Moving to Poland from South Korea

moving to

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 6.4% more expensive than South Korea overall. A ₩112,436,250 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly PLN279,366 in Poland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Polish.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between South Korea and Poland.

What does your salary buy?

₩112,436,250 PLN279,366

To maintain the same standard of living in Poland

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 60.3% more

Groceries

pay 45.4% less

Transportation

pay 12.7% more

Housing

pay 32.7% more

Childcare

pay 25.9% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 4.1% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 KRW = 0.0025 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 3% more than cities in South Korea.

South Korea

Seoul 48%
Daegu 45%
Daejeon 43%
Incheon 41%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from South Korea to Poland.

Moved in 2021
1,304 ↑ 13% vs 2020

people moved from South Korea 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

The numbers behind daily life in Poland compared to South Korea.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

KR
0.5
PL
0.7
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

KR
64%
PL
11%

South Korea generally does better on safety, though Poland leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

KR
$5,081
PL
$3,939
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

KR
25.2
PL
33.9

Poland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Korea 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

KR
19.0
PL
41.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

KR
11.4t
PL
7.6t

South Korea 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

KR
45.4
PL
23.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

KR
85.2%
PL
32.1%

South Korea generally does better on infrastructure, though Poland leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

KR
2.6%
PL
2.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

KR
$50,600
PL
$44,100

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

KR
83.0 yrs
PL
78.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

KR
2.9
PL
4.2

South Korea generally does better on family life, though Poland leads in education spending.

Data: National Tax Service, South Korea, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Seoul Rain: 55.8 in/yr (1418 mm)
63° / 48°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

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 Korea Meteorological Administration, Institute of Meteorology and Water Management Institute of Meteorology and Water Management

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

South Korea passport holder visiting Poland

Visa Free
South Korea passport holders can enter Poland without a visa.
Poland passport

Poland passport holder visiting South Korea

Visa Free
Poland passport holders can enter South Korea 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 Poland than South Korea?

Poland and South Korea are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.

How much money do I need to move to Poland?

Budget about PLN69,842 for 3 months in Poland (based on a ₩112,436,250 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: 23.0 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 0.7 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 33.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Poland, compared to 25.2 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.

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At a Glance

KR PL
Population 51,844,834 38,093,101
Currency South Korean Won (₩) Polish Zloty (PLN)
Languages Korean Polish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +82 +48
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112