Post: #1

Didn't find any discussions on this in particular.

I am very interested to know the real, on the ground, experiences on what kind of lifestyle you can have in cities like Krakow and Wroclaw on different budgets.

Numbeo.com (http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/com...8Cracow%29) tells me that Krakow is actually cheaper than Bangkok, but does this translate into a better lifestyle? Rent in particular should be 30% cheaper than Bangkok, which I find hard to believe?

What would a 1 bed room apartment cost somewhere central in Krakow for example? What is the cost of a used motorcycle? How much would it cost to eat out a couple of times a week and drink out also a couple of times?

Just examples, interested to hear about what you get for your money in Poland.

Post: #2

Better to look it up yourself because everyone has different standards and tastes...

http://www.inyourpocket.com/poland/krakow/restaurants

http://www.inyourpocket.com/poland/krako...pubs-clubs

Motos: http://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/search...MB&lang=en

Apartments in old town: http://www.ober-haus.pl/Apartment/Rental.../offset-0/
1 US dollar = 3 PLN

Post: #3

I plan on moving there in the near future.

I just keep one thing in my mind:
The average polish person is not earning more than 3,000 zloty a month.

Its not going to take a lot to live a fine lifestyle.

Post: #4

To live comfortably in Poland you need about 1500 euro per month.If you want to go to clubs everyday have many gfs etc it can get to 2500 euro.

Post: #5

(03-06-2014 07:20 AM)spalex Wrote:  I just keep one thing in my mind:
The average polish person is not earning more than 3,000 zloty a month.

Its not going to take a lot to live a fine lifestyle.

That is some pretty flawed logic... The average Polish person has a terrible lifestyle.

Post: #6

These might help.

There are a couple of massive Poland threads that have nuggets of info you might be looking for.

Below are links with words Poland and numbeo (searched).

/thread-31716.html
/archive/index...26236.html
/thread-7729-p...#pid111942

Post: #7

DaveR: Poles whine a lot about their financial situation but in reality they live a pretty good life. Outside of Warsaw, the cost of living is very low. Food is cheaper than in Ukraine for example. I spent about a week in Wroclaw, almost everyone was well dressed and sporting the latest smart phone. The country is definitely on the up and up...

Post: #8

(03-06-2014 12:45 PM)SpecialEd Wrote:  DaveR: Poles whine a lot about their financial situation but in reality they live a pretty good life. Outside of Warsaw, the cost of living is very low. Food is cheaper than in Ukraine for example. I spent about a week in Wroclaw, almost everyone was well dressed and sporting the latest smart phone. The country is definitely on the up and up...

I liked Poland when I visited, but in my travels some people really try to show a good image when in public. It doesn't necessarily mean their home life is fantastic. They just invest in the visible things.

There was an economist article where it was talking about China that sort of talks about what I am saying.

http://www.economist.com/node/18928514

Quote:LILY LI wears a lanyard with a little plastic card around her neck, even at weekends. It is a badge of honour: it shows that she has a white-collar job. (She is a secretary at Access Asia, a retail-research company in Shanghai.) She uses Apple earphones for the cheap Chinese mobile phone in her pocket, so it looks as if she owns an iPhone. And she drives to work, though it takes four times longer than public transport, just to show off her little car.

After decades of deprivation and conformism, Chinese consumers regard expensive consumer goods as trophies of success. In public, they show off. In private, they pinch pennies. The owner of a gleaming new BMW will drive around for half an hour to avoid a 50 cent parking fee. And she will hesitate to spend much on interior decoration, because only her family sees the inside of her flat.

Post: #9

(03-06-2014 07:22 AM)Greek kamaki Wrote:  To live comfortably in Poland you need about 1500 euro per month.If you want to go to clubs everyday have many gfs etc it can get to 2500 euro.

What? Are you living in a 4-star hotel? That's an enormous sum! Please provide a breakdown for comparison.

Post: #10

^That only applies for sponsor game lol.

Post: #11

1500 euro/month, or 2000 dollars/month, is about right for living comfortably in Poland.

A quality 1-bdrm apartment in the central area of town will cost $800-$1000/month. (I paid 2600 zloty/month)

Let's say $15-$20/day for food, or $500/month.

Then say another $500/month for going out/etc.

Post: #12

1500 euro is the standard for all eastern Europe except Kiev and Prague where you need more.
An average Pole in province makes about 500 Euro per month so with 1500 Euro you have serious punch. Many girls live on peanuts and need support. Family often does not support financially in Poland and they often have demands from younger members.
There are many Poles however who work abroad and easily outperform Westerners when they decide to chase tail in Poland.

Post: #13

(03-06-2014 12:45 PM)SpecialEd Wrote:  DaveR: Poles whine a lot about their financial situation but in reality they live a pretty good life. Outside of Warsaw, the cost of living is very low. Food is cheaper than in Ukraine for example. I spent about a week in Wroclaw, almost everyone was well dressed and sporting the latest smart phone. The country is definitely on the up and up...

Well said.

Polish economy year by year is getting more powerful, Poland noted the highest economic growth in Europe etc.

If you want to live on a good level, 1500 euro is adequately enough.

Post: #14

(03-06-2014 07:22 AM)Greek kamaki Wrote:  To live comfortably in Poland you need about 1500 euro per month.If you want to go to clubs everyday have many gfs etc it can get to 2500 euro.

Thanks, that's about similar to Bangkok (for me).

(03-06-2014 12:52 PM)samsamsam Wrote:  I liked Poland when I visited, but in my travels some people really try to show a good image when in public. It doesn't necessarily mean their home life is fantastic. They just invest in the visible things.

This is very common outside Europe and the US to a lesser extent. In the condo building I live there are several expensive BMWs and even an older Ferrari. I'm paying about $700 for the condo a month. Definitely not cheap for Thailand, but not at all unattainable for two middle class incomes either. Thais just choose to spend their money on cell phones and cars/motorbikes, then are perfectly fine living in a hovel with a fan and no hot water. I think this kinda thing is very common with developing countries with newly found 'wealth'.

(03-06-2014 12:56 PM)Handsome Creepy Eel Wrote:  

(03-06-2014 07:22 AM)Greek kamaki Wrote:  To live comfortably in Poland you need about 1500 euro per month.If you want to go to clubs everyday have many gfs etc it can get to 2500 euro.

What? Are you living in a 4-star hotel? That's an enormous sum! Please provide a breakdown for comparison.

Doesn't sound enormous to me. Even in cheap countries, a central furnished apartment is going to cost you, so is eating out at popular restaurants and drinking imported wine.

As is the case with many poorer countries, that semi-luxury is often more expensive, since there is not the same middle class, so all products are either for the lower classes - dirt cheap and poor quality - or for the upper classes - who can easily pay a premium.

Post: #15

(03-06-2014 12:45 PM)SpecialEd Wrote:  DaveR: Poles whine a lot about their financial situation but in reality they live a pretty good life. Outside of Warsaw, the cost of living is very low. Food is cheaper than in Ukraine for example. I spent about a week in Wroclaw, almost everyone was well dressed and sporting the latest smart phone. The country is definitely on the up and up...

Well, if you read my post in context... I was pointing out that relocating to a low-income country doesn't mean you will be able to live like a king for pennies. That's a flawed argument which I hear quite often from expats.

Real estate is the only item cost which varies by a significant amount across the EU. There is a small variance in like-for-like food costs within the common market, but you would have to be living like a college student for food prices to be a major factor in your comparison.

Either way, if the country is on the up and up then the average person is earning a lot more than 3000zl/month. If they're not earning more than 3000zl/month, then their lifestyle is still barely above poverty.

The main ways in which you can save money by relocating to Central Europe is through lower taxes and the lower cost of real estate.

Post: #16

(03-06-2014 05:56 PM)berserk Wrote:  This is very common outside Europe and the US to a lesser extent. In the condo building I live there are several expensive BMWs and even an older Ferrari. I'm paying about $700 for the condo a month. Definitely not cheap for Thailand, but not at all unattainable for two middle class incomes either. Thais just choose to spend their money on cell phones and cars/motorbikes, then are perfectly fine living in a hovel with a fan and no hot water. I think this kinda thing is very common with developing countries with newly found 'wealth'.

Same thing in Russia. It's normal to drive a new BMW and live in a shoebox with 20-year-old furniture. They have different priorities.

Post: #17

(03-06-2014 06:15 PM)DaveR Wrote:  

(03-06-2014 05:56 PM)berserk Wrote:  This is very common outside Europe and the US to a lesser extent. In the condo building I live there are several expensive BMWs and even an older Ferrari. I'm paying about $700 for the condo a month. Definitely not cheap for Thailand, but not at all unattainable for two middle class incomes either. Thais just choose to spend their money on cell phones and cars/motorbikes, then are perfectly fine living in a hovel with a fan and no hot water. I think this kinda thing is very common with developing countries with newly found 'wealth'.

Same thing in Russia. It's normal to drive a new BMW and live in a shoebox with 20-year-old furniture. They have different priorities.

It's about showing off, quite simply. I am not sure if the european stance on the subject is because of widespread socialist heritage or if it is some equivalent of old money lifestyle.

It is funny though, because I ride an old motorbike that gives very little pussy points, but prioritize a better condo.

Post: #18

I'm here now and it's cheap as fuck compared to Manchester. Seriously.

Post: #19

(03-06-2014 07:02 PM)Teedub Wrote:  I'm here now and it's cheap as fuck compared to Manchester. Seriously.

Cool, details would be nice.

Post: #20

It's not the same thing, because of the economic system in Russia there's no middle class which exist in Poland and is actually the biggest one.

Post: #21

In Poland the clubs are everyday open.So if you are into nightgame(and not being into it is absurd in Poland) you end up spending considerable money on night venues especially if the girls ask for bottle service.Also meals in decent restaurants range at 30-40 euro and you have to buy dinners for girls.
On namesdays,birthdays,New Year they ask for presents as well so imagine what happens if you have an army of girls to satisfy.Only Poles can get away with polish salary the rest of foreigners has to pay.

Post: #22

(03-07-2014 12:36 PM)Greek kamaki Wrote:  Also meals in decent restaurants range at 30-40 euro and you have to buy dinners for girls.

Is this for two or is it per head? I was in and out of Wrocław a lot a couple of years ago and I don't remember it being nearly that expensive.

Post: #23

(03-07-2014 02:12 AM)berserk Wrote:  

(03-06-2014 07:02 PM)Teedub Wrote:  I'm here now and it's cheap as fuck compared to Manchester. Seriously.

Cool, details would be nice.

20 cigs, 6 cans of good lager, 6 eggs, baked beans, 2 chocolate yoghurts and milk came to £9, which is about 15 dollars. In Britain, 20 cigs are about £8 on their own! I only smoke when I go out drinking so I'm glad I'm not a regular!

Post: #24

(03-07-2014 12:43 PM)Teedub Wrote:  

(03-07-2014 02:12 AM)berserk Wrote:  

(03-06-2014 07:02 PM)Teedub Wrote:  I'm here now and it's cheap as fuck compared to Manchester. Seriously.

Cool, details would be nice.

20 cigs, 6 cans of good lager, 6 eggs, baked beans, 2 chocolate yoghurts and milk came to £9, which is about 15 dollars. In Britain, 20 cigs are about £8 on their own! I only smoke when I go out drinking so I'm glad I'm not a regular!

How much was the beer? I think I could do that cheaper in Bangkok for all of that but probably not the beer. Still a very good price though.

Post: #25

Poland is slightly cheaper than Germany. The same products have the same prices. German products are cheaper in Germany.Polish goods which are worthy include bread,kiolbasa and beer which are indeed cheaper in Poland. If you also do not buy brand names you can find relatively cheap clothes in Poland. Generally the country feels cheap mostly due to low salaries and lack of economic activity to boost up prices.
Polish trains,trams and buses are cheaper than German ones but lower quality as well.
Hotels are also cheap in Poland as it is club entrance and drinks.