Poland economic trends: labor market shifts and real estate fluctuations

Recent data reveals significant shifts in the Polish economy, particularly regarding employment and housing. In the labor market, the number of working people reached 15.1 million in May 2026, with manufacturing and trade remaining the largest sectors. However, sectors like hospitality and gastronomy face negative employment forecasts, while healthcare shows the highest growth. Additionally, 43 percent of employees surveyed expressed a willingness to accept lower wages in exchange for more vacation days.

The real estate market shows mixed results. In the housing sector, purchasing power has declined in most major cities, including Warsaw, Wroclaw, and Gdansk, meaning average salaries cover less square footage than in previous quarters. Conversely, in cities like Krakow, Katowice, and Lodz, new apartment prices rose slower than inflation, resulting in a real price decrease.

In the commercial sector, the office market is seeing a decrease in vacancy rates across eight major regional markets, with rental volumes increasing significantly in the third quarter of 2026. Meanwhile, the adoption of AI technology is accelerating in Poland, with Warsaw and Krakow emerging as key hubs in the European AI landscape.