2026-03-03-莱坊-Katowice_city_attractiveness_and_office_market_Q4_2025_8页_1mb

Summary of Katowice's Office Market and Investment Attractiveness (Q4 2025)

Core Content

Katowice, a city in southern Poland, is experiencing growth in its office market and investment attractiveness. The city has a population of 277,900 (as of June 2025), with a forecasted population of 261,050 by 2030. It has a low unemployment rate of 1.5% and a GDP growth of 3.6%. The average gross salary in the business sector is PLN 10,600.03.

Investment Attractiveness

Katowice is ranked among the most attractive cities for investment in Poland and Europe. It holds the 1st place in the school category of the "Polish Cities of the Future 2050" ranking and has been awarded the "European City of Science" 2024 by the EuroScience Association. The city is also ranked 1st in the "Standards of Investor Service in Local Government" and among the best cities to live in Poland by Business Insider. Additionally, it is listed as one of the most ecological Polish cities by the Schuman Foundation and in the Top Municipal Investment of the Decade for its Culture Zone.

Investment Incentives

Katowice offers a Special Economic Zone with income tax exemptions, making it highly appealing to foreign investors. The Investors Assistance Department in the city hall provides tailored support to investors, including market analysis, investment location information, image-building assistance, and coordination with universities. The city is also implementing various educational initiatives to develop talent in the BSS (Business, Science, and Services) sector, such as FujitsuTech, Kyndryl Future Achievers, and Sopra Steria's Technologiczny Kompas Kariery.

Quality of Life

Katowice is committed to sustainable development, implementing the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals and its own City Development Strategy (Katowice 2030) focusing on fair transformation, climate change, and equity. The city has a green area coverage of 40% and 208.9 km of cycling infrastructure. It has also launched the Katowice Resident Card, with over 154,752 registered cards, and has allocated over PLN 20 million for participatory budgeting, including PLN 3 million for the Green Budget.

Office Market Overview

• Total office stock: 742,000 sq m
• Supply under construction: 30,000 sq m
• Vacancy rate: 21.6%
• Office take-up: 56,000 sq m
• Office take-up percentage of total leasing volume: 7%
• Vacancy rate decrease: 1.8 pp quarter-on-quarter and 1.6 pp year-on-year
• Office vacancy rate: remains the highest among Poland's regional markets

The office market in Katowice has seen a 17% increase in take-up year-on-year, with new leases accounting for 76% of total take-up. The IT sector is the most active tenant group, responsible for 23% of all leased space in 2025. The Eco City Katowice complex, an 18,000 sq m project by Górnosławski Park Przemyslowy, is expected to further enhance the office market.

Lease Terms

• Service charge: PLN 14.00–26.00 per sq m per month
• Rent-free period: 1–1.5 months per contract year
• Fit-out budget: EUR 350.00–500.00 per sq m

Office Market in Poland

The office market in Katowice is part of the broader Polish market, which has seen a shift in the energy sector due to the energy transition. The Michael Page "Salary Guide 2026" highlights that the energy sector is experiencing salary stabilisation, but highly qualified professionals are in high demand, especially in renewables, energy storage, and offshore projects. The IT sector is also a key player in the office market.

Labour Market Trends

• High demand for specialists: particularly in renewables, energy storage, and offshore projects
• Salary growth: stabilised, with engineers and grid managers commanding higher salaries
• Salary ranges:
  • Engineers: PLN 14,000–15,000 (junior) to PLN 19,000–21,000 (senior)
  • Grid managers: PLN 20,000–35,000
  • Land acquisition managers: PLN 16,000–18,000
  • Wind project developers: PLN 19,000–25,000
  • Offshore project roles: PLN 31,000–34,000
• Soft skills and benefits: gaining importance as salary growth slows, with companies offering eco-friendly transport subsidies, home renewable system support, and development programs
• Skills gap: education system is lagging behind the energy transition, with many technical universities still relying on outdated curricula

Key Challenges

• Skills gap: due to the education system not keeping pace with the energy transition, especially in offshore projects
• Limited domestic expertise: leading to reliance on foreign companies for some projects
• Candidate-driven market: particularly for highly specialised roles, with recruitment processes becoming more selective and competition intensifying for less experienced candidates

Awards and Recognition

• Silver Award at the LivCom Awards 2024: in the Technology and Solution Project category
• "European City of Science" 2024: awarded by the EuroScience Association

Contacts

• Knight Frank Poland:

  • Tel: +48225965050
  • Website: www.KnightFrank.com.pl
  • CEO: Charles Taylor (charles.taylor@pl.knightfrank.com)
  • Research: Dorota Lachowska (dorota.lachowska@pl.knightfrank.com)
  • Commercial Agency - Katowice: Iwona Kalaga (iwona.kalaga@pl.knightfrank.com)
  • Capital Markets: Krzysztof Cipiur (krzysztof.cipiur@pl.knightfrank.com)
  • Valuation & Advisory: Małgorzata Krzystek (malgorzata.krzystek@pl.knightfrank.com)
  • Strategic Consulting EMEA: Marta Sobieszczak (marta.sobieszczak@pl.knightfrank.com)
  • Industrial Agency: Przemysław Pietak (przemyslaw.pietak@pl.knightfrank.com)

• Michael Page:

  • Contact: Antoni Komsta (antonikomsta@michaelpage.pl)
  • Tel: +48667995399
  • Website: www.michaelpage.pl

Conclusion

Katowice is a growing city with a strong focus on sustainability, education, and investment attractiveness. Despite its high office vacancy rate, the city continues to attract investors and specialised talent due to its strategic location, special economic zone, and innovative initiatives. The energy transition is reshaping the labour market, creating new opportunities for specialists in renewables and offshore projects, while also highlighting the need for improved education and training to support the future workforce.