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Krakow
#40 of 124
Europe

Krakow

Poland

Salary & Cost of Living

View purchasing power ranking

How do salaries and expenses in Krakow compare to San Francisco?

Purchasing Power Comparison

An engineer in Krakow is 30% worse off vs in San Francisco

This shows how far a software engineer's salary goes in Krakow compared to San Francisco, taking into account both salary differences and cost of living.

Median Salary
$64,742
-$208K (-76%) vs San Francisco
Based on 418 data points from levels.fyi
Net Salary
$50,240
-$122K (-71%) vs San Francisco
Tax Rate: 22%

Community Insights

New

Krakow presents a compelling value proposition for software engineers: it offers a "Western" tech career trajectory with a significantly lower cost of living and lower taxes than its German or British counterparts. The city is a verified tech hub with a sophisticated market, not just an outsourcing backwater. However, the quality of life is strictly seasonal; while summers are vibrant and beautiful, the winters are harsh due to a combination of depressing darkness and notoriously bad air quality. Financially, it is a smart move; environmentally, it requires a tolerance for smog.

Resident Sentiment

Pragmatically Satisfied: Most expat engineers feel they made a "smart financial move" and enjoy the lifestyle (eating out, travel, safety). There is very little regret regarding the career or financial aspect.

Environmentally Frustrated: There is a persistent undercurrent of frustration regarding the smog; discussions often revolve around checking air quality sensors and escaping the city during the worst winter peaks. Long-term retention is sometimes threatened by this environmental factor rather than economic ones.

The Good

Living Environment

Weather•Safety•Pollution•Events

A quick look at climate, safety, pollution, and tech community compared to San Francisco.

Rankings

Safety Index

Top 10%

#13

of 124 cities

75.2/100

Current value

Tax Rate

Top 15%

#18

of 124 cities

22%

Current value (lower is better)

Cost of Living

Top 30%

#37

of 124 cities

37/100

Current value (lower is better)

Housing Affordability

View affordability ranking

How affordable is housing for a software engineer in Krakow compared to San Francisco?

Avg. Property Price
$4,847 / m²
52% cheaper than San Francisco
View detailed property prices on Numbeo

Salary Converter

Enter your annual gross salary (before taxes) to see what you would need to earn in Krakow to maintain the same standard of living.

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Do you have kids?

Cost of Living
58% cheaper than San Francisco
View detailed cost breakdown on Numbeo

Top Paying Companies in Krakow

Splunk logo
Splunk
IBM logo
IBM
EPAM Systems logo
EPAM Systems
  • High Purchasing Power: Residents frequently mention that software engineer salaries go a long way here compared to Western Europe, allowing for a high standard of living and savings potential (supported by the #39 Purchasing Power Rank).
  • Thriving Tech Ecosystem: Considered a major IT hub in CEE with a "booming" market, hosting many international corporations (e.g., Google, Cisco, UBS) and startups, offering diverse career opportunities.
  • Favorable Tax Environment: The city is praised for its low tax burden relative to other EU tech hubs (ranked #19), which significantly boosts net take-home pay for professionals.
  • Vibrant Expat & Social Scene: Described as the "jewel" of Polish cities, it offers a rich nightlife, historical architecture, and a welcoming international community that makes it easier for newcomers to integrate.
  • Safety: Consistently highlighted as very safe for walking alone at night (backed by #13 Safety Index), making it attractive for families and single professionals alike.

The Bad

  • Severe Winter Smog: The most cited complaint is the air pollution during winter months, often described as "dogshit" or hazardous, requiring residents to check air quality apps daily and wear masks.
  • Winter Gloom: The combination of short days, gray skies, and very low sunshine hours (#121 of 124 cities) can lead to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and a generally depressive atmosphere from November to March.
  • Language Barrier: While English is the language of the IT workplace, dealing with older generations, landlords, or government bureaucracy often requires Polish, which is notoriously difficult to learn.
  • Rising Housing Costs: While still more affordable than London or Berlin, locals note that prices are rising fast, and buying a central flat now requires significant savings (approx. 7.8 years of net salary).
  • Healthcare Accessibility: Public healthcare can be slow, pushing most tech workers to rely on private medical packages (Luxmed/Medicover) to see specialists in a reasonable timeframe.

The Verdict

You'll love it if...

The Value-Maximizor: Engineers from high-cost EU cities (like London or Paris) who want to maintain a high savings rate while enjoying a vibrant, walkable city with a rich history.

The Career Climber: Mid-level developers looking for rapid promotion opportunities in a market that is still growing and hungry for talent, unlike saturated Western markets.

Skip it if...

Health-Sensitive Individuals: Anyone with asthma, respiratory issues, or high sensitivity to air pollution should strictly avoid Krakow, especially in winter.

Sun Seekers: People who need bright light to function will struggle immensely with the gray, short days and the low sunshine ranking (#121/124).

Updated 11/29/2025

Weather3.0/10-66% vs San Francisco
Safety75+91%
Pollution70+42%
Events0-100%
3.0/10TechCities weather score vs 8.7/10 in San Francisco

0–10 composite (higher is better) combining temperature comfort, sunshine hours, rainy-day count, and humid days. See methodology for weighting and data sources.

Weather snapshot

Average High
13°C(vs 19°C in San Francisco)
Average Low
4°C(vs 12°C in San Francisco)
Sunshine Hours
1,400h/yr-1662h/yr(-54%)
Hottest Month High
24°C(vs 22°C in San Francisco)
Coldest Month Low
-5°C(vs 8°C in San Francisco)
Rainy Days
83/yr+34/yr(+70%)

Community & Quality

Krakow community pulse

Krakow has 0 Luma events listed.

100% fewer events than San Francisco.

Purchasing Power

Top 32%

#40

of 124 cities

Home Affordability

Middle of the pack

#54

of 124 cities

≈7.7 yrs to buy 80m²

Current value

Net Income

Middle of the pack

#68

of 124 cities

$50,240/yr

Current value

Community Events

Bottom 26%

#93

of 124 cities

0 events on luma

Current value

Comfortable Weather

Bottom 20%

#100

of 124 cities

30/100 weather score

Current value

Pollution Score

Bottom 18%

#103

of 124 cities

69.8/100

Current value (lower is better)

SWE Affordability
7.7 years
3.1 years longer than San Francisco
Muggy Days
3/yr(same as San Francisco)
Cloud Cover
54%(vs 34% in San Francisco)