Moving to Poland from Australia

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Australia to Poland — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Australia to Poland, you would find that Poland is 28.8% cheaper than Australia overall. A A$107,450 salary in Australia would need to be roughly PLN212,968 in Poland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Polish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Warsaw averages 55°F vs 67°F in Canberra, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Australia to Poland.

What does your salary buy?

A$107,450 PLN212,968

To maintain the same standard of living in Poland

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 25.1% less

Groceries

pay 36.8% less

Transportation

pay 11.4% less

Housing

pay 23.8% less

Childcare

pay 60.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 40.4% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 AUD = 2.65 PLN (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in Poland cost about 22% less than cities in Australia.

Australia

Sydney 64%
Melbourne 60%
Perth 57%
Brisbane 57%
Adelaide 55%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Australia to Poland, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2021
76 ↓ 3% vs 2020

people moved from Australia to Poland · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Poland?

Top countries of origin for Poland's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Australia and Poland stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

AU
0.8
PL
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AU
4.5
PL
6.5

Australia generally does better on safety, though Poland leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

AU
$7,691
PL
$3,939
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

AU
39.8
PL
33.9

Poland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AU
10.0
PL
41.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AU
14.1t
PL
7.6t

Australia generally does better on environment, though Poland leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

AU
35.1
PL
23.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AU
4.6%
PL
32.1%

Australia performs better than Poland across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

AU
3.7%
PL
2.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

AU
$59,500
PL
$44,100

Poland generally does better on employment & economy, though Australia leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

AU
83.1 yrs
PL
78.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AU
3.0
PL
4.2

Australia performs better than Poland across all family life metrics.

Data: Australian Taxation Office, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Canberra Rain: 24.8 in/yr (629 mm)
67° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Warsaw Rain: 20.9 in/yr (532 mm)
55° / 40°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Canberra Warsaw
Jan–Mar 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) 38°/26°F (3°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) 66°/46°F (19°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) 72°/53°F (22°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) 44°/33°F (7°/1°C)
View all months
Month Canberra Warsaw
Jan 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) 33°/24°F (0.7°/-4.4°C)
Feb 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) 36°/25°F (2.1°/-3.9°C)
Mar 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) 44°/30°F (6.9°/-0.9°C)
Apr 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) 57°/38°F (13.9°/3.6°C)
May 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) 68°/47°F (19.8°/8.6°C)
Jun 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C)
Jul 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) 76°/57°F (24.6°/13.7°C)
Aug 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) 75°/55°F (23.9°/13.0°C)
Sep 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) 65°/48°F (18.4°/9.0°C)
Oct 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) 55°/40°F (12.8°/4.7°C)
Nov 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) 43°/33°F (5.9°/0.5°C)
Dec 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) 35°/26°F (1.6°/-3.1°C)

Data: Bureau of Meteorology Bureau of Meteorology, Institute of Meteorology and Water Management Institute of Meteorology and Water Management

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Australia and Poland. To live, work, or study long-term in Poland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Poland's immigration authority.

Australia passport

Australia passport holder visiting Poland

Visa Free
Australia passport holders can enter Poland without a visa.
Poland passport

Poland passport holder visiting Australia

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Poland passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Australia.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Poland than Australia?

Generally yes: Poland runs about 25% cheaper than Australia on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Poland?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a A$107,450 comparable salary, that's around PLN53,242 in Poland for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Poland?

With 23.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Poland can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Australia and Poland.

Is Poland safe for expats?

Australia generally does better on safety, though Poland leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Poland is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Australia.

How is healthcare in Poland compared to Australia?

Poland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 33.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Poland, compared to 39.8 in Australia. Poland scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Australia: 87).

What's the weather like in Poland compared to Australia?

The average high temperature in Warsaw is 55°F, compared to 67°F in Canberra. Warsaw receives around 20.9 in of rainfall per year, while Canberra gets 24.8 in.

What language do they speak in Poland?

The official language in Poland is Polish. In Australia, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

AU PL
Population 26,141,369 38,093,101
Currency Australian Dollar (A$) Polish Zloty (PLN)
Languages English Polish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +61 +48
Time zones 8 1
Emergency number 000 112