Cost of living in Lodz

You can live a fairly good life for little money in Lodz, the city once had its a boom, and today it is attracting a lot of online business so it is on the rise. Poland, in general, has a cheap living cost, and Lodz is no different. 

A little background of the history of the city

Łódź first appears in written records in 1332 under the name of Łodzia. In 1423 King Władysław Jagiełło grants city rights to the village of Łódź.

Napoleon’s march eastward sees his army greeted as liberators and in 1806 the town is incorporated into the Duchy of Warsaw. Napoleon’s subsequent disastrous campaign in Russia sees his troops return to France in tatters and in 1815 Łódź becomes part of the Russian-controlled Congress of Poland.

The huge gaps in living standards between the rich and the poor come to a head in 1905 when the city is plunged into open revolution. Over 300 workers and protestors are killed as the Tsarist police force regain control of the city. By the outbreak of WWI Łódź rates as one of the most densely populated cities on the planet with a population of approximately 13,000 people per square kilometre. 1915 sees the city come under German occupation though three years later the end of the war restores Polish independence. The city loses nearly over 40% of its population owing to the post-war worldwide influenza epidemic and a huge social migration of its German inhabitants. In 1922 the city becomes the capital of the Łódź Voivodship but the city’s golden age has drawn to a close. Łódź’s textile trade faces collapse after losing both Russian and German markets and strikes and civil unrest become a feature of inter-war Łódź. In 1939 when Nazi Germany launches an attack on Poland’s military posts on Westerplatte. Łódź holds out until September 8.

From 1945 onward Poland falls under the Soviet sphere of influence. With much of the capital, Warsaw, in ruins, Łódź is used as Poland’s temporary capital until 1948. In 1947 the Communists consolidate a political monopoly after rigged elections. Businesses are nationalised including huge factories in Łódź most considerably the Manufaktura complex which was renamed Poltex. The emphasis on quality, which had been the hallmark of Łódz’s textile industry, was replaced by an emphasis on quantity and most of the goods produced here – primarily cotton – were shipped off to the Soviet Union.

After the Soviet Unions breakdown, the industry has been moved out of the city, but buildings still stand and remind us that Lodz was once a vibrant industrial and rich city.

Apartment 

If you move to Lodz and you would like to rent a place for yourself you need to know that a one-bedroom apartment in the centre of the city is around 350€, while outside of the city it’s around 290€. If it is the first time living abroad, or you are new to the city having a flatmate could be helping you gain new friends and get to know the area faster. You could rent a room in a shared apartment, a room in the Lodz area starts from 100€. 

Food and Drinks

For daily shopping, as you should calculate with these prices one litre of milk is 0.53€, a half kilogram of bread is 0.61€, a 1.5 litre of water is 0.42€. If you would like to have a bottle of wine in the evening while you are watching a movie it costs around 4.41€. 

Transport

You can buy a monthly pass for buses, and trams that cost 20€ each month. If you would like to travel by car the gasoline price is around 1.09€ for a litre. The other way to travel is going by cab which is for the long term can be pretty expensive. A taxi start price is 1.32€ and after that, for each kilometre, you will pay 0.44€.  Like many other places, it is possible to use über in Lodz, and the price comes cheaper than the standard taxi. 

Fun & Freetime

If you like to go to the gym you need to know that a monthly pass for it costs 24.66€. If you like to go to the movies, Poland and quick releases on new movies and a cinema ticket’s price is only 5.73€. To go out and eat at a restaurant’s meal price costs starts around 4.41€. To have a cup of coffee in a cafe you should calculate with 1.70€ for a cappuccino. Besides that, a beer price in a bar costs 1.76€. Lodz is located in a beautiful landscape and its outdoor activities, like hiking and biking and mountain tours, is highly recommended, and not expensive at all. The city holds many gems and a private tour to see all its secrets is a great way to get a feeling of the historical town. You are in Poland, and we recommend a Vodka tasting whilst you are there! 

If you, like us, are slowly falling in love with Lodz, see all the jobs HERE