Moving to United Kingdom from Poland

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Poland to United Kingdom? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Poland to United Kingdom, you would find that United Kingdom is 87.1% more expensive than Poland overall. A PLN275,366 salary in Poland would need to be roughly £80,241 in United Kingdom to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Poland and United Kingdom.

What does your salary buy?

PLN275,366 £80,241

To maintain the same standard of living in United Kingdom

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 44.6% more

Groceries

pay 42.7% more

Transportation

pay 92.7% more

Housing

pay 88.7% more

Childcare

pay 3.3 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 100.0% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 PLN = 0.2033 GBP (June 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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Poland to United Kingdom.

Moved in 2019
14,000 ↓ 32% vs 2018

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

Who's moving to United Kingdom?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in United Kingdom compared to Poland.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

PL
0.7
GB
1.0
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

PL
6.5
GB
2.4

Poland generally does better on safety, though United Kingdom leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

PL
$3,939
GB
$6,606
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

PL
33.9
GB
31.7

Poland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom 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
GB
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PL
7.6t
GB
4.2t

United Kingdom 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
GB
41.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PL
32.1%
GB
14.3%

United Kingdom generally does better on infrastructure, though Poland leads in electricity per capita.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

PL
2.9%
GB
4.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PL
$44,100
GB
$54,100

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

PL
78.8 yrs
GB
81.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PL
4.2
GB
3.8

United Kingdom performs significantly better than Poland 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

London Rain: 22.0 in/yr (558 mm)
60° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Warsaw London
Jan–Mar 38°/26°F (3°/-3°C) 49°/38°F (9°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 66°/46°F (19°/8°C) 64°/48°F (18°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/53°F (22°/12°C) 72°/56°F (22°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 44°/33°F (7°/1°C) 53°/43°F (12°/6°C)
View all months
Month Warsaw London
Jan 33°/24°F (0.7°/-4.4°C) 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C)
Feb 36°/25°F (2.1°/-3.9°C) 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C)
Mar 44°/30°F (6.9°/-0.9°C) 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C)
Apr 57°/38°F (13.9°/3.6°C) 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C)
May 68°/47°F (19.8°/8.6°C) 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C)
Jun 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C)
Jul 76°/57°F (24.6°/13.7°C) 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C)
Aug 75°/55°F (23.9°/13.0°C) 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C)
Sep 65°/48°F (18.4°/9.0°C) 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C)
Oct 55°/40°F (12.8°/4.7°C) 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C)
Nov 43°/33°F (5.9°/0.5°C) 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C)
Dec 35°/26°F (1.6°/-3.1°C) 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C)

Data: Institute of Meteorology and Water Management Institute of Meteorology and Water Management, Met Office Met Office

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Poland passport

Poland passport holder visiting United Kingdom

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Poland passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United Kingdom.
United Kingdom passport

United Kingdom passport holder visiting Poland

Visa Free
United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom than Poland?

On average United Kingdom is around 43% pricier than Poland, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to United Kingdom?

Budget about £20,060 for 3 months in United Kingdom (based on a PLN275,366 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.

Can I work remotely from United Kingdom?

Connectivity is usually fine (United Kingdom: 41.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does United Kingdom offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is United Kingdom safe for expats?

Poland generally does better on safety, though United Kingdom leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in United Kingdom is 1.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Poland.

How is healthcare in United Kingdom compared to Poland?

Poland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in health coverage index. There are 31.7 doctors per 10,000 people in United Kingdom, compared to 33.9 in Poland. United Kingdom scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Poland: 82).

What's the weather like in United Kingdom compared to Poland?

The average high temperature in London is 60°F, compared to 55°F in Warsaw. London receives around 22.0 in of rainfall per year, while Warsaw gets 20.9 in.

What language do they speak in United Kingdom?

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

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At a Glance

PL GB
Population 38,093,101 67,791,400
Currency Polish Zloty (PLN) British Pound Sterling (£)
Languages Polish English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +48 +44
Time zones 1 9
Emergency number 112 999