Guide for companies
Moving your company to Warsaw: office, team and housing
Moving a company to Warsaw or opening a Polish branch takes four stages: office search, negotiation, fit-out and the move itself, with housing for relocated staff running in parallel. While the permanent office is prepared, the team can work from a serviced office on a monthly agreement. The market is tight: only 4.3% of modern central office space was vacant in Q3 2026 (PINK), so start early.
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Where to start when opening an office in Warsaw
International companies choose Warsaw for its talent pool, its position in the EU and its flight connections. What usually slows the first months down is not the decision but the practicalities: how offices are leased in Poland, what they really cost, and how long each step takes.
Start from the date your team needs to be working in Warsaw and plan backwards: how many people relocate, how many you will hire locally, and what the office should look like in a year. That tells you whether to lease a permanent office straight away or start in a serviced one.
The stages: from office search to day one
Brief and budget
Desks now and in 1–3 years, meeting rooms, parking, a budget in zł including VAT and service charges, and preferred districts.
Shortlist and viewings
We send options after checking they are still available, and set up viewings. You can see some of them by video before flying in.
Offers and negotiation
We compare landlords’ offers: rent, service charge, add-on factor, rent-free period, fit-out contribution, lease length, indexation, and deposit or bank guarantee.
Lease
The lease is in Polish (often bilingual) and usually runs several years. We explain each commercial term in your language; your lawyer does the legal review.
Fit-out
If the space is delivered in shell condition, the landlord or tenant builds partitions, kitchen and meeting rooms. Time depends on scope, so ask for a schedule in the offer.
Move-in
Furniture, IT and internet, building access, a mailing address. The handover report is signed before you move in.
Warsaw office budget figures, 2026
| Metric | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Headline rents, central | ≈79–141 zł/m²/month | end of June 2026 |
| Headline rents, non-central | ≈53–79 zł/m²/month | end of June 2026 |
| Service charges | 18–38 zł/m²/month | H1 2026 |
| Rent-free period, new buildings | 1.5–2 months per year of lease | H1 2026 |
| Fit-out budget | ≈1,100–3,300 zł/m² | H1 2026 |
| Vacancy, all Warsaw | 7.9% | Q3 2026 |
Rents exclude 23% VAT. Values converted to złoty at the NBP average rate 4.4026 (table 208/A/NBP/2026, 26.10.2026). These are market ranges, not our offer.
Knight Frank, Warsaw H1 2026 · PINK via Eurobuild CEE, 14.10.2026
Choosing a location you can hire for
Warsaw has the largest talent pool in Poland. According to ABSL, 418 business services centres in the city employed 111,200 people in 2025, and 258,500 students attend its 69 universities. Unemployment was 1.6% in May 2026 and the average gross salary in the enterprise sector 11,204.68 zł (GUS, via Knight Frank). Candidates are plentiful, but so is the competition for them.
For hiring, the commute matters most. An office near the metro in Śródmieście, or in Wola around Rondo Daszyńskiego, is easy to reach from anywhere in the city. Służewiec costs less and suits people who drive. For a hybrid team, a smaller office closer to the centre usually beats a big one on the edge of town.
A serviced office while the fit-out is done
The team can start work straight away while the permanent office is being prepared.
Serviced office or coworking
Furnished space with internet and reception.
- Monthly agreements
- Move in within days
- Address and meeting rooms included
- Higher cost per desk
- Little room to grow
- Limited branding
Ready office "as is"
Space left by a previous tenant, often Class B.
- Fast move-in
- No major fit-out cost
- Layout is not yours
- Less choice
Office with fit-out
New or vacated floor built out for you.
- Layout designed for your team
- Rent-free period and landlord fit-out contribution
- Takes time to build
- Multi-year lease
Housing for relocated employees
Relocated staff often spend their first weeks in short-stay apartments and then sign standard leases. Average asking rents in Warsaw in May 2026: up to 40 m², 2,957 zł a month; 40–59 m², 3,897 zł; 60–89 m², 6,095 zł (Otodom Analytics), plus czynsz administracyjny and utilities.
It helps to find flats near the office or on the same metro line. We search for employee apartments alongside the office, matching each person’s budget and family. We work in your language and explain each clause of the Polish lease.
Registered address vs. a real office
Registering a Polish company requires a registered address. Some companies start with a virtual office (wirtualne biuro): an address for registration and mail, with no desks. A real office is where the team works, meets clients and keeps records.
Banks, business partners and authorities may ask where the company actually operates. Whether a virtual address is enough in your case, and what proof of premises you will need, is a question for your lawyer and accountant. This is general information, not legal advice; we do not advise on immigration or work permits.
What to compare in landlord offers
Two offers with the same rent per m² can differ by tens of percent over the full lease term.
| Term | What it is | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Headline rent | Price per m² per month, excl. VAT | Is it fixed for the whole term |
| Service charge | Security, common-area cleaning, maintenance | What it covers and how it is reconciled |
| Add-on factor | Share of common areas added to your space | How many m² you actually pay for |
| Rent-free period | Months without rent | How many, and when |
| Fit-out contribution | How much of the build-out the landlord covers | What the standard includes, who manages works |
| Indexation | Annual rent adjustment | Which index, and from which year |
| Deposit or guarantee | Security for the landlord | Amount, form, return conditions |
| Expansion and break options | Right to take more space or leave early | Whether they exist and on what terms |
Common mistakes when relocating a company
Comparing rent per m² only
The real total includes service charge, add-on, VAT and parking.
Leasing space "to grow into" without a plan
Empty desks cost the same as full ones. Negotiate an expansion option instead.
Picking the district by the CEO’s address
What matters is where your staff, including future hires, will commute from.
Forgetting housing for the team
If relocated staff have no flats by moving day, they end up in hotels and the start slips.
Signing without a lawyer
A multi-year lease is a major commitment; have it reviewed.
Viewing offices before your team is in Warsaw
The first round can be remote: we send a shortlist with floor plans, photos and the full monthly cost, and show some spaces by video. Then plan one or two days in Warsaw to see the best 3–5 options in person and walk the route from the metro. That saves trips and management time.
Company relocation checklist
- End date of your current lease and the notice period.
- Desks now and in 1–3 years; hybrid or office-first.
- Monthly budget: rent, service charge, VAT, parking.
- Districts that suit future hires (metro M1 or M2).
- Interim solution: a serviced office during fit-out.
- A lawyer to review the lease and handle registration.
- Deposit or bank guarantee: which bank and how much.
- IT, internet, building access, furniture.
- Housing for relocated staff and their families.
- A mailing address for the transition period.
How we help
Leave a request in the form at the bottom of the page, or message us on WhatsApp. We call to clarify the brief, check availability and send a shortlist of offices (and, if needed, apartments for your staff). We arrange viewings, discuss terms with landlords and stay with you until signing and handover of the keys. We work in your language throughout.
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Questions and answers
How long does it take to move an office to Warsaw?
It depends on whether the space needs a fit-out. A ready or serviced office can be occupied quickly; a fitted-out office needs time for design and works. Add your current notice period, search, negotiation and fit-out, and start well ahead.
Can we start working in Warsaw before the office is ready?
Yes. Many companies take a serviced office or coworking desks on a monthly agreement for the first months. That gives you an address, meeting rooms and time to choose and fit out the permanent office without pressure.
How much does office space cost in Warsaw in 2026?
According to Knight Frank, at the end of June 2026 headline rents were about 79–141 zł/m² a month in central locations and 53–79 zł outside the centre (converted at the NBP rate of 26.10.2026), plus service charges of 18–38 zł/m² and 23% VAT.
Which district is best for hiring in Warsaw?
The commute matters most. An office near the metro in Śródmieście or in Wola by Rondo Daszyńskiego is easy to reach from the whole city. Służewiec is cheaper and suits drivers. For hybrid teams, a smaller office closer to the centre usually works better.
Do you help find apartments for relocated staff?
Yes. We search for apartments alongside the office, matching each person’s budget and family, ideally near the office or on the same metro line. We work in your language and explain each clause of the Polish lease.
Is a virtual office enough to register a company?
Companies often use a virtual address for registration and mail, but the team needs a real office to work in. Whether a virtual address is enough in your case is a question for your lawyer and accountant. This is general information, not legal advice.
Do you advise on work permits or visas?
No. We handle premises: offices and apartments. Work permits, visas and company registration are best handled with an immigration lawyer or relocation adviser.
Sources
Shortlist
Get a shortlist that fits your brief
Send a request: what you need, district, budget and dates. We check the properties are available and send you the ones that fit.