Moving to Poland from South Korea
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Korea to Poland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Korea to Poland, you would find that Poland is 12.0% cheaper than South Korea overall. A ₩100,000,000 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly PLN256,000 in Poland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Polish.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Poland cheaper than South Korea?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 42.9% more
Groceries
pay 59.3% less
Transportation
pay 0.7% less
Housing
pay 22.4% more
Childcare
pay 50.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 17.2% 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.
What salary do you need in Poland?
What does your salary buy?
₩100,000,000 → PLN256,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Poland
Calculate with your salary →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 9% less than cities in South Korea.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Poland
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from South Korea to Poland.
people moved from South Korea to Poland · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Poland compared to South Korea.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
South Korea generally does better on safety, though Poland leads in road traffic deaths.
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 South Korea 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
South Korea 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
South Korea 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
South Korea 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
South Korea generally does better on family life, though Poland leads in literacy rate.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), The World Factbook (2016–2021), World Health Organization (2024), National Tax Service, South Korea (2016), Ministry of Finance, Poland (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Poland vs South Korea
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Seoul | Warsaw |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) | 38°/26°F (3°/-3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) | 66°/46°F (19°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) | 72°/53°F (22°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) | 44°/33°F (7°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Seoul | Warsaw |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) | 33°/24°F (0.7°/-4.4°C) |
| Feb | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) | 36°/25°F (2.1°/-3.9°C) |
| Mar | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) | 44°/30°F (6.9°/-0.9°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) | 57°/38°F (13.9°/3.6°C) |
| May | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) | 68°/47°F (19.8°/8.6°C) |
| Jun | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) | 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) |
| Jul | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) | 76°/57°F (24.6°/13.7°C) |
| Aug | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) | 75°/55°F (23.9°/13.0°C) |
| Sep | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) | 65°/48°F (18.4°/9.0°C) |
| Oct | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) | 55°/40°F (12.8°/4.7°C) |
| Nov | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) | 43°/33°F (5.9°/0.5°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) | 35°/26°F (1.6°/-3.1°C) |
Data:
Korea Meteorological Administration,
Institute of Meteorology and Water Management
Can you move from South Korea to Poland?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Korea 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.
South Korea passport holder visiting Poland
Visa Free
Poland passport holder visiting South Korea
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 South Korea?
On average Poland is about 12% less expensive than South Korea, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Poland?
Budget about PLN64,000 for 3 months in Poland (based on a ₩100,000,000 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?
South Korea generally does better on safety, though Poland leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Poland is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in South Korea. About 11% of people in Poland feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Poland compared to South Korea?
Poland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Korea leads in health coverage index. There are 40.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Poland, compared to 26.1 in South Korea. Poland scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Korea: 89).
What's the weather like in Poland compared to South Korea?
The average high temperature in Warsaw is 55°F, compared to 63°F in Seoul. Warsaw receives around 20.9 in of rainfall per year, while Seoul gets 55.8 in.
What language do they speak in Poland?
The official language in Poland is Polish. In South Korea, the official language is Korean.
