Kraków

At a glance

Average temperature

9.6°C

Winters 0.1°C

Monthly spend

€1,210

per person

Safety

85/100

average 83

Shortest day

8h 04m

longest 16h 23m

Air quality

14.5 µg/m³

2 stations nearby read 17.7

Walkability

100/100

5,283 shops within 1 km

Today and in 2035

Eight measures, 0 to 100: where each stands, and where it is heading.

• Climate Resilience: 91 today, 88 in 2035(Climate model)

  The median of 10 climate models (CMIP6, middle-road scenario) is +0.8°C by 2035 and 3 more days above 30°C a year.

• Cost of Living: 78 today, 66 in 2035(Our forecast)

  Prices here sit below the US level and tend to rise as incomes catch up. House prices rose 117% in ten years, which adds pressure.

• Safety & Stability: 85 today, 85 in 2035(Held at today)

  Crime and political stability do not follow a trend we can project, so we hold today's value.

• Healthcare Access: 77 today, 77 in 2035(Held at today)

  We have no trend for its spending, life expectancy and out-of-pocket mix we can defend yet, so today's value is shown.

• Visa Freedom: 47 today, 47 in 2035(Held at today)

  Visa rules change by political decision, not by trend, so we hold today's value.

• Community Fit: 43 today, 48 in 2035(Our forecast)

  The share of residents born abroad has been growing in most countries, and we assume it keeps growing.

• Internet Quality: 75 today, 87 in 2035(Our forecast)

  The share of people online keeps rising everywhere, fastest where it is lowest.

• Tax Friendliness: 51 today, 51 in 2035(Held at today)

  Tax law changes by political decision, not by trend, so we hold today's value.

Weather and climate

Winters average 0.1°C, and 14 days a year reach 30°C.

Year-round average

9.6°C

Winter average

0.1°C

coldest three months

Days of 30°C or more

14

a year

Humidity

81%

yearly average

Earthquakes, magnitude 5+

0

within 100 km, 1976–2025

The median of 10 climate models is +0.8°C by 2035 on the middle-road scenario, with 3 more days of 30°C a year. Climate resilience moves from 91 to 88.

Sources: NASA POWER (MERRA-2) (2020–2024) · CMIP6 ensemble via Copernicus CDS (2030–2039 vs 2015–2024) · ND-GAIN Country Index + NASA POWER (MERRA-2) (2024, 2020–2024) · USGS ComCat (1976–2025)

Cost of living

The average person here spends €1,210 a month. A single worker on the average wage keeps €1,567 after tax.

Monthly spend

€1,210

average per person

Price level

70

EU average = 100

House prices

+117%

over the last ten years

Can't heat their home

3.2%

of households

Rent, 2-bed flat

€1,300

in Warsaw; Kraków is not surveyed · 1-bed €840, 3-bed €1,850

Local income level

70%

of the EU average, this region

Unemployment

2.8%

Małopolskie

Our forecast puts a month at about €1,410 by 2035, in today's money. Prices here sit below the US level and tend to rise as incomes catch up. House prices rose 117% in ten years, which adds pressure.

Sources: World Bank WDI (2025) · OECD Taxing Wages + World Bank WDI (2025) · Eurostat prc_colc_rents (2025) · Eurostat prc_ppp_ind (2024) · Eurostat prc_hpi_a (2015→2025) · Eurostat ilc_mdes01 (2025) · Eurostat nama_10r_2gdp (2024) · Eurostat lfst_r_lfu3rt (2025)

Safety and healthcare

Safety scores 85 and healthcare 77, out of 100.

Homicides

0.8

per 100,000 people a year

Political stability

78/100

Life expectancy

79.6

years at birth, Małopolskie

Hospital beds

6.2

per 1,000 people, Małopolskie

Health spending

$3,939

per person a year (PPP)

Paid out of pocket

16%

of all health spending

Healthcare is held at 77. We have no trend for its spending, life expectancy and out-of-pocket mix we can defend yet, so today's value is shown. Safety is held at 85: crime and politics follow no trend we can project.

Sources: World Bank WDI (2023) · World Bank WGI (2025) · Eurostat demo_r_mlifexp (2024) · Eurostat hlth_rs_bdsrg2 (2024) · World Bank WDI (2024)

Everyday life

Walkability scores 100 of 100: most errands work on foot.

Walkability

100/100

Within 1 km

5,283

shops, cafés and services

Fine dust (PM2.5)

14.5

µg/m³; WHO advises under 5

Wind

3.9 m/s

yearly average

Sources: OpenStreetMap (Overpass) (2026-10) · CAMS EAC4 via Copernicus ADS (2025) · OpenAQ (2025) · NASA POWER (MERRA-2) (2020–2024)

Children and schools

Full-time childcare for two small children costs about €148 a month after public support, 7% of an average wage.

Childcare for two

€148

a month after support, national, 2026

Fees before support

€194

a month, two children full-time

Childcare, share of a wage

7%

of one average wage, after support

Under-3s in childcare

21%

part- or full-time

Sources: OECD net childcare costs + World Bank WDI (2026) · OECD net childcare costs (2026) · Eurostat ilc_caindformal (2025)

Connection and community

4.5% of residents were born abroad, and internet scores 75 of 100.

People online

89%

Home broadband

25

lines per 100 people

Born abroad

4.5%

of residents

Our forecast moves internet from 75 to 87 and international community from 43 to 48 by 2035. The share of residents born abroad has been growing in most countries, and we assume it keeps growing.

Sources: World Bank WDI (2024)

Visas and tax

47% of the world's passports can enter without a visa arranged in advance.

Visa-free entry

47%

of the world's passports

Tax on an average wage

24.4%

6.6% income tax + 17.8% social security

Kept each month

€1,567

single, of €2,074 average gross pay

Kept each month, family

€2,069

one earner, two children

Tax take

17.4%

of the economy (GDP)

Tax friendliness

51/100

Both are held at today's values for 2035: visa and tax rules change by political decision, not by trend.

Sources: Passport Index dataset (current) · World Bank WDI (2024) · OECD Taxing Wages (2025) · OECD Taxing Wages + World Bank WDI (2025)

Not in this report yet

We would rather say so than guess. Check these before you decide.

• Rents in Kraków itself (the rent shown is Warsaw's), and the price of a square metre
• Residence routes for investors, students and families, and how long each permit takes to get
• Income tax bands, and tax regimes for newcomers
• School fees, and childcare costs in this city rather than the country
• What a family would keep at your own salary

Where every number comes from

• NASA POWER (MERRA-2) 2020–2024
• CMIP6 ensemble via Copernicus CDS 2030–2039 vs 2015–2024
• ND-GAIN Country Index + NASA POWER (MERRA-2) 2024, 2020–2024
• USGS ComCat 1976–2025
• World Bank WDI 2025
• OECD Taxing Wages + World Bank WDI 2025
• Eurostat prc_colc_rents 2025
• Eurostat prc_ppp_ind 2024
• Eurostat prc_hpi_a 2015→2025
• Eurostat ilc_mdes01 2025
• Eurostat nama_10r_2gdp 2024
• Eurostat lfst_r_lfu3rt 2025
• World Bank WDI 2023
• World Bank WGI 2025
• Eurostat demo_r_mlifexp 2024
• Eurostat hlth_rs_bdsrg2 2024
• World Bank WDI 2024
• OpenStreetMap (Overpass) 2026-10
• CAMS EAC4 via Copernicus ADS 2025
• OpenAQ 2025
• OECD net childcare costs + World Bank WDI 2026
• OECD net childcare costs 2026
• Eurostat ilc_caindformal 2025
• Passport Index dataset current
• OECD Taxing Wages 2025
• World Bank WDI + World Bank WGI 2023, 2025
• Wikidata (local facts, CC0) 2026-10-12
• Nager.Date (public holidays) 2026
• Where Tomorrow forecast (trend rates on the methodology page) October 2026