In 2024, Central Europe is becoming an increasingly popular new home for expats – and it’s little wonder with so many beautiful places to choose from. Today, we’re going to be talking about the best places to live in Poland and what you need to know about moving there.
Where is Poland ?
Snuggled between Germany, Belarus and the Czech Republic, Poland is a Central Europe gem with a population of 38 million people. Poland’s location offers easy access to other countries by road, rail, sea and air and the country is fast becoming one of Europe’s most important tech hubs.
Best places to live in Poland: A guide for expats
Poland is made up of a number of fantastic cities, towns and villages and, in this section, we’re exploring the best places to live in Poland for expats:
Warsaw
A thriving metropolitan city, Warsaw is home to 1.765 people and enjoys a buzzy atmosphere and dynamic nightlife. For those looking to live and work in Warsaw, this city boasts some major employers including Google, Adidas, Microsoft and PKO Bank Polski.
Real estate in Warsaw is extremely reasonable for such a major city and you can get your hands on an apartment from PLN 17,190 (£3380.15) per square metre or, a house from PLN 8,874 (£1745.07) per square metre.
Warsaw offers some great schools and fantastic universities including the University of Warsaw, the Medical University of Warsaw and The Academy of Fine Arts.
Krakow
Can’t decide between a city steeped in history or a dynamic economic hub? Then Krakow may just be the right place for you. Perched on the Vistula River, this seventh century city has a population of 766,683 people and is known for its medieval core and its fascinating Jewish quarter.
Krakow city centre has plenty to offer in terms of property – from sleek modern apartments to historic townhouses and prices vary widely depending on what type of property you go for.
Employers in Krakow include Cisco and Akamai Technologies and the city also has a number of universities including Jagiellonian University and Krakow University of Economics.
Gdansk
A favourite with families, Gdansk is the best of all worlds with its historic old town, sandy beaches, thriving nightlife and much much more.
With a population of 582,205 people, Gdansk enjoys proximity to both the Motlawa River and the southern edge of Gdansk Bay and luxury waterside properties can be had for around 1 600 000 PLN (£314,714.65) however, you will also find many more reasonable properties within this gem of a city).
Gdansk is a major hub for entrepreneurs – particularly those within the tech sector – and employers include DAC Digital, Bentify.com and Onemon.io.
Sopot
Lovers of nature will be in their element in this pretty seaside city in north east Poland. With stunning mountains, sandy beaches and national parks – including the renowned Biebrza National Park), Sopot also enjoys a sizzling nightlife with some of Poland’s best restaurants. As if that’s not enough, there’s also plenty of culture to be had here with venues such as the Sopot Wax Museum, the City of Sopot Museum and the annual Sopot International Song Festival.
Perfect for digital nomads, house prices in Sopot stand at around 4 644 112.09 PLN (approx £913,857) for luxury homes but smaller properties can be found at much more reasonable prices.
Large employers in Sopot include BLUEWOM, App2Perfect and HYPE4.
What you need to know: A guide for expats
Before you pack your walizka and head off to your chosen destination in Poland, there are a few things you need to know and we’ll run through some of these in this section:
The legal stuff
The good news is that expats from EU and Non-EU countries don’t need a visa for Poland – and most are able to stay for up to three months on an ordinary passport. To live in Poland permanently, you may need to apply for a Dokument pobytowy dla beneficjenta umowy wystąpienia (a Polish residency permit).
Buying property
If you are making a permanent move to Poland, there’s a good chance that you will be planning to buy a property in this beautiful country. The good news here is that EU and Non-EU residents will usually be allowed to buy property in Poland, however, some Non-EU residents may need a permit from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and you can check this HERE.
While moving though, remember about an adequate packing of things you normally don’t think about such as a bed or mirrors.
Working in Poland
If you wish to get a job in Poland, there are many sectors to choose from but you must ask your prospective employer to apply for a Work Permit for you as you will be unable to work in the country without this.
Healthcare
The organisation in charge of healthcare in Poland is the National Health Foundation (Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia) which deals with health insurance for residents of Poland. Although you don’t, by law, need to have this medical insurance, failing to do so means that should you require medical care you will be personally responsible for the cost of it.
Day to day living in Poland
Transport
Getting around in Poland is extremely easy via the country’s network of trams, trains and buses. In many smaller towns and cities it’s also really easy to get out and about by bike.
Currency
The currency used in Poland is the Polish Zloty and most major debit and credit cards are widely accepted.
Poles apart for expats
Starting a new life in Poland is an exciting adventure and one which will introduce you to a great quality of life along with lots of new places to explore. As with any other country, it’s a really good idea to familiarise yourself with the country’s laws before making the move as some of these may differ from your home country.
Finally, when choosing somewhere new to live, first check out some forums and social media expat groups as these can be a goldmine of tips and information which will help your move go much more smoothly.