Wages Rise in Wroclaw
It has been a general assumption in Poland, that salaries in the capital city of Warsaw are by far the most desirable. However, a surprise report published in the Rzeczpospolita daily has revealed that things might not be exactly as they seem. In comparison to Warsaw, smaller Polish cities such as Krakow, Gdansk, and Wroclaw have seen a much more dramatic rise in wages since 2005.
While the average salary in Warsaw and Wroclaw neighbor Katowice remains the highest, one must remember that the cost of living in the capital is significantly higher. Businesses looking to invest in Poland have taken into account that educated Polish workers are accessible across the country, and other costs of maintaining a business may in fact be lower in other, smaller cities.
Wroclaw has proven itself a desirable location, with several major corporations selecting the city for investment. In fact, IBM announced the opening of a new "Integrated Delivery Centre" in Wroclaw late last year. The centre is set to open in spring 2010 and will employ roughly 2000 people. Swedish furniture giant IKEA also recently confirmed a 6-billion zloty investment plan for Wroclaw, with the intent to open an accounting department and eventually employ over 500 people.