Ah, Poland. A lovely little country that I think is underrated. I spent eight days in three different cities in Poland and was completely charmed, not to mention pleased by how easily I was able to stay close to my budget.
I’d arrived in Wroclaw after two months in Scandinavia and England, so my bank account was extremely relieved that the cost to visit Poland were a lot more reasonable than its Western neighbors.
If you’re planning a Poland vacation of your own and curious what you might expect to spend, I’ve recorded my expenses carefully to help. My final total was pretty low because I was going full budget-mode.
If you’re not planning on roughing it like I did, I’ll also include some ranges for more middle-of-the-road and luxury options.
How much do accommodations cost in Poland?
Hostels – $10-20/night for dorm bed
This is what I used when I visited Poland. Read about my stays below.
Budget hotel – $60-100/night
Corner Hotel – $60 (Krakow)
Moxy Warsaw Praga – $116/night (Warsaw)
Mid-range hotel – $100-170/night
Hotel Atrium $104/night (Krakow)
Hilton Warsaw Hotel – $121/night (Warsaw)
5 Star $170-250/night (Krakow)
Hotel Stary $229 (Krakow)
Bachleda Luxury Hotel $264/night (Krakow)
Balthazar Design Hotel $259 (Krakow)
Are there Airbnbs in Poland?
Yes! There are lots of beautiful rooms to rent out on Airbnb throughout Poland, most of them seeming to range from $15-30 a night.
What I spent on accommodations in Poland over 8 days
- 2 nights in Wroclaw: $21 USD or 80 PLZ
My accommodation in Wroclaw at Chillout Hostel was a bunk bed in an 8-bed, mixed dorm room. It was a decent hostel with plenty of showers, a kitchenette (no stove, just fridge, microwave, sink, and kettle), a little lounge area, plus a small balcony in each room. The beds were comfortable, and each bunk bed had its own outlet, light, and curtain.
Though I would have liked a better kitchen setup, and my room seemed to have a minor problem with ants, it was a reasonably comfortable stay for two days. The location was also great – a half-mile from the major train station and large mall, a mile from the Old Town, and across the street from a great strip of restaurants, bars, and dining options.
- 4 nights in Krakow: $39 USD or 150 PLZ
My Krakow hostel (One World) was an improvement, with a free breakfast that was really enjoyable. The Wi-Fi was strong, and there was a full kitchen so I was able to take advantage of the pasta I’d bought and save some money cooking. That said, food was pretty affordable and there were tons of delicious options and restaurants so I didn’t want to eat much at the hostel, stove or not.
We were in a pretty superb location in this hostel, so I’d highly recommend the One World Hostel if you’re looking for budget accommodations in Krakow. Old Town, the Old Jewish Quarter, major museums, convenient pickup locations for tours, and proximity to the riverside made it a great spot from which to explore the city.
- 2 nights in Warsaw: $20 USD or 77.05 PLZ
Probably the best hostel yet in terms of décor and general comfort. The Chilli Hostel was super cute and pretty conveniently located to everything I would have wanted. There was a cheap breakfast there with lots of great options (breads, tomatoes and olives, fruits, coffee & tea, meats, veggies) and a full kitchen as well if you wanted to cook.
My dorm was a 4-bunk, 8-bed setup with a private bathroom for our room. It was very clean and nice to have a bathroom to “ourselves” instead one central bathroom all the guests share.
This hostel also had free social events each night with snacks and drinks, with a really great lounge area and lots of offerings for games and entertainment!
My grand total for accommodations
$80 or 304 PLZ. That comes out to about $10 a day.
How much do food and drinks cost in Poland?
Warsaw Food Costs
| Day 1: $6.37 Groceries (a zucchini, pepper, onion, and pasta): $2 or 7.33 PLZ Bao from food truck: $4.37 or 16 PLZ |
| Day 2: $15.63 Drinks – a cappuccino and lemonade: $5.47 or 20.04 PLZ Starbucks – espresso: $2.57 or 9.41 PLZ Restaurant dining: Lunch – halloumi burger and French fries: $7.59 or 27.82 PLZ |
| Day 3: $15.76 Starbucks – espresso & salmon bagel: $5.46 or 20 PLZ Groceries – bread, cheese, meat, and an orange: $10.30 or 37.75 PLZ |
Krakow Food Costs
| Day 3 (cont.): $0 Dinner paid for by friends – Ice cream paid for by friends – |
| Day 4: $40.11 Breakfast snacks from convenience store: $5.46 or 20 PLZ Coffee & crackers at Auschwitz: $2.73 or 10 PLZ Restaurant dining: Lunch for group: $19.92 or 73 PLZ Dinner – potato pancakes and side of mushrooms: $12.00 or 44 PLZ |
| Day 5: $55.12 Breakfast at hostel: Cappuccino @ cat café: $3.82 or 14 PLZ Ice cream & espresso – $3.82 or 14 PLZ Restaurant dining: Borscht: $3.82 or 14 PLZ Tagliatelle with mushrooms (dinner for group) – $43.66 or 160.02 PLZ |
| Day 6: $8.18 Breakfast at hostel: Drinks: $8.18 or 30 PLZ Leftovers for lunch: Pasta for dinner: |
| Day 7: $10.32 Breakfast at hostel: Fast food: Starbucks – salmon bagel: $4.87 or 17.85 PLZ McDonald’s – 3 pc chicken strips & fries: $5.45 or 20 PLZ |
Wroclaw Food Costs
| Day 7 (cont): $17.83 Subway: $3.40 or 12.46 PLZ Restaurant dining: Vegan sushi: $14.43 or 52.87 PLZ |
| Day 8: $31.79 Breakfast at hostel: $3.27 or 12 PLZ Starbucks – egg and bacon sandwich, cappuccino: $4.37 or 16 PLZ Restaurant dining: Lunch: $8.86 or 32.50 PLZ Wine & mushroom risotto $15.29 or 56.03 PLZ |
| Day 9: $6.71 Breakfast at hostel: $3.27 or 12 PLZ Starbucks – egg & bacon sandwich: $3.44 or 12.60 PLZ |
My grand total for food and drinks:
$207.82 or 761.68 PLZ
That’s about $26 each day. I ate breakfast at the hostel, which was either free or very inexpensive. I also had a lot of fast food/coffee snacks on days I was taking the bus to and from cities. Otherwise, I mostly ate out and ate very well. All the restaurants we visited were not white linen, but were nice sit-down restaurants; we typically ordered an appetizer, entree, dessert, and had drinks for the costs you’re seeing which seemed super reasonable.
I really enjoyed the Polish foods I sampled like borscht soup and potato pancakes. I also found some fun surprises like the Bao food truck or vegan sushi restaurant. It’s a quirky country and I loved the unexpected modernity and creativity in cities with so much old history woven into its very fabric.
How much does it cost getting to and around Poland?
Flix Bus pricing
I came in to Wroclaw on a bus from Berlin (Flix Bus) which was not a particularly comfortable ride due to the heat and lack of A/C, but it was very inexpensive. I also took the Flix Bus from Wroclaw to Krakow, and Krakow to Warsaw. The third journey was better as the air conditioning seemed in better working order.
Flix Bus from Berlin to Wroclaw: $18.95 or 69.47 PLZ
Flix Bus from Wroclaw to Krakow: $4.84 or 17.76 PLZ
Flix Bus from Krakow to Warsaw: $8.40 or 30.77 PLZ
Metro pricing
My first two hostels were within walking distance of the Flix bus station. The third required a short metro ride. I also took the metro to the airport when I flew out of Poland.
Metro from bus station to hostel – $2.73 or 10 PLZ
Metro from bus station to airport – $1.74 or 6.38 PLZ
$36.66 or 134.38 PLZ
What to do in Poland: Attraction costs
Auschwitz-Birkenau tour & transport: $45 or 164 PLZ
Oskar Schindler Factory Museum in Krakow: $6.54 or 24 PLZ
This was an area where I could have spent far more, and if I’d had the wiggle room in my budget I definitely would have. Again, because I was working, I had 20 hours less to explore that would almost certainly have included some extra museums or tours.
There’s a lot to see in Poland. I personally spent a considerable amount of time walking around taking pictures of the incredible buildings, monuments, and statues – also recommended and very much free. But there are a ton of other paid attractions I didn’t see that I wish I’d had time/money to visit.
$51.54 or 188.90 PLZ
Costs of other popular tours & attractions in Poland
Below are prices of some of the most popular attractions in Wroclaw, Krakow, and Warsaw. These prices are the general range you might find on popular travel booking sites like TripAdvisor or Booking.com.
Top things to see and do in Wroclaw
Pub Crawl – $17
Old Town Guided Walking Tour – $20
Adršpach-Teplice Rocks: The Chronicles of Narnia Filming Location Tour – $75.42 per adult
Top things to see and do in Krakow
Wieliczka Salt Mines – $50
Day Trip to Zakopane by Tatra mountains – $86
Wawel Cathedral – $8
Wawel Castle – $20
Energylandia Amusement Park – $106
Free walking tours: Old Jewish Quarters, Old Town Krakow; Ghost Tour
Top things to see and do in Warsaw
Polish food tour – $40
Behind the Scenes tour in Retro Minibus – $50
Neon Museum – $5
Cooking Class – $65
Miscellaneous costs I had while in Poland
WiFi at a café: $2.72 or 10 PLZ
Sunglasses: $8.18 or 30 PLZ
Books from an English bookstore: $45 or 164 PLZ
Obviously, you don’t have to splurge at a book store to stock up for the Trans-Siberian Railroad like I did but I got swept away at a small bookstore. Of course, you could spend way more than I did at all the cute boutiques and the giant shopping malls you enter when you leave some of the bus stations too. Your choice!
$55.90 or 204 PLZ
Total cost of my 8 days in Poland
$431.92 or 1,583.03 PLZ
My per day average:
$53.99 or 197.88 PLZ
Special notes about my time in Poland
It should be noted that I was working 20/hrs a week during this vacation from my laptop. I spent more time in Starbucks for the reliable wifi (and air conditioning – I’ll admit it) than would be typical otherwise, so the coffee expenses may be less for you. I was visiting with several friends I hadn’t seen in a while, so we spent a fair amount of time in coffee shops other than Starbucks too, catching up and chatting.
We were surprised by how well we were able to eat for such reasonable prices, and would highly recommend trying the various Polish, Hungarian, and Russian cuisines for sample at restaurants on the square.
Now that you have a better idea about the costs to visit Poland, get started planning your own trip! Head to the Global Directory page for more recommended posts and important information about traveling to Poland.
It’s an incredible country that is not quite as touristy as western Europe, and I wish I could have spent more time in each city. Alas, I was running out of time so I’ll have to add it to my list of places I hope to return.
If you’ve been to Poland, let me know whether you think this budget is accurate and/or which attractions I missed that you’d like to see me add! Happy travels. XX
For more budget posts:
Honest Costs of Travel in Scandinavia: What I Spent in 3 Weeks
Three Days in Rwanda: Costs to Travel Kigali
Cost of Travel in the Bahamas: What we Spent in 1 Week on Eleuthera
6 Ways to Save in Amsterdam & Belgium
