Impact of Digital Nomads on Poland’s Rental Market

Published on September 29, 2025 and written by Cyril Jarnias

The emergence of digital nomads has radically transformed the economic landscape of many countries worldwide, and Poland is no exception. Attracted by its relatively low cost of living, cultural richness, and growing embrace of technology, these modern workers are increasingly choosing to settle in cities like Warsaw, Krakow, or Wroclaw.

However, their growing influx raises questions about their impact on the local rental market. Indeed, while the arrival of these global professionals energizes certain sectors of the economy, it also puts pressure on rental prices, sometimes increasing the cost of living for local residents.

In this context, understanding the balance between the economic benefits and the social challenges posed by this trend becomes crucial for grasping the lasting influence of these digital nomads in Poland.

Introduction to the Dynamics of Digital Nomads in Poland

The rise of digital nomads in Poland is explained by a combination of economic, cultural, and technological factors that make this country particularly attractive to mobile professionals.

Why Does Poland Attract Digital Nomads?

• Affordable Cost of Living: The average monthly budget ranges between $1,000 and $2,000 depending on the city, which remains significantly lower than in major Western European metropolises.
• Solid Digital Infrastructure: The internet penetration rate reached nearly 90% in 2025, with widespread access to high-speed internet in all major cities.
• Dynamic and Cosmopolitan Culture: Polish cities offer a rich cultural life, diverse cuisine, and recognized historical heritage.
• European Proximity & Easy Mobility: An excellent rail network allows nomads to travel quickly across the country or to other European destinations.

Key Factor	Detail
Monthly Cost (USD)	1,000 – 2,000
Internet Penetration Rate	~89.8%
Visa-Free Stay Duration	Up to 90 days (for most nationalities)
Main Cities	Warsaw, Krakow, Wrocław, Gdańsk

Recent Statistics on Digital Nomads in Poland

• Poland ranks among the European destinations with the fastest-growing number of digital nomads (+71% in 2025).
• Although there is no specific visa for these mobile workers yet, it is possible to reside there through the standard regime (Schengen visa or national type D visa).

Main Cities Favored by Digital Nomads:

1. Warsaw – Modern capital with an extensive offering of coworking spaces
2. Krakow – Historic city with a strong international community
3. Wrocław – Emerging tech hub with a friendly environment
4. Gdańsk – Port city appreciated for its relaxed atmosphere

Impact on the Local Job Market and Infrastructure Adaptation

The growing arrival of digital nomads stimulates the local economy through:

• The rapid growth of coworking spaces and cafes adapted for remote work.
• Increased demand in the short-term rental real estate market.

Local authorities and some private actors are investing in:

• The development of free public Wi-Fi in urban areas,
• The creation of events dedicated to international communities,
• Continuous improvement of the transport/rail network.

The digital dynamic thus transforms not only the economic fabric but also the social and cultural fabric of major Polish urban areas, enhancing their appeal to international talent.

Summary List — Main Reasons Explaining This Enthusiasm:

• Low cost relative to high quality (urban life + services)
• Robust digital infrastructure
• Active cosmopolitan communities
• Simplified access from all over Europe

The phenomenon also contributes to diversifying the local job market through a constant influx of international skills and innovative practices related to flexible work.

The Rise of Coliving for Digital Nomads in Poland

Coliving is a modern housing model that combines private spaces (bedrooms, sometimes private bathrooms) with shared common areas, such as the kitchen, living rooms, or coworking spaces. This model promotes community living while maintaining each resident’s privacy. It is not limited to sharing an apartment: it is an integrated experience where exchange, professional and social networking, and a certain lifestyle focused on flexibility and sharing are sought.

Why Does This Model Particularly Attract Digital Nomads?

• Ready-Made Community: Digital nomads find in coliving a direct answer to their need for social connection during frequent travels.
• Contractual Flexibility: Possibilities for short or medium-term stays without heavy commitment.
• Spaces Adapted for Remote Work: Many colivings integrate shared offices/coworking to meet mobile professional needs.
• Community Events: Workshops, themed evenings, or sports activities facilitating professional and friendly exchanges.
• Attractive Cost/Value Ratio, especially in cities where traditional housing is expensive.

Coliving Characteristics	Advantages for Digital Nomads
Private + common spaces	Immediate social network
Flexible contracts	Less administrative commitment
Integrated coworking	Increased productivity
Shared services	Simplified management (single monthly payment)
Community life	Facilitated cultural/professional exchanges

Poland particularly appeals to coliving enthusiasts thanks to its dynamic major cities such as Warsaw and Krakow:

• Student and Cosmopolitan Cities, offering a young, international population open to new trends;
• Affordable cost of living compared to Berlin or Prague, while offering advanced digital infrastructure;
• Growing presence of spaces dedicated to remote work;
• Rich cultural atmosphere combined with strong entrepreneurial dynamism.

Recent Data on Coliving Development in Poland

Recent years have seen a clear increase in the number of spaces dedicated to coliving in several major Polish cities:

• Warsaw: more than a dozen new projects launched since 2022
• Krakow & Wrocław: several spaces opened specifically targeting international remote workers
• Specialized platforms now list over 20 addresses certified “coliving” suitable for digital nomads

Sector studies indicate that this market has grown annually between 15% and 25% since 2021—a trend driven by the massive rise in post-pandemic remote work.

Impact on the Polish Rental Market

Potential Advantages:

• For owners/investors:
  • Rapid appreciation of properties located near urban centers
  • High occupancy rates thanks to constant demand
  • Administrative simplification through centralized management
• For traditional tenants:
  • Expanded supply but potential pressure on certain segments (small urban apartments)

Challenges Raised:

• Localized inflationary risk on certain property types
• Need for investors/landowners to adapt their economic/contractual models
• Sometimes delicate coexistence between permanent local residents and highly mobile, even ephemeral, communities

Economic, Social & Cultural Factors Explaining This Trend in Poland

1. Rapid urbanization around tech/university hubs
2. Post-covid acceleration of dematerialized work (“remote first”)
3. Growing search among young professionals/freelancers/qualified migrants for a flexible residential experience that is socially structuring
4. Cultural value attached to local hospitality combined with a taste for urban innovation

Urban Planning & Sustainable Development Issues Linked to the Coliving Boom

Sustained growth is pushing some Polish municipalities to rethink their urban policies:

• Regulatory adaptation to frame these new residential forms;
• Occasional encouragement via subsidies/real estate conversions: gentle transformation of underused older buildings;
• Potential integration into local strategies against property vacancy or as a lever against sprawl (limiting urban sprawl).

Developers are often encouraged by these collective dynamics towards more eco-design: sharing energy/water/green spaces – thus aligning urban economic growth with municipal CSR objectives.

The coliving phenomenon therefore actively participates not only in residential renewal but also in contemporary reflections around sustainable and inclusive urban models.

Impact of Digital Nomads on the Polish Rental Market

The rise of digital nomadism in Poland is observed through rapid growth in the number of mobile workers attracted by connectivity, moderate cost of living, and the international openness of major Polish cities. In 2025, Poland ranks among the top-rated European destinations by digital nomads and recorded a +71% increase in this user profile on its territory over the last two years. The typical profile is aged on average 36 years (47% between 30-39 years), predominantly male (approximately 78-85%), highly qualified (90% have higher education), and enjoys an average annual income around $124,000.

Main Polish Cities Affected

City	Rental Impact	Reasons for Attractiveness
Warsaw	Very Strong	Dynamic capital, coworking hubs
Krakow	Strong	Cultural life, universities
Wrocław	Medium/Strong	Tech community, accessibility
Gdańsk	Growing	Sea proximity & environmental quality

These cities concentrate the main effects on the rental market.

Impact on Prices and Rental Dynamics

Increased demand for flexible furnished housing has contributed to a notable rise in rents in these urban centers. Owners now prefer more lucrative short-term rentals (Airbnb, Booking) over traditional long-term contracts. This translates to:

• A scarcity of accessible long-term rentals for locals.
• An average rent increase of up to +15 to +25% in some central neighborhoods.
• A gradual shift of the traditional rental stock towards seasonal or monthly offerings dedicated to digital expatriates.

Trends: Short Term vs Long Term

Comparative List:

• Short-Term Rental
  • More profitable (+20% on average)
  • High occupancy rate thanks to constant flow
  • Flexibility appreciated by digital nomads
• Long-Term Rental
  • Less financially competitive
  • Relative decrease in availability in city centers

Institutional Adaptations and Local Initiatives

1. Some municipalities have instituted a mandatory registry for tourist rentals or limited the maximum number allowed per owner.
2. Krakow implemented a temporary moratorium on new Airbnb licenses in certain historic districts.
3. Platforms collaborate with local authorities to ensure adequate payment of tourist taxes.

Economic Effects & Social Challenges

Economic Advantages:

• Dynamization of the local tertiary sector (restaurants, coworking…)
• Increase in tax revenues thanks to tourist taxes

Challenges:

• Accentuated pressure on access to affordable housing for permanent residents
• Increased risk of rapid gentrification in certain central areas

Recent Statistics – Illustrative Studies

Summary Table:

Indicator	Value / Observation
Digital Nomads Growth*	+71% since 2023
Share of Short-Term Rentals	Up to 38% of rental stock in city center*
Warsaw Rent Increase*	(Central neighborhoods) +22% since 2022

*Estimates from cross-sectoral analyses.

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The growing presence of digital nomads is durably shaping the Polish rental market: while it stimulates the local economy and urban innovation, it also calls for balanced regulation to preserve access to affordable housing for all while maintaining the country’s international appeal. The coming years should see the emergence of more public initiatives targeting this dynamic balance between global openness and local social cohesion.

Challenges and Opportunities for the Polish Real Estate Market Facing Digital Nomads

The Polish real estate market faces an accelerated transformation under the effect of the rise in digital nomadic work, a phenomenon that is changing the demand for short-term housing in major cities.

Current Trends in Digital Nomadic Work and Impact on Rental Demand:

• Poland attracts a growing number of digital nomads thanks to its economic dynamism, affordable costs (average purchase prices in Warsaw around €5,000/m²) and simplified rental taxation.
• Cities like Warsaw, Krakow, or Wroclaw are preferred for their cultural vitality, solid digital infrastructure, and diverse offering of coworking spaces.
• This population favors flexible furnished rentals (1 week to a few months), strongly fueling the private institutional rental market (PRS), whose supply exceeded 21,000 apartments in 2024 with nearly 25,000 additional units in project.

City	Average Rents (€)	PRS Stock (Housing)	Digital Nomad Attractiveness
Warsaw	~5,000/m² purchase	>8,400	High
Krakow	Similar	~3,400 (+2,000 projects)	Strong (culture/tourism/IT)
Wroclaw	Affordable	Data not specified	Growing

Specific Challenges for the Real Estate Market:

Local Regulation on Short-Term Rentals

• Local authorities impose or consider restrictions on Airbnb-type rentals to limit the impact on the traditional residential stock.
• Structural shortage remains acute: there is still a shortage of between 1.5 and 2 million apartments. This puts pressure on the balance between tourist/short-term rental and permanent local needs.
• Regulatory uncertainty likely to affect future yields for owners focused solely on the short-term segment.

Infrastructure Adaptation

• Growing need for buildings offering stable high-speed internet, common areas adapted for remote work, and additional services (flexible cleaning, digital management).
• The institutional “Build-to-Rent” sector is developing rapidly but must follow this qualitative evolution to remain attractive to demanding digital nomads.

Opportunities Generated by This Trend:

Potential Increase in Rental Demand

• Regular influx of international workers seeking flexibility and comfort fuels high occupancy rates in professionally managed residences; some projects show less than 5% vacancy even in low season.
• Geographic diversification: while Warsaw remains dominant (60% of transactions), Krakow also benefits widely from the long-term tourism induced by this hybrid “traveler-worker” public.

Increased Real Estate Valuation

Rapid price increase (+17.7% in twelve months recently observed), favored by this new pressure combined with recent decreases in bank interest rates.

Attractive Taxation

Flat tax rate between 8.5% and 12.5%, without social security contributions or resident/non-resident distinction – competitive advantage compared to neighboring European markets.

Practical Recommendations for Polish Real Estate Investors/Owners:

1. Diversify your portfolio:
   • Prioritize furnished apartments well located in university/business city centers with excellent internet connectivity;
2. Adapt your properties:
   • Offer flexible all-inclusive contracts integrating digital services & multilingual support;
   • Invest in energy/connectivity renovation;
3. Actively follow regulatory evolution:
   • Stay informed locally regarding potential limitations on Airbnb/short-term rentals;
4. Pool via professional platforms or PRS operators
   • Outsource management to optimize occupancy/yield without increasing administrative burden;
5. Value targeted digital nomad marketing
   • Develop a strong presence on specialized international sites & professional social networks oriented towards international mobility;

In summary:
The massive arrival of digital nomads constitutes a major opportunity but imposes rapid technical & strategic adaptation on local actors who wish to sustainably capture this demanding mobile clientele while reconciling local societal expectations regarding permanent affordable housing.

⎡ Tense Market – Numerous Opportunities – Regulatory Vigilance Required ⎦