American family moving to Poland - looking for advise!

Hi Ann77,

Welcome to Expat.com!

Thank you for this introduction.

All the best,
Christine

.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/comparison.jsp

Please find hereby some information which could help you :

1. How easy/difficult is it to get around and get by in Warsaw without being able to speak Polish? With English you can get already lot of things done, it's really not that bad
2. Are there English speaking doctors/hospitals? Depends, if you choose to go to public (I really don't recommend)English will not be possible.  I have private insurance(Medicover), but there are lot of similar private doctors/hospitals
3. What are the best/safest/convenient to the American school areas to live in? Preferably, with not too bad of a commute to Srod-Miescie (city center) area for my husband's job... How much should we expect to pay for a 3 bedroom apartment there? I think in Ursynow is a good area to find a school, but I don't have experience.  However concerning safety, Warsaw is very safe in my opinion (compared to Brussels which is completely not)
4. Do most apartments for rent come furnished or unfinished? Mixed
5. Would we need to buy a car to get around? Really depends, I think the metro line is really good, but like for shoppings a car is more practical
6. Cost of living :  I can not really judge, have no children.  But maybe this website can help you for comparison :.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/comparison.jsp

About Polish language, indeed it is difficult, but it is also possible of course to learn, don't be afraid to make mistakes
I'm here for 10 years, and it's nice here.

Best regards

Koen

Unable to give you very specific advice, I'd just suggest to you and your family that you look forward to enjoying a pleasant city and great country. From my experience many people willingly speak English in Warsaw, to the point where it can be difficult sometimes to practise the Polish you learn. On the other hand, any "survival Polish" will be invaluable.

Doctors are so used to dealing with foreigners here, privately but competently and relatively inexpensively, that the government is promoting "medical tourism". The dentist I go to (granted, outside of Warsaw), at under $50 a visit, is as capable as any I've encountered.

When it comes to controlling costs, it's worth shopping around for services and goods -- much more so than in London or New York. It's not that many people will rip you off (everywhere, a few do) but sometimes you may feel that you're being obliged to pay for something expensive you haven't really asked for. I wouldn't order wine at a seemingly moderately-priced restaurant without being very clear about the price; otherwise, you'll be billed for 200 zl/bottle when you would have been happy with two glasses of house wine at 12 zl. each. Do not let a travel agent sell you first-class train tickets (sometimes an advantage, sometimes not really) unless you tell them to. However, most things are good value, and not just value for money.