Poland Travel Money Guide

The official Polish currency is the Polish Złoty, which is usually shortened to ‘PLN’. The symbol zł is also used in shops and restaurants. Although currencies fluctuate in value constantly, at the time of writing this guide 1 PLN was worth around 20p.

Poland is a member of the European Union (EU) and so some of the rules in the country apply to all other countries within the EU. However, it does not use or accept the Euro as currency.

The rules around bringing cash into Poland are the same as any other EU country. If you plan to bring in more than €10,000 (43,182 PLN), you’ll need to declare this money when you enter the country.  

Post the communist era, Poland is much more aligned with Western values. And when it comes to money, debit and credit cards will be accepted in most places. However, it’s always worth having some local currency with you to pay for things like taxis, tipping, or other small items. 

You can withdraw money from an ATM when you get to Poland or if you’d rather be more prepared (and tick one more thing off your list) you can also exchange your pounds in advance. At John Lewis Money you can buy currency online with next-day home delivery or click and collect at any John Lewis or Waitrose.

Exchange rates online may vary from those offered in-store. Online orders require a minimum online order of £250 for home delivery and Click and Collect. Orders placed before before 3pm will be eligible for next day home delivery

You’ll find the cost of living in Poland more affordable than in the UK and most things are cheaper. However, this will depend on where you’re going and what you’re doing. In the larger cities, such as the capital Warsaw, things are more expensive. 

Here we’ve looked at average prices you can expect to pay if you’re visiting Warsaw, Krakow or Lodz.

The information above is correct as of 2 May 2024. Data sourced from numbeo.com. Note that prices are subject to seasonal and inflationary fluctuations.

Poland charges a tourist tax of around 2.17 PLN to people staying for longer than a day and this is usually added to a hotel stay. You’ll need to pay the extra which applies to each person, per night, usually when you check in.

Many countries apply a tourist tax to visitors and this money usually goes towards local councils to pay for things like infrastructure or green spaces.

When it comes to eating out in Poland, you’re spoilt for choice. There are plenty of places for more classic eastern cuisine while many restaurants are now experimenting with modern interpretations of more traditional dishes. 

A three-course meal for two people at a mid-priced restaurant will set you back around 160 PLN, which is around half the cost you would pay in the UK. If you’re stopping for a coffee before heading out to a museum, you can expect to pay around 13 PLN for a cappuccino, according to Numbeo. 

The information above is correct as of 17 July 2024. Data sourced from numbeo.com. Note that prices are subject to seasonal and inflationary fluctuations.

Tipping in Poland is a bit like tipping in the UK, it’s not expected but if you do receive good service you can leave around 10% of the total price. This applies in restaurants, so for a meal worth 160 PLN you could leave an extra 16 PLN. If the service is exceptional – up to 20% or 25% could be left.

For taxis or tipping in cafes, bars, or in a hotel, again there’s no expectation to leave a tip but most people will usually round up the bill if they’re happy with the service. If a taxi was 8PLN, for example, you could round it up to 10 PLN.

This is where it’s handy to have some local currency to leave, although you may also be able to add a tip if paying by card. If you haven’t sorted your money out yet, you can get next-day currency delivery with John Lewis when you place your online order before 3pm. You also won’t pay delivery costs if you’re ordering over £500 worth of currency.