Cost of Living in Lodz, Poland

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How Much Does It Cost to Live In Lodz?

Lodz is Poland‘s third biggest city, and very significant for the Polish people because it’s an important industrial center.

The city has been famous for its textile industry, but what many people say is its biggest flaw is the fact that it lacks one main thing – a real city center.

The city is very safe, though that’s a general rule for Poland.

The cost of living is very low in Lodz, compared to other big cities in Poland.

The amount of money you spend here, however, greatly depends on your preferences.

RESTAURANTS

In the main square of Poznan, and in its many shopping malls, you can find a whole bunch of pubs, bars and restaurants where you can eat at fancy, Michelin rated places, but also at inexpensive restaurants for only around 5$. There’s always street food too as well as international fast food chains.

MARKETS

As for groceries, you can easily find healthy, non-processed, tasty and cheap food in Lodz, like in most Polish cities, both in supermarkets as well as in open markets, directly from the farmers. This is due to the fact that Poland is very strong and advanced when it comes to agriculture. If you want, you can also go to one of many small stores distributed around the city.

TRANSPORTATION

Despite somewhat poor public transport and traffic jams, Lodz has very good infrastructure for bikes, including public bike, and the police don’t punish people for riding on sidewalks. Lodz is well connected with Warsaw, and public transport within the city itself is very cheap. A one-way ticket for public transport costs less than a dollar, while a monthly pass costs around 25$.

UTILITIES (MONTHLY)

Lodz is one of the cities in Poland where your bills for utilities won’t be exactly small, but the prices are not through the roof either. It mostly depends on the size of your apartment and how much electricity you spend. Basic utilities like electricity, water, gas and garbage services in an apartment of 85m2 will cost you around 160$. During winter, the bills might go up because of the heating.

SPORTS & LEISURE

Cities of Poland are full of family-friendly opportunities and is a good ground for social activities and this goes for Lodz, too. There are obviously cinemas, theaters and similar facilities, but also a lot of sports grounds, places to exercise, and parks, large and small. A membership in a gym or a fitness club will cost you 30$. If you’re interested in spending a day at the movies, a cinema ticket costs around 6$.

CLOTHING & SHOES

Shopping in Lodz will definitely be a unique experience for you and here’s why: you can go to Manufaktura, the largest shopping mall in the city and probably one of the most unique shopping malls in the world because it is located in old factory buildings. But don’t think you’ll buy clothes and shoes for nothing. For example, you can buy quality jeans for no less than 70$, as well as running sneakers of brands like Nike.

RENT PER MONTH

Rent is expensive in the city of Lodz, which is the reason why many people share flats, but renting a small room in an apartment isn’t cheap either. Though renting an apartment is cheaper in Lodz than in many other major cities in Poland, the rents, in general, have skyrocketed over the last years due to an increase in tourism. If you’re looking for a cheap apartment, you’ll have to settle for one outside of the city center, which will cost you around 300$.

Cost of Living Averages Table for Lodz

How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Lodz?

It’s no wonder that in Poland, like in any country where rent is unusually high, people spend most money on food and rent.

In those cities where rent is unusually high, almost the same percentage of one’s income goes on rent as it does on food, but that’s not the case in Lodz.

Namely, nearly 10% more of one’s salary goes on food than it does on rent, but rent is definitely on the second place.

Utilities have a somewhat higher percentage than in most other countries, which means that electricity bills are higher than average.

Restaurants and transportation are also significant expenses for the people of Lodz.

Average Costs Breakdown

Lodz: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages

Average salary for an average person in Lodz is lower than in most major cities of Poland.

While the average salary in other major cities is around 900$, in Lodz it is almost 200$ less.

With a salary of 700$ most people can afford a normal life, and after covering all expenses – they can even have some fun and take care of other things that aren’t necessities.

However, a rather small part of the city’s residents earn an average salary.

Most of them hover around 500$ per month, which definitely means living on a tight budget.

Lodz Safety Overview

READ THE FULL REPORT: Lodz Safety Review

Safety Index:

84

• OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
• TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
• PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
• NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW
• MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM
• TERRORISM RISK: LOW
• SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM
• WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW

Cost of Living by City in Lodz