Salary to Rent Calculator

What Percentage of Your Salary Should Go to Rent in Poland?

Your rent-to-income ratio is one of the most important indicators of financial health when living in Poland. If too much of your salary goes to housing, you will struggle to cover food, transport, savings, and the occasional night out. This calculator helps you see exactly where you stand relative to recommended benchmarks and how your ratio compares across different Polish cities.

In Poland, the average rent-to-income ratio sits around 25-35% for workers in major cities. However, this varies significantly by profession and location. IT professionals in Warsaw with net salaries of 12,000-18,000 PLN have comfortable ratios under 20%, while entry-level employees earning 4,500-5,500 PLN net may find that rent in the capital consumes 40% or more of their income. Understanding your ratio helps you decide whether to share, relocate to a cheaper city, or negotiate a higher salary.

Polish employers and landlords increasingly reference the 30% rule when evaluating tenants. Some landlords require proof that your income is at least three times the rent amount. Knowing your rent-to-income ratio before apartment hunting prepares you for these conversations and ensures you target properties within your realistic budget.

• Aim to keep total housing costs (rent + czynsz administracyjny + media) under 30% of your net salary.
• If your ratio exceeds 35%, sharing an apartment is the fastest way to bring it back to a healthy level.
• Compare your ratio across cities — moving from Warsaw to Krakow or Wroclaw can drop it by 5-10 percentage points.
• When switching jobs in Poland, use this calculator to evaluate whether a salary offer supports your desired lifestyle in a given city.