🇵🇱 Poland · A realistic 2026 budget for newcomers — rent, food, transport, and what a month actually costs.
Wondering how far your salary goes in Łódź? Here’s what everyday life costs, in local prices — the numbers that matter when you’re deciding to move or negotiating a package.
What things cost
One-bed flat, central Śródmieście or near PiotrkowskaPLN 2,000–2,800 / month before czynsz
Studio, Bałuty, Widzew or RetkiniaPLN 1,400–1,900 / month before czynsz
Czynsz administracyjny plus utilitiesPLN 600–1,050 / month, heavily seasonal in a district-heated block
MPK 30-day network passPLN 140 / month, cheaper with a Karta Łodzianina
Bar mleczny lunch / flat whitePLN 18–26 / PLN 13–17
Good to know
Population
≈658,000 and falling by roughly 6,000 a year — the fastest-shrinking large city in Poland, down over a fifth from its 1988 peak
Voivodeship
Łódzkie — residence cases are decided by the Łódzki Urząd Wojewódzki, Wydział Spraw Obywatelskich i Cudzoziemców, ul. Piotrkowska 103
Languages
Polish; English is standard across the outsourcing and IT sector, which is the main way foreigners enter the city
Currency
Polish złoty (PLN)
Time zone
CET (GMT+1); CEST (GMT+2) in summer
Climate
Humid continental and almost exactly Poland's average — warm summers, cold grey winters, no coastal or valley effect either way
Transport
Trams and buses run by MPK Łódź; PLN 140 for a 30-day network pass, less with a Karta Łodzianina. No clean transport zone as of 2026
Power plug
Types C and E, 230 V / 50 Hz
Driving side
Right
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.
A note on budgeting
Rent is usually the swing factor — location and whether bills are included move the number most. Build your estimate from the rent band above, add a monthly living figure, and keep a buffer for one-off setup costs (deposits, a residence permit, a local SIM, first-month transport). Globe Quest turns this into a personalized Łódź checklist so nothing setup-related catches you off guard.
Plan your move to Łódź
A free, AI-personalized plan — the language, culture, and setup steps timed to your move date.