2026-03-03-莱坊-Kraków_city_attractiveness_and_office_market_Q4_2025_8页_1mb

Summary of Strong Cities Report: Krakow, Q4 2025

Core Content

This report provides an overview of Krakow's position as a strong regional market in Poland, focusing on its investment attractiveness, office market dynamics, human capital, and quality of life. It highlights the city's economic growth, cultural offerings, and infrastructure, while also addressing the evolving labour market, particularly in the energy sector.

Key Highlights

City Overview

• Area: 327 sq km
• Population: 810,600 (2025), forecasted to reach 1.5 million
• Unemployment Rate: 2.5% (2025)
• GDP Growth: 14.5% (2025)
• GDP per Capita: PLN 130,184 (2025)
• Average Salary (Gross): PLN 11,125.97 (2025)

Investment Attractiveness

• Ranked 4th in the fDi's European Cities and Regions of the Future 2025 ranking (among large cities) in the human capital and lifestyle category.
• 1st in the economic potential category of the fDi's ranking.
• Recognized as a TOP 100 Super City in the Tholons Global Innovation Index 2021.
• Awarded "Municipality for 5!" and "Golden Municipality for 5!" in the 2023/24 ranking by the Student Scientific Association of Acceleration.

Office Market

• Total Office Space: 1.84 million sq m (maintains leading position in Poland)
• Supply Under Construction: 59,000 sq m, with Tischnera Green Park (24,000 sq m) being the largest scheme.
• New Supply: 12,000 sq m in 2025, the lowest in over 20 years.
• Vacancy Rate: 18.4% at the end of Q4 2025, down by 0.2 pp from the previous quarter and 0.6 pp year-on-year.
• Lease Take-up: 270,000 sq m in 2025, the highest in market history.
• Lease Structure:
  • 63% of transactions involved renegotiations of existing contracts
  • 31% were new leases
  • 6% were expansions
• Green Certifications: 85% of total leasing volume in buildings with green certifications, with 45% in BREEAM Excellent/Outstanding and LEED Platinum rated properties.
• Rent Ranges: EUR 10.00–18.00/sq m/month for modern office buildings, with premium rates for prestigious properties.
• Service Charges: PLN 16.00–29.00/sq m/month, depending on building standard and services.
• Fit-out Budget: EUR 380.00–500.00/sq m.

Quality of Life

• Cultural & Entertainment:
  • 400 cultural events annually
  • Over 1000 monuments, 16 theaters, 12 cinemas, and 23 Michelin Guide restaurants
  • 15 regional products protected by EU regulations
• Transport:
  • 27 tram lines, 173 bus lines, 4 fast commuter rail lines
  • 317 km of bicycle paths
• Green Spaces:
  • 50.4% of city area is green
  • 75 parks, 43 pocket parks, 21 community gardens, 30 hectares of flower meadows, 1,590 hectares of forests
• Airport:
  • 11 km from city centre
  • 13.2 million passengers in 2025

Education & Workforce

• Number of Students: 131,800 (2024/2025)
• Number of Graduates: 32,000 (2024/2025)
• Number of Universities: 17
• BSS Sector:
  • 312 centres
  • 107,800 employed

Labour Market Trends

• Energy Sector Growth:
  • Strong demand for specialists in renewables, energy storage, and offshore
  • Salary Growth Stabilisation: While growth has slowed, top specialists still command high salaries.
  • Salaries in Warsaw:
    • Engineers: PLN 14,000–15,000 (entry-level) to PLN 19,000–21,000 (senior)
    • Grid managers: PLN 20,000–35,000
    • Offshore project roles: PLN 31,000–34,000
• Soft Skills & Benefits: Employers are increasingly offering flexible work models, work-life balance, and additional perks to attract talent.
• Skills Gap: Education system is lagging behind the energy transition, particularly in offshore.
• Candidate-Driven Market: High competition for specialised roles, with recruitment often taking months and focusing on technical expertise and project experience.

Investment Incentives

• Government Support:
  • Program grants
  • Polish Investment Zone: Tax relief from 40% to 70% of investment value
  • Real estate tax exemption
• EU Funds: Assistance available for investment and export activities.
• Tax Incentives:
  • R&D tax relief
  • IP BOX
  • Robotization tax relief
  • Expansion tax relief
  • Relief for innovative employees

Supporting Institutions

• Business in Małopolska Centre: Offers integrated support for investors and exporters.
• Krakow Technology Park: Joint initiative with the Małopolska Region and Regional Development Agency.

Conclusion

Krakow continues to be a strong and attractive regional market in Poland, driven by its economic growth, cultural richness, sustainable infrastructure, and investment incentives. The office market shows high demand and low vacancy rates, with a strong preference for green-certified buildings. Meanwhile, the energy sector is experiencing rapid transformation, creating new opportunities but also challenges due to a skills gap. Employers are increasingly relying on specialised talent and competitive benefits to attract and retain professionals in this evolving landscape.