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Polish Holiday Drama: “The most expensive holiday destination in the world? Poland.”
Just days into the holiday season, the media landscape is once again flooded with infamous vacation snapshots from Poland: a restaurant receipt takes center stage. The captions? Always dramatic. The conclusion? “Food in Poland is as expensive as gold!”
The comments explode with outrage. Yet rarely do these posts mention the food’s quality or the restaurant’s location. There’s no comparison to other travel destinations around the world. All that matters is delivering one message: “Poland is outrageously expensive!”
What’s left unsaid is that prices in tourist hotspots are naturally higher — just like in Venice, Paris, or Mallorca. Ignoring that fact turns one into a self-declared victim — as if trying to conjure a “Polish price apocalypse” through drama alone.
Now, I’m not here to defend the price hikes of the last decades. Instead, I want to point out: we should be talking about salaries in Poland, not prices.
The Past Is Not a Fair Comparison
Yes, Poland is much more expensive than it was in the 1990s — but that’s mostly because things were extremely cheap back then. I still remember it well: with a 50 DeutschMark banknote, you could eat, drink, and wander all day — and still have money left over. Beer, cigarettes, dining out, fuel — all several times cheaper than in neighboring countries.
But this nostalgic view is one-sided and ultimately meaningless without considering what people earned back then. Comparing today’s prices to those of the past only distracts from the real issue. Reality deserves more than to be reduced to emotional bait on social media.
The real question is: How do incomes and the cost of living match up?
European Alignment — But Not for All
EU membership brought many benefits: open borders, free trade and movement, and a drive toward equal living standards. Poland has used these opportunities better than any other Eastern European country. As of 2025, Polish society has never been as wealthy (compared to the European average) as it is today. So it’s worth asking: Why should prices in Poland be lower than in neighboring countries?
Should Polish goods cost the same relative to wages as in Germany? Then prices would need to drop by half. Just imagine the consequences. That would turn the entire European economic system upside down. Prices are not the problem. Many Poles haven’t reaped the benefits of the country’s impressive 35-year rise. They’re frustrated, and rightly so — left out of the infrastructure improvements and broader prosperity. That’s why political parties that promise a return to the “good old days” and offer massive social transfers win elections.
But even those parties can’t lower prices. Even in areas where influence is possible — like fuel — their power is limited. What they can do is increase wages or boost them artificially through social benefits.
The EU may bring Poland to the European middle, but without decent wages, dramatic price posts are just symbolic politics.
Undignified Wages
According to Poland’s Central Statistical Office (GUS), around 17 million people are employed in Poland. Some 3.74 million of them work in companies with fewer than 9 employees — mostly as sole traders. Microbusinesses account for 96.9% of all companies in Poland.
Wages in the public sector are shockingly low. Doctors, teachers, bus drivers — even politicians — often earn embarrassingly little. Meanwhile, private-sector employees have seen significant increases. But even here, if wages from 1990–2020 had risen proportionally with GDP growth, they would now be 40% higher!
Then nobody would be talking about receipts during their vacation.
The highest salaries in Poland are paid by international corporations. In recent years, wages have jumped sharply due to record-low unemployment. And yet — it’s still not enough to keep up with the rapid price hikes.
- Minimum wage 2025: 4,666 PLN gross/month (≈ €1,085)
- Hourly minimum: 30.50 PLN
- Average wage (March 2025): 9,056 PLN gross — up 7.7% year-over-year,
but real purchasing power still lags behind.
That’s why generous family benefits (like 500+) or the 13th pension are so politically effective — they help win both parliamentary and presidential elections.
Poland is at a crossroads, and it desperately needs a shift in perspective. Otherwise, a large portion of society risks being permanently left behind. Focus on wages — not prices!
Wrong Perspective, Wrong Solutions
But who should address the growing gap between rising living costs and stagnant wages? Corporate CEOs? Small business owners? Or politicians in high office?
In truth, the working population must raise its voice and demand better pay. But how can they succeed when they’re barely represented in unions? Workers’ associations and advocacy groups are rare.
Only 1.4 million Poles are union members — just 14.8% of those employed in businesses with more than 9 people. This number spans 11,656 unions. And nearly 3.7 million self-employed or micro-entrepreneurs have no union support at all.
Even with 17 million workers, the ability to organize and demand change is weak. Pay increases mostly benefit confident individuals who negotiate them independently.
Mass protests for higher wages are almost non-existent. As long as no one takes to the streets for better pay, don’t expect any voluntary wage increases either.
Conclusion: Focus on Wages — Internet Drama Doesn’t Help
Dramatic posts about restaurant prices may get clicks, but they won’t raise wages. Unless workers speak up — through unions or organized initiatives — nothing will change.
Yes, multinational corporations pay better on average, but even their salaries don’t justify EU-level prices.
The message must be clear: instead of shaming receipts online, let’s organize and push for better wages.
That’s the only way our holiday budgets will reflect our real-world earnings —
without theatrical price meltdowns.
This text was translated from German with the help of AI. You can find the original version here.
Featured image: (Facebook, Getty Images, Michal Fludra)
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