12 Best Places To Live In Poland

Poland is a country full of natural beauty and incredible history and many expats find themselves drawn to the country. Poland is continuing to develop at high speed and the low cost of living throughout the country is another draw for relocators.

If you’re hoping to relocate to Poland we take a look at the best place to live in the country for families, immigrants, singles and more.

Let’s start by taking a look at the best places to live in Poland.

Sections

Best Places To Live In Poland

City	Reason
Warsaw	Best for work
Kraków	Best for affordability
Gdańsk	Best for families
Łódź	Best for immigrants
Kraków, Stare Miasto	Best for retirement
Gdańsk	Best for young adults
Wrocław	Best for students
Poznań and Kraków	Best for food and nightlife
Warsaw, Old Town	Best for singles
Tarnów	Best for weather
Sopot	Best for beaches
Zakopane	Best for mountains

Best Places To Live In Poland for Work

Relocating to a new country can be challenging, particularly if you’re moving before you’ve found a job. The best city in Poland to move to and find a job is Warsaw.

Warsaw (officially the Capital City of Warsaw) is located on the River Vistula in east-central Poland. It has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Poland due to the number of highly-skilled professionals.

You’ll need to have sponsorship from one of the operating countries in Poland before your move. Most of the heads of popular companies in Poland have their offices here, plus head offices of foreign companies like Google and J.P. Morgan.

Teaching English as a foreign language is another highly-sought after position in Poland and there are plenty of positions available for those interested in this field.

Being able to speak Polish is a useful skill to have, though there are some positions where you will be able to get by with only English.

Cheapest Places To Live In Poland

The cost of living in Poland is extremely affordable which is one of the biggest appeals for relocators hoping to move to the country. Living in the more rural villages is the best option for extremely low living costs, but there are still some bigger cities with very affordable pricing both for rent and living costs.

Kraków is a southern city in Poland located near the border of the Czech Republic. It has a famous medieval old town that is one of its biggest attractions and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Despite the affordable costs, don’t be mistaken into thinking the quality of life and experiences in Kraków will be poor. Kraków has lots of high-quality restaurants, world-class attractions and very good facilities.

Rzeszów is located in the southeast of Poland and is another good choice for those looking for an affordable city. It straddles the Wisłok River and has charming culture and history to explore.

Best Places To Live In Poland for Families

Poland is an excellent choice for many families due to the low living and rental costs, plus the high level of facilities and natural beauty. Making sure you have a job position secured before finalising a move is a good decision.

Gdańsk (Danzig in German) is a port city that is located on the Baltic coast of Poland. Gdańsk holds a lot of strong history, including sites that were rebuilt during the Second World War and are great for history and culture enthusiasts.

Gdańsk also has some good international schools as well as affordable costs for renting or purchasing a house. The cost of living, in general, is much lower than in other countries in Europe, though healthcare facilities may be of a lower standard.

Warsaw is another good choice for families as one of the largest and most well-connected cities in Poland. There are job opportunities for highly-skilled individuals, plus all the amenities one would expect of a modern city.

Best Places To Live In Poland for Immigrants

There are a few cities in Poland that are excellent choices for immigrants. While the most obvious choice may be Warsaw, other options come with lower costs and just as much quality of life.

Łódź is located in central Poland and was once the manufacturing hub of the country. It’s less than a two-hour drive to the capital but the costs of living in Łódź are much lower.

It’s the perfect city for expats and digital nomads – there are plenty of start-ups in the city plus interesting historical sites, beautiful architecture and calming parks to explore.

There is also a large number of immigrants already in Łódź, offering newcomers the chance to find a community and settle in properly. Łódź is also known as a very cultural hub and has some really interesting arts and culture sites such as the restored factory, and the Manufaktura complex.

Kraków is another great choice for immigrants – the job market is relatively welcoming to expats and the quality of life in the city is very high.

Best Places To Live In Poland for Retirement

Poland has quite a few cities that are noted to be particularly happy places to live – overall the quality of life in Poland is high and this may be one of the key reasons why some expats choose to retire in the country.

Kraków is a great city to choose to retire in. Not only does it have a high quality of life available but as more and more people flock to it, the city continues to develop and the cultural diversity increases.

Stare Miasto (which means Old Town in Polish) is one of the best districts in Kraków for retirees. Cobblestone streets and historic sites can all be found in Stare Miasto and the city is perfect for those who want to engage with and enjoy Poland’s culture.

Healthcare in Poland is adequate and do keep in mind that the insurance to receive healthcare is often paid for through a company or you will need to go the private route.

Warsaw is another potential option for retirees. The city is bigger than Kraków and the lifestyle found there is often more fast-paced.

Best Places To Live In Poland for Young Adults

Gdańsk is one of the best cities in Poland for young adults. Gdańsk is full of charm and as well as being a historical city, there is a full and vibrant nightlife and partying scene.

There are countless bars and pubs throughout the city that any young adult can enjoy for a quiet drink or a more intense night of partying. The city is also incredibly welcoming to immigrants and is perfect for those who work as freelancers or digital nomads.

Gdańsk has start-ups, co-working spaces and an entrepreneurial spirit that is perfect for any young adult hoping to begin their professional career or branch into new spaces.

Sopot is another great choice for young adults, particularly those who enjoy being near the beach. Though Sopot is typically a resort and tourist destination, it is a great choice for young adults who are hoping to break into the Tri-City area of Poland.

Best Places To Live In Poland for Students

Wrocław is the best city in Poland for international students. It’s the capital of Lower Silesia and is considered Poland’s science hub, with many business start-ups based in science, technology and engineering located here.

Wrocław has many esteemed universities including the Wrocław University of Science and Technology, The International University of Logistics and Transport in Wrocław and the University of Wrocław.

The city is friendly and welcoming to students with many groups and clubs surrounding different hobbies for students to join and form new friendships and communities.

Wrocław also has a very social atmosphere and much of this can be found in the Market Square where students gather to eat, drink and socialise. The city is also a cultural hotbed, with plenty of historic sites for international students to explore such as the Wrocław Cathedral and the iconic Centennial Hall.

Warsaw is another choice option for international students. The city has various renowned universities that cover a range of academic programs and the multicultural atmosphere of the city is perfect for immersing students in new cultures and communities.

Best Places To Live In Poland for Food and Nightlife

Polish cuisine is rich in meats, vegetables, spices and herbs. It’s developed to be quite eclectic and shares similarities with different regions and countries.

Several different cities in Poland have great culinary renown, and Poznań is no exception. Poznań is located in Western Poland and rests on the Warta River.

A popular dish in Poznań is pyry z gzikiem which is a potato-based dish. Boiled or baked potatoes are served with a mixture of cottage cheese, cream, and onions.

When it comes to nightlife, Kraków is famed for offering endless pub crawls and a night that you can enjoy without needing too much travel.

There are several shot bars in Kraków which are uniquely Polish – the shot bars typically have a range of vodka and liquors to choose from and they usually have lively atmospheres.

Best Places To Live In Poland for Singles

Singles looking to relocate to Poland should consider the city of Warsaw. The city is slightly more expensive than some of the other options in Poland, but the vibrant nature of the city makes up for the cost.

Warsaw is welcoming to immigrants and there are plenty of places to socialise and find new communities such as the Old Town Market Square and Lazienki Park. It’s also a ‘foodie city’ with a range of eateries from food trucks to upscale restaurants.

The city pays a lot of homage to its devastating past and there are many memorials and museums dedicated to teaching Warsaw’s history, such as the Palace of Culture and Science, the Museum of the History of Polish Jews, and the Warsaw Uprising Museum.

Szczecin is another good option for singles relocating to Poland. Its located on the Oder River and there are lots of English speakers in the city as well as cultural sites to enjoy.

Szczecin is a good choice for those who are looking for a slightly quieter city life.

Best Places To Live In Poland for the Weather

The climate in Poland is moderate and there are elements of both continental and maritime weather at play. This means you can expect both sunny and rainy days during summertime – winters in Poland can be very cold with temperatures dropping below freezing.

The city in Poland with the best weather is Tarnów. It’s located in southeastern Poland and has the highest long-term weather across the country.

The best time to visit Tarnów is during the summer months of June and July, but don’t be surprised if there are some rainy showers amongst the warm weather.

Opole, a city located in southern Poland, is another great option for those hoping to move to a warm Polish city. You can expect the city to be warm during the summer months with winters potentially dropping to below freezing.

Best Places To Live In Poland Near Beaches

The best beach city in Poland is Sopot which is located on the Baltic Sea in northern Poland. Sopot is sandwiched between Gdynia and Gdańsk and along with these forms the Tri-City metropolitan area.

Sopot has a range of health and wellness centres, trendy restaurants and many tropical-themed bars to enjoy a cocktail or two in. The leisure pier in Sopot is allegedly the longest in Europe and the laid-back and cheerful vibe of the city attracts hundreds of tourists every year.

Instead of multiple beaches, Sopot’s beach is a long stretch of beach which eventually joins with the Gdańsk district of Jelitkowski in the south and Gdynia in the north.

Gdynia is another good choice for beach lovers. It’s a modernist city with outstanding architecture and is one of the most developed cities in Poland.

Best Places To Live In Poland Near Mountains

Poland’s most well-known mountain town is Zakopane, a resort town located in southern Poland at the base of the Tatras Mountains and is the best choice for mountain lovers hoping to relocate to the country.

Zakopane is a popular town for both winter and summer sports such as skiing and hiking and climbing. It attracts thousands of tourists every year and is a great location to settle in if you’re hoping for outstanding views and to spend plenty of time outdoors.

As well as the wide range of sporting activities available in and around Zakopane, the city has plenty of interesting sites to spend time exploring such as Muzeum Oscypka Zakopane, or take a seat on the iconic cable car rides and enjoy the views.