A minimum of PLN 20,000-25,000 per square meter – this is the approximate price limit at which the luxury apartment market in Poland begins. Luxury housing is growing primarily in tourist resorts and prestigious districts of large cities. The most expensive location remains Warsaw's Śródmieście. Here, average apartment prices according to RynekPierwotny.pl and GetHome.pl are over PLN 39,000/sq m.
Apartment, what is it?
Before we move on to prices and locations, a few words should be devoted to the concept of an apartment. We mean, first of all, expensive and luxurious real estate. Although there is no “canonical” set of features that would distinguish apartments, it is possible to identify the basic determinants of luxury that determine whether a property belongs to the premium segment.
As experts from the GetHome.pl portal emphasize, the starting point is the location: the very center of the city, a prestigious district, the first line of buildings by the sea or the immediate vicinity of green areas and monuments. The second element is the parameters of the premises themselves. Apartments should have an above-average area (in Polish conditions this requirement is often not met), and preferably they should be apartments of several hundred square meters. Apartments should also be characterized by room heights exceeding 2.8–3 meters, large glazing and terraces or loggias with a real utility function. The third pillar is the standard of the building: representative common areas designed by architects, a lobby with a reception desk, monitoring, 24-hour security, an underground garage, and often also wellness, fitness or concierge zones. Finally, materials and technology are key – stone or glass facades, energy-saving installations, quiet elevators, private communication zones. In the premium segment, a property in which the price does not depend solely on the square footage, but on the combination of address, design quality, standard of workmanship and limited supply, is called an apartment.
Icons of the Polish premium segment
The apartment market in Poland has been developing for several years. The premium segment already has its recognizable icons – investments that set price, architectural and functional standards.
In Warsaw, Złota 44 is such a reference point – an apartment building designed by Daniel Libeskind. The building offers a private recreation area of over 1,400 m², a swimming pool, spa, home cinema and concierge. Prices in this investment have been at the top of the Warsaw premium market for years, and the address itself is synonymous with luxury on a national scale. A similar role in the high-rise segment is played by Cosmopolitan Twarda 4, located directly at Grzybowski Square – a project aimed at business clients, with high-standard apartments and extensive service for residents.
In the Tricity, the icon of the premium market remains Sea Towers in Gdynia – the tallest residential complex at the Polish seaside. Apartments with a panoramic view of the Bay of Gdańsk, limited supply of premises and the prestige of the location have made Sea Towers a symbol of seaside luxury. In Sopot, the role of a reference investment is played by, among others: Sheraton Sopot Residences, where apartments operate in the immediate vicinity of a five-star hotel, combining the housing market with premium hotel services.
Krakow has its icon in the form of Angel Wawel – an investment carried out on the site of a former tobacco factory, in the immediate vicinity of Wawel. The project is distinguished by its combination of historic architecture with modern apartment standards, a private wellness zone and the closed nature of the estate. This is one of the few projects in Krakow that from the very beginning was designed exclusively with the premium segment in mind.
In Wrocław, OVO Wrocław serves a similar function – a multifunctional complex combining apartments, a premium hotel and a service zone. Characteristic architecture, central location on the Odra River and direct access to the hotel facilities have placed OVO at the forefront of luxury investments in Wrocław.
The luxury market is also doing well in tourist resorts – especially on the Baltic Sea and in famous mountain towns, with Zakopane at the forefront, where, according to data from RynekPierwotny.pl and GetHome.pl the average price of new investments is nearly PLN 35,000. PLN/sq m.
Warsaw – prices and examples of premium investments
The capital of Poland is the most expensive residential location in the country. Real estate prices on the primary market are on average PLN 18,419/sq m. (data RynekPierwotny.pl), however, in the most prestigious districts they are much higher.
In Śródmieście average offer prices exceed PLN 39,000/m²in Wola they reach 32 thousand. PLN/sq m, in Ochota nearly 29 thousand, in Żoliborz 27 thousand, and in Mokotów approximately 21 thousand. PLN/sq m
At the other end of the spectrum in terms of prices are peripheral districts: Białołęka, Wawer, Rembertów, Targówek and Ursus, with rates of average 13-15 thousand PLN per square meter.
It is the premium segment that drives prices in the city center. An example of an ongoing investment is Evergreen Residence Mokotów – an intimate housing estate of 11 apartments of the highest standard. You have to pay a lot for luxury. According to information on the investor's website the price for a 108-meter apartment is nearly PLN 5 millionwhich gives over 46.5 thousand PLN/sq m A 45-meter, two-room apartment in this project costs almost PLN 1.47 million, i.e. over PLN 32,000. PLN/sq m
In Wola, a 45-meter apartment in the 19th District project (stage V) costs PLN 1.24 million, or nearly PLN 27.5 thousand. PLN/sq m In Śródmieście, similar prices apply to, among others: Apartamentów Grzybowska 11. An example 45-square-meter studio apartment with a balcony costs nearly PLN 1.5 million.
Tricity – premium by the sea
In the Tricity, luxury premium apartments appear mainly in investments with a sea view and good access to urban infrastructure.
Sea Towers in Gdynia is one of the most recognizable premium projects at the Polish seaside. The premises in this investment are available on the primary and secondary markets with starting prices from PLN 2,040,000 for an apartment with an area of: approx. 68 m², which is approx. PLN 30,000/m². Larger apartments with a view of the Bay of Gdańsk are valued at up to PLN 5,600,000 or more. A prestigious project distinguished by its location in the seaside zone is Sol Marina in Gdańsk Sobieszów, close to the Baltic coast, in a green area. Here, for two 55-meter rooms you have to pay PLN 1.7 million, or nearly PLN 32,000. PLN/sq m
The premium segment is also growing in the city center. In the Remedium investment in the Anielski district, located close to the historic Śródmieście, we will pay PLN 22,000. PLN/sq m for a 37-meter studio apartment. The average price for the entire Gdańsk is just over PLN 17,600/sq m.
Other cities – Kraków, Wrocław, resorts
In Krakow and Wrocław, the premium primary market maintains high prices, exceeding PLN 25,000/m² in prestigious districts of the center. PAn example from Wrocław are Apartments near Szczytnicki Park – a 53-meter apartment with a garden in this green part of the city costs over PLN 1 million.. In Krakow, the price for a 34-meter studio apartment in the Libra Residence project is over PLN 1 million. On the other hand in the Dajwór apartment building in the Old Town, purchasing a 40-meter apartment means an expenditure of PLN 1.6 million, which is PLN 40,000. PLN per square meter.
In tourist resorts – such as Sopot Dolny or Gdynia Orłowo – prices in premium projects exceed PLN 20,000/m². Zakopane remains one of the most expensive tourist locations, with prices often above PLN 30,000. PLN/sq m
According to GetHome.pl experts, the luxury apartment market in Poland has been developing for over a dozen years. This segment is largely resistant to economic fluctuations and shows a permanent growth trend. At the same time, projects are being developed in historic post-industrial buildings and in the premium segment of senior real estate. The good economic situation on the rental market generates high interest from investment buyers. All this means that the luxury segment in Poland remains in a significant growth phase.
Marcin Moneta
