Moving to Slovakia from Poland

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Poland to Slovakia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Poland to Slovakia, you would find that Slovakia is 3.6% more expensive than Poland overall. A PLN284,812 salary in Poland would need to be roughly €63,759 in Slovakia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Slovak.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Poland to Slovakia.

What does your salary buy?

PLN284,812 €63,759

To maintain the same standard of living in Slovakia

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 5.2% less

Groceries

pay 28.3% more

Transportation

pay 5.8% more

Housing

pay 2.5% less

Childcare

pay 11.3% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 0.4% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 PLN = 0.2307 EUR (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 Slovakia cost about 5% less than cities in Poland.

Slovakia

Zilina 42%
Nitra 40%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Poland to Slovakia, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
82 ↓ 27% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to Slovakia?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Poland to Slovakia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

PL
0.7
SK
0.7
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

PL
11%
SK
74%

Slovakia 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

PL
$3,939
SK
$3,230
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

PL
33.9
SK
36.8

Slovakia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Poland leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

PL
41.0
SK
30.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PL
7.6t
SK
5.5t

Slovakia performs significantly better than Poland across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

PL
23.0
SK
33.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PL
32.1%
SK
2.4%

Slovakia performs significantly 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

PL
2.9%
SK
5.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PL
$44,100
SK
$39,300

Poland generally does better on employment & economy, though Slovakia leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

PL
78.8 yrs
SK
78.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PL
4.2
SK
4.8

Poland performs better than Slovakia across all family life metrics.

Data: Ministry of Finance, Poland, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Bratislava Rain: 22.6 in/yr (574 mm)
61° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Warsaw Bratislava
Jan–Mar 38°/26°F (3°/-3°C) 44°/30°F (7°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 66°/46°F (19°/8°C) 71°/51°F (22°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/53°F (22°/12°C) 78°/58°F (26°/15°C)
Oct–Dec 44°/33°F (7°/1°C) 49°/37°F (9°/3°C)
View all months
Month Warsaw Bratislava
Jan 33°/24°F (0.7°/-4.4°C) 38°/27°F (3.1°/-2.8°C)
Feb 36°/25°F (2.1°/-3.9°C) 42°/29°F (5.8°/-1.7°C)
Mar 44°/30°F (6.9°/-0.9°C) 52°/35°F (11.1°/1.7°C)
Apr 57°/38°F (13.9°/3.6°C) 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.0°C)
May 68°/47°F (19.8°/8.6°C) 71°/51°F (21.8°/10.6°C)
Jun 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.4°C)
Jul 76°/57°F (24.6°/13.7°C) 82°/61°F (27.8°/16.2°C)
Aug 75°/55°F (23.9°/13.0°C) 82°/61°F (27.6°/15.9°C)
Sep 65°/48°F (18.4°/9.0°C) 71°/53°F (21.9°/11.5°C)
Oct 55°/40°F (12.8°/4.7°C) 60°/44°F (15.6°/6.6°C)
Nov 43°/33°F (5.9°/0.5°C) 48°/37°F (9.0°/2.7°C)
Dec 35°/26°F (1.6°/-3.1°C) 39°/29°F (3.7°/-1.5°C)

Data: Institute of Meteorology and Water Management Institute of Meteorology and Water Management, Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Poland passport

Poland passport holder visiting Slovakia

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

Slovakia passport holder visiting Poland

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

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 Slovakia than Poland?

Yes — Slovakia is on average about 3% cheaper than Poland. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Slovakia?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €15,940 in Slovakia on a PLN284,812 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Slovakia?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Slovakia has 33.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Slovakia safe for expats?

Slovakia generally does better on safety, though Poland leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Slovakia is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Poland. About 74% of people in Slovakia feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Slovakia compared to Poland?

Slovakia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Poland leads in health coverage index. There are 36.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Slovakia, compared to 33.9 in Poland. Slovakia scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Poland: 82).

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

The average high temperature in Bratislava is 61°F, compared to 55°F in Warsaw. Bratislava receives around 22.6 in of rainfall per year, while Warsaw gets 20.9 in.

What language do they speak in Slovakia?

The official language in Slovakia is Slovak. In Poland, the official language is Polish.

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At a Glance

PL SK
Population 38,093,101 5,431,252
Currency Polish Zloty (PLN) Euro (€)
Languages Polish Slovak
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +48 +421
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112