Gdansk is one of those cities that still surprise people with how far your money goes. If you are flying in from London on one of the cheap Ryanair or Wizz Air connections, you will notice the difference quickly.

In this guide I will give you real, current prices for everything that matters: food, beer, hotels and the top attractions. I will also share a few tips I have picked up from visiting this city many times, including one that can save you some extra pounds per person at the city’s best museum.

Summary: Gdansk is one of the most affordable city breaks in Europe. Prices are around 54% lower than in London and roughly 23% lower than Warsaw. A budget day costs about 250 PLN (~€58 / £50), including accommodation, food, transport and a museum or two. A pint of beer is approximately 14 PLN (~€3.20 / £2.80), a sit-down meal starts at 20 PLN (~€4.60 / £4), and most of the best outdoor sights are completely free.

If you are still planning your itinerary, our Perfect Weekend in Gdansk guide covers where to go and what to do across a full two-day break.

Article prepared by Luggage24 – automated, convenient luggage storage in Warsaw, Kraków and Gdansk. Prices and opening hours current for May 2026.

Is Gdansk Cheap Compared to Other European Cities?

Yes, significantly. According to Expatistan’s live cost comparison data, Gdansk is around 54% cheaper than London and 12% cheaper than Madrid. Even within Poland, the destination costs about 23% less than Warsaw, while sitting at roughly the same price level as Kraków.

For UK and European travellers used to Western European prices, Gdansk feels almost surprisingly affordable. The same standard of city break that would cost £1,400 in London typically costs approximately £645 in Gdansk. That difference is not just noticeable; it has a real impact on what you can do and experience during your visit.

Poland uses the złoty (PLN). At the time of writing, 1 PLN is worth approximately €0.23 / £0.20. For a full breakdown of daily spending patterns, BudgetYourTrip’s Gdansk data is one of the most regularly updated sources available.

How Much Does a Meal Cost in Gdansk?

A meal at an inexpensive restaurant in Gdansk costs around 20–30 PLN (~€4.60–6.90 / £4–6). A two-course lunch menu near the city centre typically runs 30–35 PLN (~€6.90–8.05 / £6–7). A mid-range three-course meal for two costs approximately 100–150 PLN (~€23–35 / £20–30).

Budget eating: milk bars and street food

The best value food in Gdansk is at the milk bars (bar mleczny). These are Polish canteen-style restaurants left over from the communist era, now often visited by locals and budget travellers alike. They serve hearty portions of traditional Polish food: pierogi, żurek (sour rye soup) and bigos at rates that feel unrealistically low by Western standards. 

My favourite in the Old Town is Pyra Bar near the Old Town, where a stuffed baked potato with toppings costs roughly 30–35 PLN (~€6.90–8.05 / £6–7) and is genuinely filling. A fresh pączek (Polish doughnut) from a street bakery will set you back approximately 8–9 PLN (~€1.85 / £1.60).

Mid-range restaurants and Old Town dining

For a proper sit-down dinner at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay 40–60 PLN (~€9.20–13.80 / £8–12) for a main course. A three-course dinner for two with wine runs around 120–180 PLN (~€27.60–41.40 / £24–36). One practical tip: avoid the main stretch of Długi Targ for dinner. Restaurants facing the Long Market charge a tourist premium. Walk one or two streets back and you will find the same quality food at noticeably lower prices.

For a full breakdown of where to eat in the city, check our guide to the best Polish restaurants in Gdansk.

How Much Is a Pint of Beer in Gdansk?

A 0.5-litre draught beer in Gdansk costs around 12–16 PLN (~€2.80–3.70 / £2.40–3.20). In craft beer bars the price rises to 20–25 PLN (~€4.60–5.75 / £4–5). Even in the most tourist-heavy spots along the waterfront, a standard pint rarely exceeds 20 PLN (~€4.60 / £4). That is roughly the cost of a small espresso in many Western European cities.

Wine by the glass starts at approximately 18–25 PLN (~€4.15–5.75 / £3.60–5). A specialty coffee costs 14–18 PLN (~€3.20–4.15 / £2.80–3.60). According to Numbeo’s current Gdansk price index, drink costs in the city remain among the lowest in the European Union for a destination of this size and tourist draw.

Where to Stay in Gdansk: Accommodation Costs

Budget hostel dorms start at roughly 60–80 PLN (~€13.80–18.40 / £12–16) per bed per night. A private room in a hostel or basic hotel typically costs 150–220 PLN (~€34.50–50.60 / £30–44). Mid-range hotels and Old Town apartments run 250–450 PLN (~€57.50–103.50 / £50–90) per night, and for that price the quality is genuinely good.

Renting an apartment in the Old Town often works out cheaper per person for families and groups than booking individual hotel rooms. On our last visit we stayed two minutes’ walk from Neptune’s Fountain for 300 PLN per night (~€69 / £60) in total, split between four of us. That is a hard deal to beat anywhere in Europe.

Accommodation rates spike significantly in July and August. If you can visit in May, June, September or during the off-season, you will pay noticeably less and encounter far fewer crowds. For a dedicated look at quieter-season travel, see our Gdansk in Winter guide.

Attractions and Museums: Prices and Opening Hours

Most of Gdansk’s best outdoor sights are completely free: the Long Market, Neptune’s Fountain, Mariacka Street with its amber jewellery shops and Gothic facades, the Crane (Żuraw) viewed from the Motława riverfront, and the historic Gate No. 2 of the Gdansk Shipyard with the Solidarity Monument. The paid attractions are very affordable by Western European standards, and several have a free day each week.

Museum of the Second World War

Address: pl. Władysława Bartoszewskiego 1 | Google Maps
Opening Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 10:00–18:00 (check the official site for seasonal variations)
Ticket price: Adult: 33 PLN (~€7.20 / £6.5). Reduced: 23 PLN (~€4.60 / £4). Children under 7: free.

The permanent exhibition is free every Tuesday. With a family of four, that saves 120 PLN (~€27.60 / £24), enough for a proper dinner. I plan our Gdansk visits around this whenever possible. Plan for at least two to three hours inside; this is one of the most impressive war museums in Europe and the tilted glass architecture alone is worth seeing. Book tickets online during summer, as time slots can sell out. Official tickets: muzeum1939.pl.

European Solidarity Centre (ECS)

Address: pl. Solidarności 1, 80-863 Gdansk | Google Maps
Opening Hours: May–September: Mon–Fri 10:00–19:00, Sat–Sun 10:00–20:00. October–April: Mon and Wed–Fri 10:00–17:00, Sat–Sun 10:00–18:00. Closed on Tuesdays.
Ticket price: Adult: 40 PLN (~€9.20 / £8). Reduced: 35 PLN (~€8.05 / £7). Family (2+1): 100 PLN (~€23 / £20). Rooftop terrace: free.

The rooftop terrace gives you one of the best panoramic views in the city, looking out over the historic shipyard cranes and the Old Town skyline. It costs nothing to go up there. I always take visitors to the roof before they decide whether to buy a museum ticket. Official site: ecs.gda.pl.

St. Mary’s Church

Address: Podkramarska 5, 80-834 Gdansk | Google Maps
Opening Hours: Monday–Saturday 08:30–17:30 (summer until 18:30). Sundays: 11:00–17:30.
Ticket price: Small entrance fee applies April through November. Tower climb: 16 PLN (~€3.50 / £3) adult, 8 PLN reduced.

St. Mary’s Church is the largest brick church in the world, and the tower involves 405 steps through a narrow spiral staircase. The view from the top over the Old Town rooftops and the Bay of Gdansk on a clear day is one of the best I have seen anywhere in Poland. My daughter called it “the staircase that never ends” and has not stopped talking about the view since. Pay cash on site; card is not always accepted at the entrance.

Tourist Traps to Avoid in Gdansk

Gdansk is one of the safer cities in Europe for tourists, but a few recurring traps catch visitors out every year. The most common is fake amber. Street stalls around Mariacka Street and the Long Market sell plastic or pressed amber as genuine Baltic gold.

The real thing floats in saturated salt water and feels warm to the touch; a reputable shop will also show you a certificate of authenticity. If the price seems too good for a large piece, it almost certainly is.

If you want to buy amber with confidence, Amber Souvenirs Shop on Długa Street is the most consistently reviewed option: the shop’s 266 Google reviews are uniformly positive. It is thirty seconds off your route from Long Market to Mariacka Street.

A second trap is the Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) option on card payment terminals — when a machine asks whether you want to pay in PLN or GBP, always choose PLN. Paying in GBP hands the exchange rate to the merchant’s bank, which typically adds 3–5% on top of the already-unfavourable rate. On a £200 weekend that is £10 lost for nothing.

Finally, if anyone (usually a woman) on Długi Targ approaches you with an offer of a free drink or an invitation to a nearby bar or “club,” decline and walk on. These are setups: the bar charges prices that bear no relation to what you were shown on arrival, and disputes are unpleasant to resolve. The Tri-City police and tourist boards have been aware of this pattern for years; it has not disappeared.

How Much Spending Money Do You Need for Gdansk?

Here is a realistic daily budget breakdown by travel style, with accommodation included per person.

Budget traveller (hostel, milk bars, free sights): around 200–280 PLN (~€46–64 / £40–56) per day. You can eat well, visit one paid attraction and have a pint or two within this range.

Mid-range traveller (hotel or apartment, restaurant meals): approximately 500–700 PLN (~€115–161 / £100–140) per day. This covers a comfortable hotel room, two proper restaurant meals and entry to a couple of museums.

For a 3-night city break, budget roughly 900–1,400 PLN (~€207–322 / £180–280) per person, excluding flights. A mid-range couple should plan for roughly 2,500–3,500 PLN (~€575–805 / £500–700) for the weekend, including accommodation. According to Exiap’s 2026 spending guide for Gdansk, most Western European visitors find they spend less than initially budgeted and comfortably upgrade their plans on arrival.

For a full 7-night trip, multiply the daily figure by roughly three and add a buffer for day trips. The Tri-City region is easy to explore on any budget: Sopot and Gdynia are both reachable via the SKM train at around 6 PLN (~€1.38 / £1.20) each way.

Insider Tips to Save Money in Gdansk

If you really want to economise, eat at a milk bar for at least one meal. You will eat better for 25 PLN than at most tourist restaurants charging four times as much for a similar plate. 

Visit the Museum of the Second World War on a Tuesday – they offer free entry to the permanent exhibition. This is genuinely one of Europe’s great museums and walking in without paying still feels like a small miracle every time.

Take the SKM train to Sopot. It costs around 6 PLN each way and takes about 20 minutes to the beach. Do not take a taxi for this journey; the price difference is significant.

Avoid Euronet ATMs (the blue and yellow machines at the airport and in tourist areas). They charge high fees and offer poor exchange rates. Use bank ATMs from Pekao, PKO BP or ING instead, or use Revolut or Zen.com to save money on card payments.

Eat your main meal at lunch. Many Gdansk restaurants offer a two-course lunch menu at 30–35 PLN (~€6.90–8.05 / £6–7), significantly cheaper than the same dishes ordered in the evening.

Book accommodation well in advance for July and August. Summer prices rise sharply and the best Old Town apartments sell out weeks ahead.

Use public transport – it is not expensive at all!

One final tip: if you are checking out of your accommodation but still have hours before your transport, our self-service lockers near the Crane on Szeroka Street let you drop your bags and keep exploring the city. They are automated, open around the clock and need no reservation. 

If you still have time before heading home, our guide to the best shopping centres in Gdansk covers all your options in the city.

So, Is Gdansk Cheap?

Yes, genuinely. For Western European travellers, and especially for anyone flying in from the UK, Gdansk is one of the best value city breaks available right now. Your money goes further here than almost anywhere else in Europe that offers this level of history, architecture, traditional Polish food and coastal access.

The destination is not expensive because it lacks quality. It is affordable because Poland’s cost of living is lower than Western Europe, and Gdansk still offers prices that feel like a welcome step back in time for your wallet.

Go on a Tuesday to save on the museum, eat at a milk bar on your first day to recalibrate your price expectations, and spend the rest of your trip pleasantly surprised at how much your budget allows. 

Frequently Asked Questions