Food and drink A three-course meal for two in a decent restaurant in Kraków should cost you the equivalent of about £21.00, whereas the same is likely to be about £45.00 in, say, Birmingham.
For 3 of us (2 adults and a teen) we needed £450 total for 4 days and nights, around 580 PLN per day. However, if there were 2 of us, we would probably have needed around 3-350 PLN per day. If all trips/Tkts/buses etc are paid for , you can get on £30-£40 per day .
Traditional Polish dining experiences, such as a hearty meat-based meal (like pork knuckle or duck with dumplings), typically cost 60 to 120 PLN ($15 to $30 USD) per person, depending on the restaurant.
Food in Poland is relatively cheap. I think the most expensive is Warsaw and even here you can safely assume to spend 20 PLN for breakfast (coffee + sandwich) and 60 for lunch (main course + some drink). And these are the prices in regular places in the city center.
A three-course meal for two in a decent restaurant in Kraków should cost you the equivalent of about £21.00, whereas the same is likely to be about £45.00 in, say, Birmingham. Whenever you fancy a regular-size cappuccino, it'll probably come with a £1.70 price tag, compared to £3.50 back home.
It's worth remembering that 5zł actually goes quite a way in Kraków, and can buy you a beer, or two tram tickets, so try to use the coins when you can, even if to avoid giving bartenders high note denominations, and an excuse to give you that notorious tourist frown.
Can I pay with my own currency in Krakow? Of course, you will find places where you can pay with your currency. However, when planning a longer stay in Poland, it is better to exchange money for Polish „zlotys”. There are many places where you can safely exchange your money.
Plan to tip around 10-15% in Polish restaurants. However, the exact tip amount when eating out in Poland depends on the place, occasion, and order size.
You'll find the cost of living in Poland more affordable than in the UK and most things are cheaper. However, this will depend on where you're going and what you're doing. In the larger cities, such as the capital Warsaw, things are more expensive.
One 500-zloty banknote can cover up to ten months of a premium Netflix membership in Poland. It will also be enough to pay for a weekend stay in one of the many Polish SPA resorts… … or ten private Polish language lessons with a native speaker.
Many restaurants offer a lunch menu that includes two courses and sometimes a dessert and beverage. The price is around 30-35 zł which is a good value for the money. Dinner for two in a good restaurant will cost around 200 zł with drinks.
English is widely spoken in Poland, especially in larger cities and tourist areas. Many Polish people, particularly younger generations, speak English fluently. However, it's always a good idea to learn some basic Polish phrases, as it shows respect for the local culture.
Let's take a look at a few average prices for common spending categories in Poland, compared with the UK: A three-course meal for two costs around £33 in Poland, while it's £63 in the UK. A loaf of bread is around £0.90, compared to £1.20 in the UK. A draught beer is around £2.70, compared to £4.8 back in the UK.
Poland is much more cashless-friendly than most Western European countries. Very few places will have "cash only" signs but there are many others taking card next door. As said above, cash is preferable for tips and that's all.
The heartiest version would be scrambled eggs fried with onions and diced kiełbasa. Seasonally we make scrambled eggs with chanterelles (spring forest mushrooms) or with fried tomatoes. Another quintessential Polish breakfast would be milk soup. This consists of just rice and milk or noodles and milk.
Although Poland is known as the birthplace of vodka, local beer seems to have much more appeal to many Poles. Another traditional alcoholic beverage is mead. Polish liqueurs and nalewka (alcoholic tincture) are a must.
Afternoon lunch/dinner (obiad) is the basic and most important family meal of the day. It's always warm, often a two-course meal, and it's supposed to be as soon as we get home, which is around 3-4 p.m.
