Your scenario
Source currency, amount, where you'd convert. We estimate real PLN.
Real PLN you get
Effective rate + total + lost value.
PLN you'll get
~ 2,275 zł
Effective rate: 4.55 zł / EUR (mid-market 4.30, markup + 5.8%).
Use Walutomat online, transfer to a Polish bank account, then ATM. Mid-market rate, 0.2% fee.
Mid-market reference
~ 4.30 zł/EUR
Markup
+ 5.8%
Indicative for 2026. FX rates change by the minute. Verify on the operator's site.
How to read the result
Polish currency exchange is split into four tiers. Each costs you differently:
Walutomat (and CurrencyGroup.in.poland P2P)
The market-friendly exchange, peer-to-peer. Mid-market rate ± 0.1-0.2% fee. Requires a Polish bank account (PL bank transfers). 100 EUR → ~ 730 PLN at 4.30-4.32. Used by 1.5+ million Polish customers. Discontinued by some in 2024 due to regulatory tightening — check it's still operating.
Cinkciarz Kantor (online)
Major online FX office. Mid-market rate + 0.5-1.5% markup. Account required, top-up by bank transfer, withdrawal via bank or ATM. Used to dominate the Polish FX market. Wicks law enforcement scrutiny — fine with regulators; recent structural changes may affect services.
Alior Kantor (in-bank)
Bank-grade. Alior Bank runs its own FX desk inside the bank branch. Low spread (~ 0.3-1.0%). Available only to Alior account holders (free account). 100 EUR → ~ 728 PLN at 4.28-4.31. Among the best rates for the card-less traveller who has time to visit a branch.
Bank Pekao / mBank / ING FX
Major Polish banks offer FX in-branch or via app. Spread ~ 1-2% for accounts holders, 2-4% for walk-in customers at non-bank branches. Pekao and mBank have the best mobile FX apps. PKO BP / Santander get the best walk-in rates.
Hotel Centrum / Marriott (worst)
8-12% spread. A "0% commission" sign is the trap — the variance is the price. €1 = 4.10 zł when mid-market is 4.30. Used by tourists who don't know better. 100 EUR → 410 PLN, losing 20 zł in 5 minutes.
Airport kantor
5-7% spread normal, 8-9% in evening hours. Chopin WAW has 4 kantors in arrivals — all similar rates. Modlin WMI has 1. Markups shrink in mid-afternoon when tourist volume is higher.
Mid-market reference (NBP)
The National Bank of Poland (NBP) publishes a daily reference rate at nbp.pl. This is the interbank mid-rate, the benchmark. Any retail rate worse than mid-market is the spread.
"0% commission" trap
If a sign says "0% commission", look at the rate. If mid-market is 4.30 and the rate is 4.10, you've lost 12% before counting the variance. "0% commission" = "all margin in the rate". This is the single most expensive way to convert.
Cash vs card for FX
Most modern Polish cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) settle in PLN at your bank's rate. If your bank is Revolut, Wise, N26, or ING, you'll usually get mid-market + a small margin. Don't pay 8% to exchange cash for cash if your card will work.
When you need cash anyway
For milk bars, bazaar stalls, taxi drivers in cash-only mode. See the Cash vs Card tool for the merchant rules. For 100-200 zł, use an in-bank or airport PKO BP / Santander walk-in — not hotel / centrum.
Cash-handling fee
Some kantors add 2-5 zł per transaction in cash-handling fee. Sometimes only above 200 EUR. Read the small print — the rate might be 4.50 but the fee is 4 zł. Mid-market minus 4 zł can be 4.40-4.45 net.
Limitations of this calculator
FAQ
Can I just pay with my card and skip the kantor?
Yes — for most merchant transactions. Card settlement uses your bank's rate (Visa / Mastercard / Amex), usually within 1-2% of mid-market. If your card has no FX fee (Revolut, Wise, N26 Standard), you're effectively at mid-market. Only withdraw PLN cash for cash-only merchants.
Is Walutomat still open in 2026?
Yes, with periodic service suspensions. Polish tax authority inspections in 2024-2025 disrupted it temporarily; check walutomat.pl status on the day.
What about crypto / Bitcoin ATMs in Poland?
Polish crypto regulations tightened in 2024-2025 with fewer open ATMs in 2026. Where they exist, they charge 4-8% for BTC→PLN cash. Not competitive with Walutomat or Cinkciarz.
Do hotels really use 4.10 zł/EUR?
In 2026 yes, the worst are. Hotel Marriott Centrum, Hilton Warsaw, Sheraton Kraków all quote 4.05-4.15 when mid-market is 4.30. That is a 4-6% loss on €100 = 4-6 zł. The 8-12% "hotel centrum" applies to small private hotels in Old Town, not chains.
Related tools
Sources
- National Bank of Poland mid-market reference — nbp.pl
- Cinkciarz Kantor — cinkciarz.pl
- Walutomat P2P FX — walutomat.pl
- Polish AML / FX regulations — Komisja Nadzoru Finansowego (KNF) — knf.gov.pl