Lodz, Łódzkie
Renting an apartment in Lodz: step-by-step guide
Łódź is the cheapest of Poland's big rental markets — for the price of a Warsaw studio you can rent a two-room apartment in a renovated tenement house here. The city is going through a major revitalization: the area around Piotrkowska street and the old factories are turning into lofts, and with plenty of supply, this is the one big Polish city where the tenant — foreigner or not — holds the strongest negotiating position.
Renting an apartment in Lodz costs about 2159 zł/month on average, plus a deposit of roughly 3124 zł. This guide covers how to find a flat, which districts fit your budget, the documents and rental contract you need, and how to avoid the most common rental scams.
Who it suits: remote workers and anyone who wants the most space for their budget — this is the cheapest of Poland's big rental markets.
- 1Set your filters in Telegram
- 2Get an alert the moment a listing appears
- 3Message the owner before anyone else
In short: 4 steps to renting an apartment
The rental market in Lodz — current numbers
We refresh this data regularly based on real listings from the major Polish portals. Full statistics, charts and a district-by-district breakdown are on our rental prices page for in Lodz. Rent prices in Lodz
Seasonality in 2026: average prices peaked in January, lowest in June.
85% of listings in Lodz come furnished, 28% allow pets, and the average deposit is 3124 zł (about 1,4× the rent).
Data as of September 1, 2026, refreshed regularly
Budget renting in Łódź: what to look at
- The cheapest of the big markets: for the price of a Warsaw studio you can rent a two-room flat in a renovated kamienicakamienica — tenement houseA pre-war or old masonry residential building — high ceilings and character, but the standard depends on whether it has been renovated. here.
- The main filter is renovation quality, not price — in the old stock the differences are huge.
- Old-tenement checklist: heating type, window condition, soundproofing, damp — view in person or ask for a video.
- Remote work: check for fast internet and room for a desk — not every renovated flat has it.
- Revitalisation around Piotrkowska lifts both standard and prices — the centre costs more than Bałuty or Widzew.
Where to live: districts
Prices and the character of each district can differ a lot — and if you're new to Poland, the names alone won't tell you much. Below are numbers from real listings and a short profile of the most popular areas.
- Śródmieście4 0852315 zł
Piotrkowska and the revitalized tenement houses — getting prettier every year and still cheap for a strict city centre. Just watch the standard: gems sit right next to places crying out for renovation.
- Polesie2 3872131 zł
The green part of the city, next to parks and university campuses — a student favourite. Quiet and close to the centre.
- Bałuty2 2251967 zł
The north: the lowest prices in the city, with buildings ranging from new estates to old tenements. Check the immediate surroundings of the specific address.
- Górna1 9011978 zł
The south of the city: budget-friendly apartment blocks and good tram connections. A solid choice when price is the priority.
- Widzew1 5852284 zł
The east: large estates from the 1970s–80s and new developments near the Widzew railway station. Convenient if you'll be commuting by train.
Step by step: how to rent an apartment in Poland
1. Searching for listings
Good apartments in Lodz disappear within hours, not days. Instead of refreshing Polish rental portals manually, set your filters (budget, number of rooms, district) and turn on instant alerts — the RentlyGo bot collects offers from the biggest portals and sends them to Telegram the moment they're published. Message the owner within the first hour and your chances of getting a viewing multiply. As a foreigner you're competing with locals who know the market — speed is your biggest equalizer.
2. Viewing the apartment
At the viewing, check: water pressure, heating (district heating or electric — the difference in bills can be huge, and it's not something foreigners think to ask), windows, damp patches, appliances. Ask directly: who pays the czynsz administracyjnyczynsz administracyjny — building / admin feeA fee paid to the cooperative or housing community for building upkeep (common areas, cleaning, sometimes water and heating) — added on top of the rent. (the building fee paid to the housing association), what the average utility bills are, and whether the deposit is fully refundable and on what terms. Take photos — you'll need them for the handover protocol later.
3. Documents
A landlord will typically ask for an ID document (your passport works fine) and proof of income — an employment contract, a bank statement or a letter from your employer. A foreign job offer or relocation contract is usually accepted too. PESEL (the Polish ID number) and a Polish credit history are NOT legally required to rent, although some landlords ask about them out of habit. Never send a scan of your passport before you've seen the apartment in person.
4. Lease and formalities
When signing you choose the lease type — najem okazjonalnynajem okazjonalny — occasional leaseA special lease form with the tenant's notarised declaration to vacate voluntarily — it protects the owner and is a market standard, not a catch. (occasional) or standard. Pay the deposit (kaucjakaucja — refundable depositA refundable security deposit, usually 1–2 months' rent; the owner returns it at the end of the tenancy if the flat is in order., on average 3124 zł) by bank transfer with a description, sign a handover protocol with photos when you collect the keys, and register (meldunekmeldunek — residence registrationRegistering your address with the authorities; owners often agree to it at the tenant's request.) at the local office if you stay longer than 30 days. Full details on the lease, deposit, earnest money, termination and tenant rights are in the national rental guide.
Renting as a foreigner in Poland
- To sign a rental contract, your passport is enough — PESEL, a residence card (karta pobytu) and a Polish credit history are not legally required. If a landlord insists on them, that's their preference, not the law.
- No income history in Poland yet? Offer a two-month deposit, prepay 2–3 months of rent upfront, or show your employment contract / job offer — this is what most often puts a landlord's mind at ease about a foreign tenant.
- Only sign a contract in a version you actually understand: ask for a bilingual contract or have it translated first. Signing a Polish text you can't read is signing blind.
- Meldunek (address registration) is mandatory for stays longer than 30 days and is often needed to get a PESEL number. A landlord cannot "forbid" you from registering — it's a purely administrative act that gives the tenant no rights to the property, despite a persistent myth among owners.
- Discrimination based on nationality is illegal, but it happens. A well-written first message in Polish dramatically increases your response rate — the templates below are ready-made Polish messages, just copy, fill in the brackets and send.
Ready-made messages to the landlord (in Polish)
Dzień dobry! Piszę w sprawie ogłoszenia o wynajmie mieszkania. Czy jest ono nadal aktualne? Chętnie umówię się na oglądanie w tym tygodniu — pasuje mi [dzień, godzina]. Pozdrawiam, [imię i nazwisko]
Dzień dobry! Czy do czynszu dochodzą opłaty administracyjne i media? Jaka jest wysokość kaucji i jaki minimalny okres najmu? Czy mieszkanie jest dostępne od [data]? Z góry dziękuję za odpowiedź!
Dzień dobry! Dziękuję za pokazanie mieszkania. Jestem zdecydowany/a na wynajem od [data]. Proszę o przesłanie projektu umowy do wglądu. Pozdrawiam, [imię i nazwisko]
How much money to prepare upfront
The real move-in cost is usually twice the monthly rent plus your first bills — plan for this before you relocate. With the average rent in Lodz at 2159 zł, it looks like this:
- First month's rent2159 zł
- Deposit — kaucja (usually 1 month's rent)3124 zł
- Agency commission0 zł — all listings in RentlyGo are agent-free
- Utilities and metered chargesusually 300–600 zł per month, depending on meters and the season
Scams and red flags
- A request for prepayment, a "reservation fee" or a deposit before you've seen the apartment in person — the most common scam, and one that specifically targets foreigners arranging a rental from abroad. Never pay for an apartment you haven't seen.
- A price clearly below market: with the average in Lodz at 2159 zł, an offer at 1295 zł or less should set off alarm bells.
- An "owner abroad" offering to courier the keys after you transfer the money — a classic fraud scheme that ends with your money gone.
- Pressure to pay in cash with no receipt and no contract — no transfer record means no proof you ever paid.
- The person showing the apartment can't prove they own it (land register number — księga wieczysta — or a title deed) or dodges questions about the contract.
- Photos lifted from other listings or glossy "catalogue" shots — run the image through a reverse image search; if it shows up in several cities, the listing is fake.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does it cost to rent an apartment in Lodz?
- The average asking rent in Lodz is currently 2159 zł per month. On top of that come the building fee and utilities — usually 300–600 zł combined. You'll find current prices by district and number of rooms on our rental prices page.
- How big is the deposit (kaucja) and is it refundable?
- Based on our data, the average deposit in Lodz is 3124 zł — about 1,4× the monthly rent. The kaucja is refundable after the lease ends, minus documented damage — so when you move in, make sure to complete a handover protocol with photos.
- How do I avoid rental scams in Poland?
- Pay nothing before the viewing, compare the price against the market average (2159 zł in Lodz), pay by bank transfer with a description, and insist on a written contract and proof of ownership. A suspiciously cheap offer and an "owner" in a hurry are the two most common warning signs — especially if you're searching from abroad.
- How fast do I need to react to new listings?
- In popular districts good offers vanish within a few hours. Set up alerts in the RentlyGo bot — you'll get the listing on Telegram right after it's published and be among the first to reply, even before you've learned to navigate the Polish portals.
- What should I ask when viewing an apartment?
- Ask about the administrative fee and typical utility bills, exactly what the kaucja covers and when it comes back, the meter readings and handover protocol, the type of contract (standard or occasional lease) and the notice period, the rules on pets, and who pays for minor repairs. Also ask for proof of ownership.
- Why is rent in Łódź so cheap?
- A large supply of apartments in tenement houses and less migration pressure than in Warsaw or Kraków. That gives tenants the strongest negotiating position in the country — with an average of 2159 zł, you can realistically rent a two-room apartment for the price of a Warsaw studio.
- Which part of Łódź should you live in?
- Near Piotrkowska (Śródmieście) if you want the vibe of the revitalized tenement houses; Polesie for greenery and the university campuses; Widzew if you'll be commuting by train.
Lodz
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