Moving to Poland from Spain

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Spain to Poland, you would find that Poland is 10.5% cheaper than Spain overall. A €65,577 salary in Spain would need to be roughly PLN237,054 in Poland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Polish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Warsaw averages 55°F vs 68°F in Madrid, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

€65,577 PLN237,054

To maintain the same standard of living in Poland

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 19.5% less

Groceries

pay 22.1% less

Transportation

pay 16.6% less

Housing

pay 1.1% less

Childcare

pay 14.4% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 1.1% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 4.34 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 14% less than cities in Spain.

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2021
476 ↑ 34% vs 2020

people moved from Spain 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

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

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

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

ES
78%
PL
11%

Spain performs better than Poland across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

ES
$4,935
PL
$3,939
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

ES
44.8
PL
33.9

Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Poland leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ES
10.0
PL
41.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ES
4.5t
PL
7.6t

Spain performs 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

ES
36.0
PL
23.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ES
43.2%
PL
32.1%

Spain 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

ES
12.1%
PL
2.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ES
$46,400
PL
$44,100

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ES
82.5 yrs
PL
78.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ES
2.5
PL
4.2

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

Data: Agencia Tributaria, Spain, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Madrid Rain: 16.6 in/yr (421 mm)
68° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Madrid Warsaw
Jan–Mar 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) 38°/26°F (3°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) 66°/46°F (19°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) 72°/53°F (22°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) 44°/33°F (7°/1°C)
View all months
Month Madrid Warsaw
Jan 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) 33°/24°F (0.7°/-4.4°C)
Feb 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) 36°/25°F (2.1°/-3.9°C)
Mar 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) 44°/30°F (6.9°/-0.9°C)
Apr 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) 57°/38°F (13.9°/3.6°C)
May 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) 68°/47°F (19.8°/8.6°C)
Jun 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C)
Jul 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) 76°/57°F (24.6°/13.7°C)
Aug 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) 75°/55°F (23.9°/13.0°C)
Sep 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) 65°/48°F (18.4°/9.0°C)
Oct 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) 55°/40°F (12.8°/4.7°C)
Nov 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) 43°/33°F (5.9°/0.5°C)
Dec 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) 35°/26°F (1.6°/-3.1°C)

Data: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología Agencia Estatal de Meteorología, Institute of Meteorology and Water Management Institute of Meteorology and Water Management

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Spain 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.

Spain passport

Spain passport holder visiting Poland

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

Poland passport holder visiting Spain

Visa Free
Poland passport holders can enter Spain 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 Spain?

Yes — Poland is on average about 17% cheaper than Spain. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Poland?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly PLN59,264 in Poland on a €65,577 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Poland?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Poland has 23.0 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 Poland safe for expats?

Spain performs better than Poland across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Poland is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Spain. About 11% of people in Poland feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Poland compared to Spain?

Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Poland leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 33.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Poland, compared to 44.8 in Spain. Poland scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Spain: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Warsaw is 55°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. Warsaw receives around 20.9 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in.

What language do they speak in Poland?

The official language in Poland is Polish. In Spain, the official languages are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish.

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At a Glance

ES PL
Population 47,163,418 38,093,101
Currency Euro (€) Polish Zloty (PLN)
Languages Basque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish Polish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +34 +48
Time zones 2 1
Emergency number 112 112