A private caregiver for an elderly person usually costs 28 to 60 zł per hour in Poland in 2026. Rates are highest in Warsaw and lowest in smaller towns. A few hours of care a day for a whole month usually comes to 1500 to 3500 zł, full time to 5000 to 7000 zł, and live-in care to 6000 to 8000 zł a month, plus a room and meals. The lowest legal rate under a civil-law contract (umowa zlecenie) is 31.40 zł gross per hour in 2026. Below we explain what drives the price and how to check a caregiver before they start coming to your mum's or dad's home.
In short
- The average rate in caregiver profiles on the Opiekunowie.com platform is 38 zł per hour in Warsaw and 28 zł in Lublin (as of 27 August 2026).
- Live-in care usually costs 6000 to 8000 zł a month, plus a room and meals (Opiekunowie.com, 27 August 2026).
- Since 1 January 2026 the minimum hourly rate under umowa zlecenie is 31.40 zł gross (gov.pl).
What drives the price of a caregiver for a senior?
The first factor is the city. Caregivers in large cities charge more because living and travel cost more there. The Opiekunowie.com platform calculates the average rate from active caregiver profiles in each city. This is how it looked at the end of August 2026:
| City | Average rate per hour |
|---|---|
| Warsaw | 38 zł |
| Kraków | 35 zł |
| Gdańsk | 34 zł |
| Wrocław | 33 zł |
| Poznań | 32 zł |
| Łódź | 30 zł |
| Lublin | 28 zł |
The second factor is the scope of help. According to an eOpiekun overview from July 2026, companionship, shopping and help at home cost about 30 to 40 zł per hour, care with some nursing tasks 40 to 50 zł, and care for a bedridden person or a person with dementia 45 to 55 zł. Nights, weekends and public holidays cost more: Opiekunowie.com gives a surcharge of 20 to 50% on the day rate.
The third factor is the intermediary. An agency charges more than a caregiver you hire directly, but it usually handles the contract and provides cover during illness or holidays. An example from Warsaw: the Złoty Wiek agency lists rates from 52 zł per hour, 53 to 73 zł in packages depending on the number of hours, and 1000 zł for recruiting a caregiver.
What is the monthly cost: a few hours, full time or live-in care?
An hourly rate says little until you multiply it by the hours in a month. Opiekunowie.com gives these ranges: visiting care a few times a week 1500 to 3500 zł, night care 3000 to 4500 zł, full-time care Monday to Friday 5000 to 7000 zł, and live-in care 6000 to 8000 zł a month. With live-in care the family also provides a room and meals, and cover is needed when the caregiver takes leave.
For comparison: the average starting price of a private care home in the Planeta Seniora report covering 487 facilities was 5665 zł a month in the second quarter of 2026. Live-in care at home and a place in a care home cost about the same, but they offer different things. Our guide care at home or a care home helps compare them, and you can work out your own budget in the fee calculator.
Civil-law contract, a business or an agency: what does the form of employment change?
A minimum hourly rate applies to umowa zlecenie. Since 1 January 2026 it is 31.40 zł gross for each hour, under the Council of Ministers regulation of 11 September 2025. A caregiver on a full-time employment contract cannot earn less than 4806 zł gross a month. The amount the caregiver takes home is lower than the cost to the family, because contributions and tax are added. Before you sign a contract as the principal, check with ZUS or an accountant which obligations you will take on.
A caregiver who runs their own business issues an invoice or bill and settles their own contributions. An agency does this for you and is responsible for cover. In every case, agree in writing what you are paying for: hours, duties, travel, and surcharges for nights and holidays.
How do you check a caregiver before they start?
Trust is built step by step, and a few simple steps help a lot:
- Arrange a first meeting and a trial day while you are there. Watch how the caregiver talks to your mum or dad.
- Ask for references from two families and actually call them. Ask how long they worked together and why it ended.
- See an identity document and sign a contract with the duties, hours, rate and cover rules.
- If the caregiver runs a business or works through an agency, check the entry in the business search on biznes.gov.pl.
- Agree rules for money, shopping and keys. Receipts and a short expenses notebook protect both sides.
- In the first weeks, visit your parent at different times of day and ask how they feel with the new person.
We write more about protecting a parent from dishonest people in the guide scams targeting seniors.
When is a caregiver no longer enough?
A caregiver works well while your parent needs help for a few hours a day. When supervision is needed at night too, the hours grow month after month, or the family is becoming exhausted, it is worth comparing the costs with a care home. The municipality can also grant care services, which are sometimes free for people on a low income: we describe this in the guide a caregiver from MOPS. If you want to see care homes nearby with prices and free places, use the Help me choose form.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an hour of care for a senior cost in 2026?
Usually 28 to 60 zł. The average in caregiver profiles ranges from 28 zł in Lublin to 38 zł in Warsaw, and agencies in large cities charge more (Opiekunowie.com, August 2026).
Can a caregiver on umowa zlecenie earn less than 31.40 zł per hour?
No. Since 1 January 2026 the minimum hourly rate under umowa zlecenie is 31.40 zł gross, under the Council of Ministers regulation of 11 September 2025.
Can the municipality help pay for a caregiver?
The social welfare centre can grant care services, which are sometimes free when the senior's income is low. The application is made at the MOPS or GOPS where the senior lives.
Sources
- gov.pl: minimum hourly rate in 2026 (checked 6 November 2026)
- gov.pl: minimum wage in 2026 (checked 6 November 2026)
- Council of Ministers regulation of 11 September 2025, Dz. U. 2025 item 1242
- Opiekunowie.com: care services price list 2026 (as of 27 August 2026)
- eOpiekun: how much a caregiver for a senior costs (30 July 2026)
- Złoty Wiek: care price list in Warsaw (checked 6 November 2026)
- Planeta Seniora: care home price report, Q2 2026
