Thinking about moving to Poland? This overview pulls together how it compares across the things that shape daily life: cost, language, safety, healthcare and the route to staying long term. In MoveMap’s model, Poland stands out for an affordable cost of living, a lighter tax burden and an easier housing market, while it is worth weighing a weaker healthcare score, lower safety scores and less political stability.
Poland at a glance
Tap any metric to see what is behind the number.
Cost of living45/100
Cost of living here sits a bit below the EU average. As rough monthly figures, a typical net salary is around €1300 and a one-bedroom rent runs about €700 a month. Your real budget depends heavily on the city and your lifestyle.
English60/100
English works in tourist and business settings, but daily life, services and paperwork usually need the local language.
Safety75/100
This is a MoveMap score out of 100 (higher is safer), so 75/100 means safe: everyday crime is low and the main cities feel comfortable, including at night, with normal precautions.
Healthcare60/100
Scored 60/100 in MoveMap's model (higher is better). Public healthcare covers the basics but can mean waiting lists; private insurance is common among expats.
ClimateCold
Cold winters and warm summers, with four distinct seasons. Typical daytime highs: winter around 1°C, spring 14°C, summer 24°C, autumn 13°C. Figures are approximate and vary by region.
Citizenship~8 yrs
On the ordinary residence route you can usually apply for permanent residence after about 5 years, and for citizenship after about 8 years of continuous legal residence. Marriage to a citizen or ancestry can be much faster. Most countries also require a language test (commonly around B1) and some restrict holding two passports, so confirm Poland's current rules and dual-citizenship stance.
Taxes12/32%
Personal income tax: 12% / 32% (threshold ~PLN 120k), +4% solidarity above ~PLN 1M. As a freelancer: Pick your regime: 12/32% scale, 19% linear, or ryczalt at 2-17% of turnover (12% for most IT work, 8.5% for many services). Company owners: CIT 19% (9% for small companies up to €2M revenue), dividends 19%. Rates as of July 2026. Tax rules change every budget cycle and depend on your personal situation: verify with a licensed tax advisor before acting.
Where Poland stands out
Relative to the other 26 EU countries, Poland scores best for:
- An affordable cost of living.
- A lighter tax burden.
- An easier housing market.
Worth weighing before you move
Every country has trade-offs. For Poland, keep an eye on:
- A weaker healthcare score.
- Lower safety scores.
- Less political stability.
Is Poland right for you?
These are general patterns. Whether Poland actually fits depends on your income, work, family, documents and what you want from a move, and the right city matters as much as the country. The quickest way to see where Poland lands for your situation is the MoveMap check.