Quick answer
The average asking rent for a flat in Poland’s regional capitals is about 3,570 zł a month (August 2026). Warsaw is in a league of its own at around 4,900 zł; the Tricity, Kraków and Wrocław sit near 3,100–3,300 zł; Katowice and Łódź near 2,250–2,350 zł. In the big cities rents are slightly lower than a year ago. Expect to pay a deposit (by law at most 12 months’ rent for a standard lease), plus a building fee and utilities on top of the advertised rent unless the listing says they are included.
Rent by city
Average asking rents on Otodom, Poland’s largest property portal, in August 2026, in złoty per month. Asking prices are what landlords advertise; the agreed rent can be lower.
| City | Average asking rent (zł/month) | Change vs August 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Warsaw | 4,900 | −2.3% |
| Tricity (Gdańsk, Gdynia, Sopot) | 3,276 | −2.2% |
| Kraków | 3,170 | −5.1% |
| Wrocław | 3,084 | −3.6% |
| Szczecin | 2,810 | −2.9% |
| Poznań | 2,642 | −1.5% |
| Lublin | 2,561 | −2.1% |
| Rzeszów | 2,481 | −5.1% |
| Katowice | 2,337 | −1.2% |
| Łódź | 2,251 | −0.5% |
Rents have been fairly flat over the past year, and in every big city above they are slightly lower than in August 2025. They move with the seasons: asking rents rise in early summer and before the academic year, when students look for flats. In the Tricity, flats switching to short-term holiday letting push rents up in summer.
What you pay on top of rent
- Building fee (czynsz administracyjny or opłaty do wspólnoty/spółdzielni): paid to the building’s management and often covering water, heating and rubbish collection. Listings may show it separately, as in “3,000 zł + 600 zł opłaty”.
- Electricity and gas: usually paid by the tenant on actual use.
- Internet: sometimes included, often a separate contract.
- Agency fee: if you rent through an agent, ask about the fee before the viewing. Many flats are let directly by owners, with no fee.
Before you compare offers, ask each landlord for the total monthly cost and what it includes.
Three types of rental contract
| Contract | Who offers it | Deposit limit | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard lease (najem) | Any landlord | 12 × monthly rent | Strong tenant protection; the simplest to sign |
| Occasional lease (najem okazjonalny) | Private owners not renting as a business | 6 × monthly rent | Fixed term of up to 10 years; you sign a notarised statement accepting eviction and name another address you could move to |
| Institutional lease (najem instytucjonalny) | Companies renting flats as a business | 6 × monthly rent | Similar to the occasional lease; common with build-to-rent developments |
The occasional lease can be difficult for newcomers: you must name another flat you could move to if evicted and attach written consent from its owner. If you cannot, ask the landlord for a standard lease. The landlord must also report an occasional lease to the tax office within 14 days.
Deposit
- The law caps it at 12 months’ rent for a standard lease and 6 months’ rent for occasional and institutional leases. Landlords rarely ask for the maximum, so agree the amount and write it into the contract.
- The landlord must return it within one month of you moving out, minus what you still owe for rent or other amounts due under the lease.
How to search and avoid scams
- Search the big portals: Otodom and OLX. Filter by district, size and “available from”.
- View the flat in person or by live video call before paying anything.
- Ask to see proof that the person renting it out owns the flat or has the right to let it.
- Sign a written contract, with a handover report (protokół zdawczo-odbiorczy) listing meter readings, keys, furniture and existing damage, ideally with photos.
- Pay the deposit by bank transfer, not cash, and only after signing.
A flat far below the prices in the table above, a landlord who is “abroad” and cannot meet you, and pressure to pay a reservation fee quickly are the classic signs of a scam.
Last checked: 16 October 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice; for a disputed contract, talk to a lawyer or your city’s tenant advice service.
Sources
- Otodom: rental market in August 2026 (in Polish)
- Bankier.pl: asking rents in June 2026, based on Otodom data (in Polish)
- Tenant protection act, art. 6: deposit (in Polish)
- Tenant protection act, chapter 2a: occasional lease (in Polish)
- Otodom: standard, occasional and institutional leases compared (in Polish)