CostTrek

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Philadelphia vs Warsaw

Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.

Philadelphia, PA vs Warsaw, PL at a glance — Warsaw, PL is 31% cheaper than Philadelphia, PA overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $900/mo versus $1,600/mo. Top income tax: 32% vs 37%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Warsaw, PL, you'd need

$52,099 / year

Warsaw, PL is 31% cheaper overall

Category breakdown (Warsaw, PL vs Philadelphia, PA)

  • Housing-37%
  • Food & groceries-28%
  • Transport-47%
  • Utilities+1%
  • Healthcare-34%
  • Goods & services-25%

◎ How Philadelphia, PA and Warsaw, PL compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Philadelphia, PAWarsaw, PL

Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.

▤ Full comparison

Philadelphia, PAWarsaw, PL
Cost of living
Overall cost index10472
Housing11472
Food9770
Transport10355
Utilities99100
Healthcare9965
Goods & services9974
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$1,600/mo$900/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$1,250/mo$650/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$2,900/mo$1,700/mo
Buy price / m² centre$4,500$4,000
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$964$1,388
Inexpensive meal$18$8
Monthly transit pass$96$30
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)37%32%
VAT / sales tax0%23%
Social security (employee)7.7%—
Corporate tax21%19%
Capital gains20%19%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$4,300/mo$1,200/mo
Minimum wage$1,257/mo✓$1,297/mo✓
GDP per capita$90,027✓$28,420✓
Inflation (annual)—3.8%✓
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaNoNo
English proficiencyNativeModerate
Coworking spaces5050
Time zoneUTC-5UTC+1
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)6567
Safety index4568
Healthcare index8072
Pollution index4555
Internet speed200 Mbps150 Mbps
Walkability7980
Public transport6882
Family-friendly6068
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Health insurance$450/mo—
Life expectancy79 yr✓78 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighLow
Climate
January avg+1 °C-2 °C
July avg+26 °C+19 °C
Sunny days / year20790
Rainfall / year1,060 mm550 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1 h1.5 h

Taxes & Economy & salaries: United States vs Poland. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.

✓ = official statistics (US DOL (federal), Eurostat 2026, World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →

Cost of living: Philadelphia vs Warsaw — in your currency

PhiladelphiaWarsaw
1-bed rent, city centre$1,600$900
1-bed rent, outside centre$1,250$650
Inexpensive meal$18$8
Monthly transit pass$96$30
Utilities (monthly)$170$200

Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).

Good to know before you move to Philadelphia

History, cheesesteaks and East-Coast walkability at a discount to New York, an hour away.

Currency
US dollar ($ USD)
Languages
English
Time zone
UTC-5
Internet
200 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
45/100
Climate
❄ 1°C · ☀ 26°C · 207 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
A/B · 120V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Center City · Fishtown · University City

Good to know before you move to Warsaw

Central Europe's fastest-rising business hub — modern, safe and affordable, with cold winters.

Currency
Polish złoty (zł PLN)
Languages
Polish
Time zone
UTC+1
Internet
150 Mbps
English
Fairly common
Safety
68/100
Climate
❄ -2°C · ☀ 19°C · 90 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
E · 230V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Śródmieście · Praga · Mokotów

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Philadelphia to Warsaw: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Philadelphia to Warsaw, your cost of living will be roughly 31% cheaper. Warsaw’s cost-of-living index is 72 versus 104 for Philadelphia (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Philadelphia cheaper than Warsaw?

Warsaw is about 31% cheaper than Philadelphia overall — its cost-of-living index is 72 versus 104 for Philadelphia.

Which is more expensive, Philadelphia or Warsaw?

Philadelphia is more expensive than Warsaw. Its cost-of-living index is 104 vs 72 (US = 100) — about 44% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Philadelphia or Warsaw?

Rent is cheaper in Warsaw — about $900/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $1,600 in Philadelphia.

How much do you need to earn in Warsaw to live like in Philadelphia?

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Philadelphia is worth about $52,099 in Warsaw. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Philadelphia or Warsaw?

Poland has the lower top income-tax rate — 32% versus 37% in United States.

◷ More comparisons from Philadelphia

How we calculate these figures →

Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.