TL;DRSplit is 12% cheaper on rent ($1,077/mo vs $1,224/mo). Split summers average 86°F vs 73°F. You can get by in English in both — your Duolingo streak can wait.

Too close to call — 74 vs 70. Warsaw has a slight edge, but Split might suit you better depending on your priorities.

Verdict delivered. Your move.

The winner's file

🇵🇱 Warsaw

Full profile. Verify before you pack.

Due diligence

🇭🇷 Split

Every verdict deserves an appeal.

Plot twist

Warsaw vs Krakow

Someone else's dilemma, equally unsolvable.

Household

Split

Metric

Warsaw

$670/mo

🛒

Living costs (no rent)

lower is better

$681/mo

$5,244

🧳

Cost to land

lower is better

$4,950✓

78 / 100

🛡️

Settler safety

higher is better

81 / 100

0.8 / 100k

🔒

Homicides

lower is better

0.7 / 100k✓

8.1 / 100k

🚗

Road deaths

lower is better

6.5 / 100k✓

70 / 100

🚨

Safety Index

higher is better

75 / 100✓

86°F

☀️

Summer high

personal taste

73°F

39°F

❄️

Winter low

personal taste

25°F

—

⚡

Internet speed

higher is better

109 Mbps

✓8.9 μg/m³

🌬️

Air quality (PM2.5)

lower is better

22.3 μg/m³

✓77 / 100

🏥

Healthcare

higher is better

73 / 100

6.5 / 10

🗳️

Democracy

higher is better

7.4 / 10✓

1.8 / 9

🤝

Migrant acceptance

higher is better

4.2 / 9✓

✓50 / 100

🏳️‍🌈

Rainbow Index

higher is better

18 / 100

✓74/100

🗣️

Street English

higher is better

68/100

$50k

💼

GDP per capita (PPP)

higher is better

$51k

✓3.0% · Boringly steady

📈

Inflation

lower is better

3.8% · Boringly steady

—

⚡

Grid reliability

higher is better

65/100 — Patchy

—

🗽

Freedom House

higher is better

82/100

A median Software Engineer in Split takes home $2,122/mo under Standard employee. In Warsaw: $5,190/mo under Standard employee.

$3,068/mo more in Warsaw

Each city pays its own median — Software Engineer gross via Levels.fyi / Eurostat. Moving changes your salary too; that's the point.

$38k

💰

Gross income

$108k

−$5k

🏛️

Income tax

Standard employee

−$23k

−$8k

🛡️

Social contributions

−$23k

$25k/yr

$2k/mo

💵

Take-home pay

$62k/yr✓

$5k/mo

−$34k

🏠

Cost of living

−$35k

−$9k/yr

🐖

Annual savings

$27k/yr✓

Swap the local medians for your actual number

Sources: Numbeo · UNODC · Ookla · WHO · EIU · Gallup · World Bank · Freedom House · Updated April 2026

💰

Cost of Living

Split

$148/mo cheaper on rent alone

🗳️

Democracy

Warsaw

7.4/10 EIU index

☀️

Weather

—

86°F vs 73°F summers

🗣️

English

Split

higher proficiency score

Sun

How much sky you actually get

59% clear

Win

Spr

Sum

Fall

Sky clear

avg daytime

44% clear

Win

Spr

Sum

Fall

8.9h

Shortest day

Dec

7.7h

15.4h

Longest day

Jun

16.8h

Sun clocks out before 5pm in both cities come December. Plan accordingly.

Source: WeatherSpark (clear-sky share of daytime hours)

Settler Essentials

stable →

Democracy trend

improving ↑

Inflation trend

improving ↑

—

Industries

software-itfinancegame-devbpo

—

Startup ecosystem

active

—

🇺🇸 Your visa

Moderate

—

EU visa

Easy

—

RU visa

Moderate

—

UA visa

Easy

—

Spouse works

✅ Partner can work immediately

Conditional (3+ yr)

izvanbračna zajednica / životno partnerstvo (same-sex)

Partner pathway

Not recognized

konkubinat (informal — no legal recognition)

Visa stamps:Easy <90 daysModerate 3–6 moComplex 6+ mo

Sources: EIU · Freedom House · Startup Genome · official immigration portals

Reproductive Rights

Because your body shouldn't need a visa too

On request

Abortion access

Life-threatening only

10 wk

Gestational limit

—

On request up to 10 weeks. Access limited in practice due to widespread conscientious objection.

Near-total ban since 2021. Only permitted for life/health threat or rape/incest. One of Europe's most restrictive.

Source: Center for Reproductive Rights

LGBTQ+ Rights

Can you hold hands without doing a risk assessment first

Civil union

Marriage

Not recognized

Step-child only

Adoption

Not allowed

Yes

Job protection

Yes

Hate crime law

Split vs Warsaw — Common Questions

Is Split cheaper than Warsaw?▾

Split is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $1077/month there vs $1224/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Split or Warsaw?▾

Warsaw is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Split has a rate of 0.77 per 100,000 and Warsaw has 0.68 per 100,000.

Should I move to Split or Warsaw?▾

Too close to call — 74 vs 70. Warsaw has a slight edge, but Split might suit you better depending on your priorities. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Is it easier to get residency in Split or Warsaw?▾

Split: no specific remote work visa. Warsaw: Poland Temporary Residence (moderate requirements, Up to 3 years). See each city's profile page for full requirements.

Which has better weather, Split or Warsaw?▾

Split is warmer in summer (86°F vs 73°F). Warsaw has milder summers, which suits those who prefer cooler weather. Climate preference is personal — use the weather section above to compare seasons.

Can I live in Split or Warsaw without speaking the local language?▾

Split is easier for street-level English (74/100) than Warsaw (68/100). That's the score that matters for doctors, landlords, and bureaucracy. Office English can still run higher than street English in both cities.

What's the cost of rent in Split vs Warsaw?▾

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $1077/month in Split, $1224/month in Warsaw (Numbeo). That's 12% cheaper rent in Split.

Is Split or Warsaw better for democracy and rule of law?▾

Warsaw scores 7.4/10 on the EIU Democracy Index vs 6.5/10 for Split. Both are functional democracies, though the gap matters if you're planning to stay long enough to care about local politics.