Job Discussion Forums

[waxwing]

As an EU citizen, if I were to come live in Poland for let's say 1 year, how much would I need to spend to rent a modest apartment in a medium sized city?
I have heard that living costs (like rent) have gone up quite dramatically in recent years, but note that I'm specifically looking to avoid the most expensive parts of the country. I would need good internet access but not very high quality accommodation. A small expat "scene" would be nice, i.e. not the only foreigner in town.

This is all quite speculative, I have been to Poland before (Rzeszow, on the way to Lvov..) for a few days, but know little about the country. Although I have learnt quite a bit of Russian, I don't know Polish and I don't really have any contacts.

I'm planning a scouting mission in February (yes, I'll wrap up warm ) so just in the information gathering stage here.

Rather than bother people with silly questions, I'd like to read ... I've read a good number of posts on here, but was wondering if there were any other Poland expats forums/fora on the web where people discuss the practicalities of everyday living ..?

[hrvatski]

The Polish Forums are pretty active: http://www.polishforums.com/everyday-life-7/

I don't know how much rent is in medium sized cities, though it wouldn't be all that much, just like your wages. I figure Opole would be a pretty cool place to live if not going the big city route. That or somewhere up on the coast, so you can vary things up by catching a ferry to Sweden, Estonia or Finalnd now and then. Plus the weather is a little more moderate up there.

[Master Shake]

Gdansk is nice. I taught there for about a year and liked it. It's not a big city, but big enough to have a small expat scene. Other teachers and I used to meet a few times a week to play cards, pool, etc.

I don't think you'd find a flat near the center there for less than 1000 zl/month, probably closer to 1500.

Others might disagree with me on this, but teaching full time you'd likely earn in the 3000-4000 zl/month range. So you wouldnt save much with nearly half your income going to rent.

[hrvatski]

Of course you can always rent a room in a rat hole outside the centre for 500zł a month

[waxwing]

Thanks guys. Your answers agree with what I've seen elsewhere. Poland seems very poor value for money on rent, would you agree? There is a similar effect in some other parts of Eastern Europe.
1500 is over 500USD, and the problem is I doubt that the quality would be anything good. Well I'll keep looking into things. Thanks again.

[dynow]

[scottie1113]

I disagree that Poland offers poor value for the money spent, at least here in Gdansk. I pay less in US dollars to rent a nice flat, much cheaper than when I lived near San Diego. I have a two room flat, maybe 50m, in the Old Town. I'm 5 minutes from school and my favorite bars and can walk anywhere in 10 minutes. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else and I'm going to try to buy it next year.

[Master Shake]

[dynow]

[Scawie]

[scottie1113]

True. Actually I earned more than that, but that was before I came to Poland and started earning that wonderful teacher's salary. My flat costs about 25% of my nett take home pay, not including private lessons, and I rent a room to a student, so it's even less than that now. Still, as Shake knows, the location is primo and to me it's worth every zloty, and in January her boyfriend's going to move in with her so then it'll only cost me 500 zl plus half the utilities. Can't beat that for a nice flat in Old Town.

I had to walk five minutes to get to my first lesson. I was SO tired after that hike.

[dynow]

[Scawie]

[bookishbloke]

How come so many Americans seem to be teaching in Poland? Aren't there enough British/Irish teachers?

[scottie1113]