Buy rate vs sell rate at a Polish kantor: which one applies to you

Every exchange office in Poland (a kantor) shows two columns of numbers: buy and sell. Most misunderstandings, and some outright bad deals, happen because the customer reads the wrong column. This guide explains how to read the board, how to do the maths yourself and what to check before you pass your cash through the window.

The short version: rates are quoted from the kantor’s side

One rule is worth remembering:

• Buy (Polish: kupno or skup, often labelled “we buy”): the kantor buys foreign currency from you. This rate applies when you bring euros, dollars or pounds and want Polish złoty.
• Sell (Polish: sprzedaż, “we sell”): the kantor sells foreign currency to you. This rate applies when you have złoty and want euros, dollars or pounds, for example before you leave Poland.

The buy rate is always lower than the sell rate. The office buys for less and sells for more, and the difference is how it earns its living. That is normal and fair, as long as the difference is reasonable and both numbers are on display.

An example with numbers

Say the board shows, for the euro: buy 4.33, sell 4.42. These are illustrative figures; you can always see current rates on our home page.

You have 200 euros and want złoty. The buy rate applies:

200 × 4.33 = 866 zł

You have złoty and want to buy 200 euros. The sell rate applies:

200 × 4.42 = 884 zł

Same amount in euros, an 18 zł difference. That is why the column you look at matters.

A useful reflex: if you are selling foreign currency, look for the lower of the two numbers. If you are buying foreign currency, look for the higher one. If your own calculation comes out the other way round, you are reading the wrong column.

The spread is the real cost of exchanging

The spread is the difference between the sell rate and the buy rate. In the example above:

4.42 − 4.33 = 0.09 PLN, or 9 groszy on every euro

The spread tells you more about an exchange office than any sign in the window. To compare two offices you do not even need to know the market rate. Just subtract buy from sell at each one:

Office	Buy EUR	Sell EUR	Spread
A	4.33	4.42	0.09 PLN
B	3.95	4.65	0.70 PLN

At office B, 200 euros gets you 790 zł instead of 866 zł. That is 76 zł lost on one small exchange. Both offices can display “0% commission” and both will be telling the truth.

In tourist areas you will find spreads ranging from a few groszy to several dozen groszy per euro. At our office at Floriańska 37 the retail spread is at most 0.09 PLN, and for larger amounts the rate is negotiable.

“0% commission” is only half the story

A commission is a separate fee added to the transaction. Not paying one is good news, but it says nothing about the rate. An office can charge no commission and still buy your euros dozens of groszy below the market.

So instead of asking “is there a commission?”, ask one specific question:

I have 200 euros. Exactly how many złoty will I get in my hand?

An answer in złoty includes everything: the rate, any fees and any rounding. You can compare it with another office straight away.

Three situations where people get caught out

On busy tourist streets, in Kraków as elsewhere, some outlets rely on customers not telling the columns apart. The most common situations:

1. Only one attractive rate is visible from the street. It is usually the sell rate, which does not apply to you when you bring foreign currency. The buy rate is in small print, inside, or missing.
2. No rates are displayed outside at all. The only option then is to ask at the counter about your exact amount before handing over money.
3. The board shows rates for other currencies next to familiar symbols. Next to €, $ and £ you see rates for less common currencies, while the actual euro, dollar and pound rates take some finding.

The same defence works every time: ask how much you will get for your amount and check it on your phone. If the result is not what you expected, say thank you and walk away. Until you hand over your money, nothing binds you.

We describe more examples in our guide on how not to get scammed at a currency exchange. If a bad exchange has already happened, see our step-by-step help page, which includes a complaint letter generator.

How to check a rate in one minute

You do not need to understand currency markets. Three steps are enough:

1. Look up the mid-market rate. Search “EUR to PLN” on your phone. You will see a single number, for example 4.38. Treat it as a reference point; nobody exchanges cash at exactly that rate.
2. Compare it with the board. A fair buy rate is a little below that number and a fair sell rate a little above. A buy rate a few groszy lower is a good offer. Dozens of groszy lower means keep walking.
3. Ask for the result. State your amount and ask for the answer in złoty. Only then hand over your notes.

It is also worth reading recent Google Maps reviews. Thirty seconds with the newest reviews tells you a lot about any exchange office, ours included.

What about wholesale rates?

Many exchange offices, including ours, have two tiers: a retail rate for everyday amounts and a wholesale rate for larger ones. The wholesale rate has a narrower spread, but it is usually not on the board by the door and is agreed individually. If you are exchanging a larger sum, always ask whether a better rate is possible. Asking costs nothing and the difference can be noticeable.

Our indicative wholesale rates are shown on the website, and you can negotiate from the equivalent of roughly 500 euros. It is best to confirm the rate before you come, at the counter, by phone or on WhatsApp.

Should you exchange a little at a time?

People often ask whether it is better to exchange everything at once or in smaller amounts. Rates move only slightly during the day, so for typical travel amounts it makes little difference. Two things matter more:

• Do not exchange more than you need. Every round trip from your currency to złoty and back costs you the spread twice.
• Do not exchange where you have no choice. Airports, stations and hotels rarely compete on rate. If you must, change only enough there to reach the city.

Before you travel, have a look at our money guide for visitors to Kraków. It covers ATMs, card payments and the situations where cash is essential.

Summary

• Rates are quoted from the kantor’s side: buy applies when you bring foreign currency, sell when you purchase it.
• The buy rate is always lower than the sell rate.
• The spread is the difference between them and the best measure of what an exchange costs.
• “0% commission” says nothing about the rate. Ask for a specific amount in złoty.
• Before you hand over money: check the mid-market rate, compare both columns, ask for the result.

If you are near St. Florian’s Gate, our current buy and sell rates for euros, dollars and pounds are on the home page and on the board with the black sheep at Floriańska 37.