Kraków vs Warsaw (and Wrocław) is the choice most developers moving to Poland end up making. The short answer: Warsaw has the most English-speaking tech jobs and the highest advertised salaries. Kraków is the second-largest tech hub, with average pay close to Warsaw’s. Wrocław is smaller, with fewer jobs on our board and lower average wages. All three work in English at the companies we list.
On 16 October 2026, Poland Dev Jobs listed 1,065 open tech jobs in Warsaw, 496 in Kraków and 191 in Wrocław. Pick your city by the offer first, then by rent, commute and the kind of city you’d like to live in.
The three cities at a glance
| Warsaw | Kraków | Wrocław | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (end of 2025) | 1,866,729 | 816,614 | 672,601 |
| Average gross monthly wage, 2025 (all jobs) | PLN 11,677.57 | PLN 11,404.02 | PLN 10,147.90 |
| Open tech jobs on Poland Dev Jobs (16 Oct 2026) | 1,065 | 496 | 191 |
| Companies hiring on Poland Dev Jobs (16 Oct 2026) | 163 | 55 | 31 |
| Median advertised salary (Oct 2026 report) | PLN 282,600 a year (164 ads) | PLN 237,500 a year (52 ads) | Too few ads with a salary |
| Typical posted range (city page) | PLN 154k to 517k a year | PLN 132k to 427k a year | Not enough data |
Sources: population and wages from the GUS Local Data Bank (city counties, variables “ludność ogółem” and “przeciętne miesięczne wynagrodzenia brutto”); job counts from our city pages on 16 October 2026; medians from our October 2026 report.
Our salary figures come from the 15% of ads that state a salary. They show what employers advertise, not what everyone earns. Read them as a guide, not a promise.
Jobs: where the English-speaking roles are
Warsaw is the clear leader. In our October 2026 report, Warsaw had 34% of the 3,152 live jobs on the board, Kraków 15% and Wrocław 6%. Katowice (6%), Gdańsk, Poznań and Łódź (2% each) follow.
The number of employers differs even more than the number of jobs. On 16 October 2026 our Warsaw jobs came from 163 companies, Kraków’s from 55 and Wrocław’s from 31. A few large employers account for many of the Kraków and Wrocław jobs, so one company’s hiring freeze matters more there.
The stacks also differ a little. The technologies our city pages listed first on 16 October 2026 were:
- Warsaw: Python, AWS, Azure, SQL and Kubernetes, with LLMs and TypeScript in the top twelve.
- Kraków: Python, Azure, AWS, Java and Kubernetes, with C++ in the top ten.
- Wrocław: Python, AWS, Java, SQL and Azure, with SAP and Salesforce in the top twelve.
If you work in a niche stack, the number of employers matters more than the city. Search by technology, for example Java jobs in Kraków or Python jobs in Warsaw, before you commit to a move.
All three cities have plenty of jobs that don’t need Polish: 3,145 of the 3,152 jobs in the October report were in English without asking for Polish. Our guide to getting a tech job in Poland without Polish has tips for the search.
Salaries: is Warsaw worth the premium?
Advertised salaries are higher in Warsaw. The median advertised salary was PLN 282,600 a year in Warsaw against PLN 237,500 in Kraków in our October report, about 19% higher. Wrocław had fewer than 5 ads with a salary, so we can’t give a median.
Average wages across all jobs tell a similar but softer story. In 2025, GUS reported PLN 11,677.57 a month in Warsaw, PLN 11,404.02 in Kraków and PLN 10,147.90 in Wrocław. So Kraków’s gap to Warsaw is small across the whole economy, and Wrocław is about 13% below Warsaw.
Two things change the picture:
- Contract type. Many tech offers come as B2B, where you invoice instead of earning a gross salary. See B2B vs UoP before you compare offers.
- Tax. The same gross pays the same tax in every city. Use the salary after tax calculator to compare take-home pay.
For a full salary picture, read software developer salaries in Poland.
Cost of living: what differs between the cities
Rent is where the cities differ most, and it’s also where prices change fastest. We don’t publish an average rent, because one figure hides huge differences by district and flat size. Compare live listings in the districts you’d consider.
Some useful official numbers:
- Prices overall: consumer prices in Poland were 4.1% higher in September 2026 than a year earlier. Services rose 5.3% and goods 3.6% (GUS). These are national figures.
- Flat prices: residential property prices rose 6.3% year on year in the second quarter of 2026 (GUS). GUS doesn’t give a city split in that release.
Public transport passes
| Kraków | Wrocław | Warsaw | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly pass for residents who pay tax locally | PLN 99 (city zone, with Karta Krakowska) | PLN 90 (30 days, all lines, Nasz Wrocław) | Check wtp.waw.pl |
| Standard monthly pass | PLN 193 (Bilet Metropolitalny, zone I) | PLN 110 (30 days, all lines) | Check wtp.waw.pl |
| Single ticket | PLN 6 (30 minutes) | PLN 4.60 (one ride) | Check wtp.waw.pl |
Sources: ZTP Kraków, City of Wrocław. Warsaw’s operator site, wtp.waw.pl, lists current fares.
Both Kraków and Wrocław reward you for filing your income tax in the city with cheaper passes. In Kraków you need the Karta Krakowska status; in Wrocław, the Nasz Wrocław programme. Ask about this when you register your address.
Our guides on the cost of living in Kraków and Warsaw go into more detail.
Living there: the practical differences
Warsaw is the capital and by far the largest city, with more than twice Kraków’s population. On our board it has three times as many hiring companies as Kraków, so it’s the easiest place to change jobs without moving. A bigger city also means more districts to choose from, and longer commutes if you live far from the centre.
Kraków has about 817,000 people. It’s the second tech hub on our board, but its jobs come from fewer companies, so check who is hiring in your field before you move. A smaller city usually means shorter distances between home and office.
Wrocław is the smallest of the three, at about 673,000 people. With 191 jobs from 31 companies on our board, it suits you best if you already have an offer or a remote job.
Whichever city you pick, register your address. Non-EU citizens must register within 4 days of arriving, and EU citizens within 30 days (gov.pl). Our relocation checklist covers the other first steps.
Which city should you choose?
- You want the most options, or you’re job hunting after you arrive: Warsaw. It has more than twice as many English-speaking tech jobs as Kraków on our board.
- You want a large tech scene in a smaller city: Kraków. Average wages are close to Warsaw’s.
- You already have an offer or a remote job: any of the three. Compare rent and transport for your district.
- You’re on a work permit or Blue Card: your employer decides your city, so focus on the offer. See EU Blue Card and work permits.
Not sure yet? 36% of the jobs in our October report were fully remote. Browse remote jobs and choose the city later.
What about Gdańsk, Katowice and Poznań?
They’re real options too. In our October 2026 report, Katowice had 194 jobs, about as many as Wrocław. Gdańsk had 75, Poznań 74 and Łódź 53. See jobs in Katowice, Gdańsk and Poznań.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kraków or Warsaw better for expats working in tech?
Warsaw has more English-speaking tech jobs and higher advertised salaries: 1,065 open jobs on our board on 16 October 2026, against 496 in Kraków. Kraków is smaller, and its average wage across all jobs was close to Warsaw’s in 2025. If you’re still job hunting, Warsaw gives you more options; if you have an offer, compare rent and commute.
Wrocław or Kraków: which is better for developers?
Kraków has more than twice as many English-speaking tech jobs on our board (496 against 191 on 16 October 2026) and a higher average wage: PLN 11,404.02 a month in 2025, against PLN 10,147.90 in Wrocław. Wrocław can suit you well if you already have an offer there or work remotely.
What is the best city in Poland for expats?
There’s no single answer, but for tech jobs in English, Warsaw has the most choice, followed by Kraków. Together they had about half of the 3,152 live jobs in our October 2026 report. Wrocław, Katowice, Gdańsk and Poznań have smaller but active tech scenes.
Are salaries higher in Warsaw than in Kraków?
Yes, on average. The median advertised salary on our board was PLN 282,600 a year in Warsaw and PLN 237,500 in Kraków in October 2026. Across all jobs, GUS put the 2025 average gross wage at PLN 11,677.57 a month in Warsaw and PLN 11,404.02 in Kraków.
Do I need to speak Polish to work in Warsaw, Kraków or Wrocław?
Not at the companies we list. In our October 2026 report, 3,145 of 3,152 jobs were in English without asking for Polish. Polish helps with daily life, such as renting a flat or dealing with offices, but it isn’t needed for these jobs.