Data from the Central Statistical Office and estimates from the Forsal.pl website show that the financial situation of Poles is improving faster than prices are rising. This affects not only everyday life, but also the public debate about the standard of living in Poland. The increase in the purchasing power of minimum and median wages is unprecedented in the country's history.
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For many months, politicians, mainly from the right side of the political scene, have been warning about the skyrocketing prices in 2025. The Forsal.pl website has analyzed data from the Central Statistical Office, which shows that, contrary to opinions about prices, food prices increased by only 2.4% in 2025, i.e. three times slower than wages.
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Moreover – as Forsal.pl explains – fuel for private means of transport has become cheaper by 3.1 percent, and the minimum wage now allows you to purchase a record amount of gasoline – 839 liters of E95 at the beginning of January. For comparison, a decade ago it was less than 400 liters, and 20 years ago – 236 liters.
Is the price increase in 2025 a myth? Poles have record purchasing power
As Forsal.pl explains, in 2025 the average monthly disposable income per person exceeded PLN 3,400, and expenses amounted to PLN 1,925. For comparison, a decade ago expenses consumed as much as 80%. income. The increase in real wages means that Poles can afford more, and expenses constitute an increasingly smaller part of the household budget.
In 2025, apartment prices also dropped in 11 of the 19 largest cities monitored by Rankomat.pl, and realistically – after taking into account the increase in wages – almost everywhere except Gdańsk. Price stabilization and greater availability of loans make housing more affordable, although not to the same extent everywhere.
Wasn't it that expensive before? Central Statistical Office data show something different
Forsal.pl also reports that over two-thirds of 16 million Polish households use the G11 tariff, paying PLN 495 net per megawatt hour of electricity plus additional fees this year.
With an average consumption of 150 kWh per month, the electricity bill will increase by PLN 5-7, mainly due to transmission fees. The minimum wage can currently buy 4,806 kWh of energy, while a decade ago it was 3,500 kWh and two decades ago – 2,123 kWh.
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Today, a record amount of energy can be purchased for the median wage, which means that energy for households is currently the cheapest in history.
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According to data from the Central Statistical Office, analyzed by Forsal.pl, in the years 2019–2024 the greatest increase in income was recorded among the poorest 20%. society. Income inequality in Poland is among the lowest in the EU, and the percentage of people at risk of poverty is falling.
As Forsal.pl points out. In the public debate, there is often an argument that the average salary or the median do not reflect the actual living conditions in Poland due to the large income stratification. However, the Central Statistical Office data from the report “Income and living conditions of the Polish population – EU-SILC 2024 study report” contradict this.
The average annual equivalent disposable income per person in 2024 was PLN 58,881, which means an increase of 12.4%. compared to the previous year. The website Forsal.pl titled its analysis and forecasts “The nonsense of 2025: high prices in Poland”, and the calculations were also commented on by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who wrote: “And this is not our last word!”
