Poland
How much does a trip to Poland cost? Daily budget and prices
Budget travelers need about PLN 170–340 (roughly $45–90) per person per day in Poland, mid-range PLN 450–860, comfort PLN 1,060–2,100. Hostel dorm beds, milk-bar meals and trams keep the low end; 3★ hotels, restaurant dinners and booked intercity trains push you into mid-range. Warsaw and Kraków cost the most, the east and small towns markedly less. 2026 estimate.
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GuidePoland
Key facts
- Currency
- Polish złoty (PLN, zł); cards and contactless accepted almost everywhere
- Budget per day
- PLN 170–340: hostel dorm, milk bars, trams, one sight
- Mid-range per day
- PLN 450–860: 3★ hotel, restaurant dinners, intercity trains
- Comfort per day
- PLN 1,060–2,100: 4–5★ hotel, fine dining, taxis, private guides
- Pierogi at a milk bar
- PLN 18–30
- Half-litre of beer
- PLN 14–22
- Kraków–Warsaw EIP train
- PLN 70–200 one way, booked ahead
- Auschwitz-Birkenau guided tourcheck
- About PLN 130 booked; entry without a guide is free where available
- Wieliczka Salt Mine tourist routecheck
- About PLN 150–180
- Cash
- Useful for small shops and markets; bank ATMs are the cheapest way to withdraw
- Tipping
- About 10% in restaurants
Costs by travel style
Poland is one of the cheaper countries in the EU for visitors, but the spread between styles is wide. A dorm bed and a milk-bar lunch cost a fraction of a 4★ hotel and a tasting menu, and the same trip can be run at any of the three levels below.
The figures are per person per day, with accommodation shared at mid-range and comfort. They assume you move between cities by train rather than flying, and that you pay one or two paid sights on most days.
| Style | Bed | Food | Transport | Sights | Extras | Total per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | PLN 60–120 | PLN 60–100 | PLN 15–30 | PLN 20–60 | PLN 15–30 | PLN 170–340 |
| Mid-range | PLN 180–350 | PLN 140–220 | PLN 40–80 | PLN 60–150 | PLN 30–60 | PLN 450–860 |
| Comfort | PLN 450–900 | PLN 300–500 | PLN 100–250 | PLN 150–300 | PLN 60–150 | PLN 1,060–2,100 |
2026 estimate. Per person per day, sharing at mid-range and comfort.
What things cost
Food is where Poland saves you the most. A milk bar (bar mleczny), the canteen-style canteens left over from the communist era, serves pierogi or a soup-and-main lunch set for PLN 18–30. A restaurant dinner with a drink lands around PLN 60–120 per person. Beer is PLN 14–22 for half a litre, coffee PLN 10–18.
Trains are the main transport cost. Booked ahead, a Kraków–Warsaw EIP ticket runs PLN 70–200 one way; regional and intercity services on other routes are usually cheaper. City trams and buses cost a few złoty per ride, with day tickets worth it if you move around a lot.
Two paid sights dominate most first trips: the Auschwitz-Birkenau guided tour at about PLN 130 booked (entry without a guide is free where available) and the Wieliczka Salt Mine tourist route at about PLN 150–180. Both are timed and should be booked before you arrive.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Pierogi at a milk bar | PLN 18–30 |
| Restaurant dinner with a drink | PLN 60–120 |
| Half-litre of beer | PLN 14–22 |
| Coffee | PLN 10–18 |
| Hostel dorm bed | PLN 60–120 |
| 3★ hotel room, shared | PLN 180–350 |
| City tram or bus ticket | A few złoty per ride |
| Kraków–Warsaw EIP train, booked ahead | PLN 70–200 |
| Auschwitz-Birkenau guided tour | About PLN 130 — check |
| Wieliczka Salt Mine tourist route | About PLN 150–180 — check |
2026 estimate. Prices vary by city; Warsaw and Kraków are the most expensive.
Where your money goes further
Warsaw and Kraków carry the highest prices for beds and meals, and the tourist centres of Gdańsk and Wrocław are close behind. Smaller cities and the east of the country are markedly cheaper for the same standard of room and food.
If your budget is tight, base yourself in a smaller city and take day trips by train. You get the same museums and old towns at lower prices, and intercity tickets booked a few weeks ahead stay cheap.
- Cheapest bases: smaller cities and the east
- Most expensive: Warsaw, Kraków, then Gdańsk and Wrocław
- Book intercity trains a few weeks ahead for the lowest fares
- Milk bars and lunch sets cut the food line by half or more
Paying in Poland
The currency is the Polish złoty (PLN, zł). Cards and contactless payment work almost everywhere, including small shops and market stalls, so you need very little cash. Keep some coins for lockers and rural buses.
Withdraw from bank ATMs rather than standalone machines that offer dynamic conversion; always choose to be charged in złoty. Tipping is about 10% in restaurants, and saying thank you when you hand over cash can mean keep the change. BLIK, the Polish phone-payment code system, is how locals pay online; visitors pay by card and do not need it.
How to cut the bill
Travel outside July and August, when accommodation in Kraków, the Baltic coast and Zakopane peaks. Spring and autumn keep prices lower and cities quieter.
Eat your main meal at lunch, when many restaurants run cheaper lunch sets, and use milk bars for breakfast and a light dinner. Buy city day tickets only on days you actually ride; central Kraków and Warsaw are walkable.
Book Auschwitz-Birkenau and Wieliczka directly and early rather than through a reseller, and take the train instead of a taxi between cities. A trip-cost estimator helps you test a plan before you book.
- Go in spring or autumn, not peak summer
- Eat the main meal at lunch
- Use milk bars for cheap, filling food
- Book timed tours direct and early
- Take trains, not taxis, between cities
Questions people ask
How much money do you need per day in Poland?
Budget travelers need about PLN 170–340 per person per day, mid-range PLN 450–860, and comfort PLN 1,060–2,100. The low end covers a hostel dorm, milk-bar meals and trams; the mid-range adds a 3★ hotel, restaurant dinners and booked intercity trains. 2026 estimate.
Is Poland expensive for tourists?
No. Poland is one of the cheaper EU countries for visitors. Meals, beds and trains cost less than in Germany or the UK, and cards are accepted almost everywhere, so you rarely need much cash.
What do meals, hotels and transport cost in Poland?
Pierogi at a milk bar cost PLN 18–30, a restaurant dinner with a drink PLN 60–120, a hostel dorm PLN 60–120, a shared 3★ room PLN 180–350, and a booked Kraków–Warsaw train PLN 70–200. 2026 estimate.
How much should I budget for Auschwitz-Birkenau and Wieliczka?
The Auschwitz-Birkenau guided tour is about PLN 130 booked, and entry without a guide is free where available. The Wieliczka Salt Mine tourist route is about PLN 150–180. Both are timed, so book ahead and add them to your sights line on those days.
Do I need cash in Poland?
Very little. Cards and contactless payment work almost everywhere, including small shops. Keep some coins for lockers and rural buses, and withdraw from bank ATMs rather than machines that push dynamic conversion.
Is Warsaw or Kraków more expensive?
Warsaw and Kraków are the two most expensive cities for beds and meals, with Gdańsk and Wrocław close behind. Smaller cities and the east of the country are markedly cheaper for the same standard of room and food.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialPolish Tourism Organisation
- officialPKP Intercity
- officialAuschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum
- officialWieliczka Salt Mine
- officialNarodowy Bank Polski – exchange rates
- secondaryWikivoyage – Poland