Cost of Living: New York vs Poland (Warsaw)
How expensive is Poland compared with New York City? The national price level of everyday spending versus the New York metro area, and the salary — in US dollars and PLN — that buys the same standard of living.
Salary converter
Before taxes. Income tax, sales tax and benefits differ a lot between places and aren’t included.
The numbers
- Cities
- Warsaw
- Price level vs US average
- 54.9 (New York metro: 112.6)
- Exchange rate (2025 avg.)
- 1 USD = 3.761 PLN
- Purchasing-power parity
- 1 USD of US-average spending ≈ 2.063 PLN
- Source
- World Bank, PPP conversion factor for private consumption ÷ exchange rate (2025); New York: BEA 2024
⚠️ This is Poland’s national average. Major cities — especially Warsaw — are usually more expensive, mostly because of rent, so treat this as a lower bound for big-city living.
Frequently asked questions
Is Poland cheaper than New York?
Yes. Poland is 51% cheaper than the New York metro area overall (index 49, New York = 100).
What salary in Poland equals $100,000 in New York?
About $48,740 a year (about PLN 183,289 at purchasing-power parity) buys the same standard of living in Poland as $100,000 in the New York metro area, before taxes.
Is Warsaw more expensive than Poland’s national average?
Usually, yes. The comparison here uses Poland’s national average price level; large cities such as Warsaw typically cost more than the national figure, especially for rent.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank price levels of household consumption for 2025 (purchasing power parity conversion factor divided by the market exchange rate), compared with BEA’s 2024 figure for the New York metro area.