Moving to Poland from Japan
What to Expect
Considering a move from Japan to Poland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Japan to Poland, you would find that Poland is 4.5% more expensive than Japan overall. A ¥12,000,000 salary in Japan would need to be roughly PLN308,000 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 69°F in Tokyo, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Japan and Poland.
What does your salary buy?
¥12,000,000 → PLN308,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Poland
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 63.1% more
Groceries
pay 37.9% less
Transportation
pay 3.2% less
Housing
pay 31.2% more
Childcare
pay 23.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 10.2% less
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 11% more than cities in Japan.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Japan to Poland.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Poland compared to Japan.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Japan performs better than Poland across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Poland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Japan generally does better on environment, though Poland leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Japan generally does better on infrastructure, though Poland leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Japan generally does better on employment & economy, though Poland leads in top income tax rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Japan generally does better on family life, though Poland leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), National Tax Agency Japan (2016), Ministry of Finance, Poland (2016), The World Factbook (2013). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Tokyo | Warsaw |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) | 38°/26°F (3°/-3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) | 66°/46°F (19°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) | 72°/53°F (22°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) | 44°/33°F (7°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tokyo | Warsaw |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) | 33°/24°F (0.7°/-4.4°C) |
| Feb | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) | 36°/25°F (2.1°/-3.9°C) |
| Mar | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) | 44°/30°F (6.9°/-0.9°C) |
| Apr | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) | 57°/38°F (13.9°/3.6°C) |
| May | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) | 68°/47°F (19.8°/8.6°C) |
| Jun | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) | 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) |
| Jul | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) | 76°/57°F (24.6°/13.7°C) |
| Aug | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) | 75°/55°F (23.9°/13.0°C) |
| Sep | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) | 65°/48°F (18.4°/9.0°C) |
| Oct | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) | 55°/40°F (12.8°/4.7°C) |
| Nov | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) | 43°/33°F (5.9°/0.5°C) |
| Dec | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) | 35°/26°F (1.6°/-3.1°C) |
Data:
Japan Meteorological Agency,
Institute of Meteorology and Water Management
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Japan 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.
Japan passport holder visiting Poland
Visa Free
Poland passport holder visiting Japan
Visa FreeData: 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 Japan?
On average Poland is around 4% pricier than Japan, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Poland?
Budget about PLN77,000 for 3 months in Poland (based on a ¥12,000,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Poland?
Connectivity is usually fine (Poland: 25.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Poland offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Poland safe for expats?
Japan performs better than Poland across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Poland is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Japan. About 11% of people in Poland feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Poland compared to Japan?
Poland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in health coverage index. There are 40.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Poland, compared to 26.5 in Japan. Poland scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).
What's the weather like in Poland compared to Japan?
The average high temperature in Warsaw is 55°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Warsaw receives around 20.9 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.
What language do they speak in Poland?
The official language in Poland is Polish. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.
