help me to understand more about Krakow

Hello Gajanana.
Depending upon your lifestyle, earning above 8K zloty net should be good enough to save some money.
I have seen indian restaurants but not many indian people around, not sure if they could be in some particular area of the city but my bet is that there are not many. The fact that Krakow is a very touristic city and there are many universities gather some asians around but don't recall particularly bumping into indian people.
Poland is much safer than India, you should not really be even thinking or worried about this aspect. Have always heard rumors of polish people being racist but have always found them very welcoming (I'm latin).
CONS: Tap water in Krakow is unsafe to drink but you fix this via a normal filter. There is air pollution. Language barrier (most young people speak English but older generation doesn't speak that much and polish is a Slavic language), really cold winters.
PROS: Beautiful city, nice people, very well connected (you can travel around Europe), a lot of nice cafeterias and restaurants, easy to move around with local transport, cultural activities and many things to see (no wonder it's a touristic key spot).

Hi Gajanana Shenoy,

Welcome to Expat.com!

I have created a new topic as from your post on the Krakow forum.

Hi Mr. Shenoy,
You've already got some reply regarding your post.
I will write just about Indian comunity and cost of living here.
There are few Indians living in Krakow so we don't have any of our cultural activites here. That only possible in Warszawa.
Thr Indian restaurant here are can be called half Nepalees.
If you want to move here with family you must have a sound salary of 2000 euro every month.
Life here are secure than some state of India. I was in Bangalore before so is not that bad as people have an image about India.
Here Life is controlled by the administrations unless it could be worst than India. Everywhere police is walking to find a offense and put penalty on that. Evey point you have some hidden cost of life what they never narrate any where. when you have money you can have good life without that there is no value of people.
I won't say they are racist but there are not so open minded as well.
English could be a medium in major city but not everywhere. In Govt. offices like police, hospital, post, Tax office, munipal building, Train, Bus we still have difficulties in communication than polish language.
While you work in a multinational invironment you may not have that problem of communication comparing out in general.
Weather here is much cooler than India as you know.
Krakow is a historical city.
There are many Ancient and historical Spot all over in Poland to visit.

Hello Sujoy,

Thank you very very much for your response. Can you also help me to answer some of below questions?

1.    What is the average rent for house in Krakow?
2.    Do we need to give advance money before we rent the house? As you know in Bangalore we need to provide 10 months rent as advance
3.    What would be approximate cost for food per month (3 people. me, wife and small kid)
4.    Do we have Indian stores from where we can get groceries?
5.    What will be the approximate cost for monthly transport?
6.    Is public transport good ? I too live in Bangalore. So comparison would be great.
7.    How about medical stuffs? advanced? Costly?
8.    How is education there? (My son is 6 months old and I do not have any plans to stay back for more than 3 years. If in case if I need to extend, then I would like to know the education level there)

I know these are too many questions, however response will really help me. I can also call you if you are comfortable. Please let me know.

Sincerely,
Gajanana Shenoy

Dear Mr. Shenoy,
It's nice to hear from you.
The required answers are bellow:
1. Average cost of rental flat from 40 m2 to 60 m2 sometimes 70 m2 depends on interior decoration and Internal condition of the flat will be 1500 - 2000 PLN (500€) Max, if you would like to live very near by City. That also depends upon your company location. If you don't wanna travel long everyday!
Miss some other cost: Electricity - It depends how much you have load a month ( an idea in flat as you require, would be 50€ amonth)
Water: Just for external use 15 € min
Gas: Depends city connection or bottle Gas. Just to give an Idea, The bottle gas we use in India cost here 15 € a bottle, avilable always in Gas station. But city gas supply is much cheaper. You need to keep in mind before you rent the flat about this setup.
Warming: You know Poland has strong winter like kashmir. sometimes some flats have warming inc. sometime they have on the tenant head. which is supply by the Building administration. cost is unkown.

Q2. Advance of course ! We're in 21st century, money talks everywhere. Sorry for that expre......
If you get rent from a real estate agent then they will charge 1 month rent as there part of involvement+ 2 or 3 months Advance+ A rent for the month in advace as soon you start the contract.


Q3. "Cut your coat according you sail" from that its all depends on your life style. If you don't like to cook at home and want to try all kinds of restaurant in krakow , please be my guest.
Jokes apart, I don't have any child yet but I can realize every parents have to keep a modest budget for the first 3 years. sometimes we adult could survive with less than a child everyday needs.

Q4. Indian shop its just kind a bit of something better than nothing. Any way we don't have any other option. In Canada or Uk, I could get anything on demand even more cheaper than here.If you like Rice then you have limited options. ex . 1 -2 kinds parboiled. and 1-2 kinds simple Basmati they called in 400gm/500gm/1 kg pack. Sometime they sale 5kg bag if we are lucky. 2€ per kilo that kind of Basmati by the way.
If you like fish that is also most limited. To buy big size of prawns or Shrimps, fresh crabs, kalamari or seabass; it is the same dream to go for a dive everyday under the sea.
Most polish doesn't know what is the test of sea food. There are some frozen stuff in this category in general super market. In fruits and Vegetable market have also limitation than ours in India. Only some exception in Cherry, Black berry, Rossbery, Strawberry they grow here in poland.

Q5. If you ask about Public transport there are Bus, Tram and Taxi.Train for long distance. City bus or Tram you can get monthly Ticket according your needs. That would be 50- 60 € monthly a person.
Q6. Public transports are avilable everyday on the clock. But while you got Family and Kids its more better idea to have a car which is not expensive like India,also the energy cost are less here. Ohh I get myself lost to drive in Indian street and everyday Traffic. I never get in public transport service here but what I saw its always empty comparing there. Except some vacation time the trains run with 50-60% occupied.

Q7. While you have a kid, Be sure you must have a complete family insurance pack. I can't explain here.

Q8. If you don't have a long term plan to stay here then you can send your child to Kids Garden. It won't be similar at all like India. problem, less interest of English medium. And also they are not so serious about education like us. Sometimes I wonder while I saw kids in my friends and community here, also I get curicious to ask them when and how many hours they study at home! Kids untill higher level except some reputed University they expend more time in Entertainment than study. And some of them has to assist there expenses themself by partime job, so you can imagine working whole week and obtain a BTech degree by att. the lesson in weekend or at night class.
Probably it will give you some more Idea for your next approch.
An end till here.
Best Regards

Hello Sujoy, Thank you very very much for the detailed answers. They are really helpful.

Hello Gajanana,

Few comments from my side:
Q2 - there are many websides where you can find a flat without help of real estate agent, thus you can save a lot of money, as owner of flat will not take more than 1 month advance or even less. If you decide to come I'd advice you to book hotel for a few days and take a look (sometimes companies help in that while hiring but I may help with contacting owners if you require, as not everyone is speaking english so eagerly here - even if then know, they often shy to use it).

Q4 - we are buying Indian stuff from online shop in Warsaw. The one we prefer is called Little India, you may google it you will see avarage prices, but there are many other as well. Anyway you must be aware that Indian food is much more expensive than polish one.

Q5 - to be exact - monthly city ticket for adult is 89 PLN and you may use it for all city buses and trams within the city. Buses are sometimes quite crowdy, but connections are really good.

Q7 - I fully agree with previous comment. Without private care it would be nightmare  for foreigner to use public hospitals. However nowdays most of the companies offer private healthcare for employee and his family, and in such places you should have no problem.

Q8 - Just to add - education in Poland is fully free, however if you wanted your child to go to english nursery/school then costs would become rather high, but I guess you have time to think about it

Regarding Indian community - of course it's not so big as in Warsaw and most of Indians come for few years contract only, but there are some celebrations for Diwali or Holi, so it's not that you will be totally separated from Indian culture.

And regarding safety - I'd advice you not to stay in area of Nowa Huta - it's not considered as a safe place. Other parts of Krakow are really ok.

Hope you will enjoy staying here if you decide to come

Thank you very much I am still confused whether to opt for this opportunity or not

I have heard a lot of good things about Switzerland, Netherland, London etc. I know it is not fare for me to compare Poland to other Europe countries. Just that I don't want to be in a worst situation once I move from my current comfort zone in India. It really makes difficult to take decision or take risk once you have family + kid.

Regards
Gaja