to see . better if you want to stay in cemetary

7 years ago

✅ Very safe

✅ Very clean

✅ Affordable

✅ Good public transport

✅ Plenty of parks and green areas

✅ Easy to make friends through meetups

✅ Lots of cafes and work-friendly spaces

✅ Active city with many things to do

✅ Good restaurant and nightlife scene

✅ Fast internet

✅ Good air quality on average

✅ Nomads.com members liked going here

✅ Many Nomads.com members here all year round

✅ Spacious and not crowded

✅ Very easy to do business

✅ High quality of education

✅ Great hospitals

✅ Roads are pretty safe

✅ Great freedom of speech

✅ Democratic

✅ People can speak basic English

✅ Family friendly

❌ Cold and long winters

❌ Few digital nomads

❌ Unfriendly or cold locals

❌ Expensive coworking spaces

❌ Not very LGBTQ+ friendly

❌ High traffic and under constant construction

❌ Very expensive

❌ Not much to do

❌ Cold now

❌ Gets cold in the winter

❌ Very damp now

❌ Difficult to make friends

❌ Not safe for women

❌ Hostile towards LGBTQ+

❌ Many people smoke tobacco

❌ High alcohol consumption

❌ Marijuana is illegal

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Feels (median)

0°C / 0°F freezing

-4°C / 25°F freezing

6°C / 43°F cold

8°C / 46°F cold

16°C / 61°F cool

23°C / 73°F mild

25°C / 77°F warm

21°C / 70°F mild

17°C / 63°F cool

12°C / 54°F cool

5°C / 41°F cold

0°C / 0°F freezing

Real (median)

0°C / 32°F
freezing

-1°C / 30°F
freezing

7°C / 44°F
cold

9°C / 48°F
cold

16°C / 61°F
cool

23°C / 73°F
mild

25°C / 77°F
warm

20°C / 68°F
mild

16°C / 61°F
cool

13°C / 55°F
cool

6°C / 43°F
very cold

0°C / 32°F
freezing

Humidity

damp
84%

damp
79%

damp
73%

nice
65%

damp
71%

nice
63%

nice
72%

nice
78%

damp
74%

nice
65%

damp
78%

Most common

☔️ Rain

☀️ Clear

☔️ Rain

☀️ Clear

☔️ Rain

☀️ Clear

☔️ Rain

Rain

dry
50mm

dry
40mm

dry
34mm

rainy
51mm

rainy
76mm

dry
46mm

rainy
79mm

rainy
69mm

dry
42mm

dry
14mm

dry
46mm

dry
34mm

Cloud

cloudy
57%

pockets
47%

pockets
41%

pockets
46%

pockets
47%

pockets
39%

pockets
46%

cloudy
55%

pockets
44%

pockets
43%

cloudy
50%

cloudy
53%

Air quality

okay
91 US AQI

bad
109 US AQI

okay
77 US AQI

okay
62 US AQI

okay
54 US AQI

clean
49 US AQI

okay
50 US AQI

okay
53 US AQI

okay
56 US AQI

okay
68 US AQI

okay
88 US AQI

okay
69 US AQI

Remote workers

1,646 people

1,400 people

1,733 people

1,757 people

1,550 people

2,080 people

2,329 people

2,750 people

2,413 people

2,229 people

2,043 people

1,707 people

Green is good. Red is bad. Values shown are the medians of all daily highs in a month based on past few years, not necessarily current numbers. Remote worker count is estimated based on the total amount of trips logged by Nomads.com members.

If you'd like to filter destinations based on their climate, try Nomads.com's Climate Finder

Based on Warsaw's cost of living, here's selected remote jobs that would cover your costs:

	Manager Engineering II Data Pipelin... @ Ironclad
	Member of Product Trading @ Anchorage Digital
	Staff Frontend Engineer @ Notabene
	Staff Machine Learning Engineer @ Warner Music Inc.
	Full Stack Software Engineer @ Daisychain
	Testing Engineer @ Trial Library
	Salesforce Engineer @ Oowlish Technology
	Software Engineering Team Lead @ bloXroute Labs
	Support Specialist @ Vesta
	Senior Data Analytics Engineer @ Fullscript
	Smart Contract Engineer @ Risk Labs

Help pick the best photos for Warsaw and improve this page's look by tappingclicking on them and the site saves your feedback Vote photos

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$3,323 / mo

55 Mbps

Members who will be here soon

Members who have been here

Values shown are estimated visits by traveling remote workers based on the total amount of trips logged by Nomads.com members. Visits to a place are only counted once per year per user, even if they visit more in that year. Visits are also normalized by overall trips added per month on the site, so if site usage goes up or down it does not affect trends. Not all digital nomads are on Nomads.com, and not all Nomads.com members log their trips. So the data is only indicative.

The chart below shows visitors by nationality normalized for population size. This means we take all trips logged on Nomads.com, check which country of origin the user is from, then divide that total visit count by the country of origin's population. If we didn't, it'd just show the big countries like US, Brazil and India always on top. Instead, this shows which nationalities worldwide proportionally visit more or less, which is more useful.

⭐️ Total score	3.1/5 (Rank #21) 940 reviews
❤️ Liked by members	👍23 liked it 👎3 disliked it
👍 Quality of life score	Good
👶 Family score	Okay
🎒 Community score	Good
💵 Cost	🧐 Pricey: $3,135 / mo
📡 Internet	🙂 Good: 23Mbps (avg)
😝 Fun	Okay
⛅️ Temperature (now)	🥶 Too cold: 8°C46°F (feels 7°C45°F)
💦 Humidity (now)	💦 Damp: 90%
💨 Air quality (now)	🌱 Good: 55 US AQI
💨 Air quality (annual)	🌱 Good: 56 US AQI
👌 Safety	Great
🤮 Food safety*	Great
👮‍♀️ Lack of crime*	Great
🤝 Lack of racism*	Bad
🎓 Education level*	High
⚡️ Power grid	Great
🌊 Vulnerability to climate change	Good
💰 Income level*	Low: $1,028 / mo
🙊 English speaking*	Good
😤 People density	🧘‍♀️ Low density: 4k ppl/km² (1 per 15x15m)
🚶 Walkability	Great
🚦 Traffic safety*	Okay
✈️ Airline scores*	Good
🧳 Lost luggage*	Great
🏥 Hospitals	Good
😄 Happiness*	Okay
🍸 Nightlife	Okay
📶 Free WiFi in city	Okay
🖥 Places to work from	Great
❄️ A/C or heating	Okay
😁 Friendly to foreigners	Good
🗯 Freedom of speech*	Good
👩 Female friendly	Bad
🌈 LGBTQ+ friendly	Bad
🎅 Startup Score	Okay

🌍 Continent	Europe
🚩 Country	Poland
🗓️ Average trip length	7 days
📡 Internet speed (avg)	23 Mbps
⛅️ Weather (now)	🌦 8°C 46°F + 💦 Damp (90%) = feels 7°C 45°F
💨 Air quality (now)	👍 55 US AQI 🍃 OK
💨 Air quality (annual avg)	👎😷 56 US AQI
🔌 Power	230V 50Hz
🧔 Best neighborhood to stay	Śródmieście
🚀 Upcoming neighborhood	Warszawa
🚕 Best taxi app*	Uber
🚑 Travel medical insurance	Safetywing
💸 10 PLN in USD	USD 2.61
🏧 Suggested ATM take out:	PLN 1,000 = USD 261
💸 Tipping	Yes, 10%
💳 Cashless	💳 Yes, cards OK almost everywhere
💻 Best alt. coworking space	Clock Work Warsaw
🚰 Tap water	👌 Yes, safe to drink
♻️ Return rate	👍14% of visitors return
📸 Visitors per year	2,794,700 visitors
📸 Tourists now	53,560 tourists
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Population	1,700,000 people
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 GDP per capita*	$12,332 / year
😤 Population density	🧘‍♀️ not busy: 15x15m (225m²) per person
👫 Gender ratio (population)	👨 37% 👱‍♀️ 63%
👫 Gender ratio (young adults)	👨 52% 👱‍♀️ 48%
👫 Gender ratio (nomads)	👨 88% 👱‍♀️ 12%
🏞 Foreign land ownership allowed	Yes
⛪️ Religious government	Non-religious
💻 Online electronics shop	Saturn
🏠 Apartment listings	OLX
✈️ Best short-haul air carrier	Wizzair
✈️ Best int'l air carrier	Lufthansa

💵 Cost of living for nomad	$3,135 / month
💵 Cost of living for expat	$2,084 / month
💵 Cost of living for family	$4,754 / month
💵 Cost of living for local	$1,358 / month
🏨 Hotel (median price)	$1,834 / month
🏡 Airbnb (median price)	$2,333 / month
🏠 1br studio rent in center	$1,083 / month
🏠 Median home price	$235,291
🏨 Hotel (median price)	$86 / night
🏠 Airbnb (median price)	$76 / night
🏢 Coworking hot desk	$279 / month
🍛 Dinner	$10
🥤 Coca-Cola (0.3L)	$2
🍺 Beer in cafe (0.5L)	$4
☕️ Coffee in cafe	$3
👩‍🏫 International school	$12,325 / year
📱 Mobile data (~10GB)	$11 / month
🚕 Taxi price (avg trip ~3km/2mi)	$3 / trip
💰 Estimated tax on $50,000	$12,660
💰 Estimated tax on $100,000	$28,660
💰 Estimated tax on $250,000	$76,660