Holidays on the Polish coast in 2026 have become noticeably more expensive for tourists compared to five years ago. But how much have prices in seaside restaurants increased during this time? Journalists compared the menu of the same establishment from 2021 and 2026. It turned out that over five years, individual dishes have increased in price by tens of percent, and the cost of some items has risen by almost two-thirds.
W lecie 2026 roku dyskusja na temat cen na polskim wybrzeżu ponownie przeniosła się z restauracji i barów rybnych do mediów społecznościowych.
One of the tourists in Władysławowo showed a receipt for almost 70 zlotys for two waffles with toppings and ice cream. According to the woman, she expected high prices at the resort in advance, but the final amount still surprised her. Previously, for such a set, one could pay between 30 and 40 zlotys.
A similar stir was caused by the bill at a fish bar in Ustka, where visitors paid 230 zlotys for two small portions of cod with salads and French fries
Such amounts look especially impressive against the backdrop of prices that were in effect on the Polish coast a few years ago. A comparison of the old and current menu shows how much the rates have changed.
Prices in 2021 and 2026: some dishes have increased by 60–70 percent
Journalists compared the items that were present on the menu of one restaurant in both 2021 and 2026. It turned out that almost all selected dishes have become more expensive
For example, baked salmon with shrimp and garlic butter cost 25 zlotys for 100 grams five years ago. Today, the price is already 34 zlotys. The increase is 9 zlotys, or about 36 percent.
Another example is pike perch with dill sauce. In 2021, for 100 grams of the dish, you had to pay 20 zlotys, and now it’s 27 zlotys. The price has increased by 35 percent.
Jednak niektóre dania mięsne stały się jeszcze droższe.
Venison goulash with potato babka cost 36 zlotys in 2021. Today, it is priced at 60 zlotys. This represents an increase of approximately 67 percent.
The price of meat dumplings has increased almost as much. Five years ago, a portion cost 20 zł, and in 2026 it will cost 34 zł.
The price of dumplings with game in porcini sauce has increased: from 28 to 42 zlotys.
Roasted duck with apples, cranberries, and potato dumplings has become more expensive by 15 zlotys. In 2021, the dish cost 40 zlotys, and now its price is 55 zlotys.
Soupy również stały się droższe, ale nie tak bardzo
Against the backdrop of main dishes, the rise in soup prices seems much less dramatic
Heart with egg has increased in price from 12 to 16 zlotys, and onion soup with croutons — also from 12 to 16 zlotys.
For bouillon in 2021, you had to pay only 10 zlotys. Now its price is 15 zlotys.
In other words, the price of simple soups has increased by about a third to half, while some main dishes have become significantly more expensive
Why is fish from the Baltic Sea becoming more expensive?
A separate question is the price of fish. It is precisely the prices in fish bars that often become the reason for the emergence of «horror bills.»
One of the reasons is the reduced availability of cod in the Baltic Sea. Today, Polish restaurants and fish bars often use imported fish. Cod for the Polish market is supplied, among others, from Denmark, Norway, and Iceland.
The cost of the fish is supplemented by expenses for transportation, storage, and processing of the product
At the same time, not only fish is becoming more expensive. Restaurateurs have to pay more for products, electricity, rent, and employee wages. All these costs ultimately reflect in the menu.
Therefore, the high cost of lunch on the coast is explained not only by the tourist season. Over the past five years, the cost of running restaurants has increased.
Five years — and a completely different check
A comparison of the same menu shows how much prices have changed on the Polish coast in a relatively short time
If in 2021 some dishes could be paid for with around 20–40 zlotys, today a similar item may cost 34–60 zlotys. At the same time, certain products, especially fish, additionally depend on the situation in the global market and the availability of raw materials.
So the current "horror checks" are not always the result of purely resort markups. At least part of the price increase is confirmed by comparing menus: over the past five years, a typical meal by the Baltic Sea has indeed become noticeably more expensive
Read also
- In Gdańsk, Ukrainians were attacked on the beach: the incident occurred in June, but it has only come to light now, the police are still searching for suspects
- Rada Gdańska przyjęła uchwałę przeciwko nienawiści i dyskryminacji: szczególna uwaga na Ukraińców
- In Gdynia, an investigation is underway regarding possible tampering with the mayor's car: an expert could not determine who loosened the bolts
