Buy-to-Let Flat in Łódź – Does It Pay Off? Yields 2026

A buy-to-let flat in Łódź appeals above all because of the price: a square metre of a new-build flat here is noticeably cheaper than in Kraków, Wrocław or the Tricity, and NBP publishes rents for Łódź together with those cities. Is that enough for the investment to pay off? Below we estimate gross and net yields in three districts using TM Invest offer data (as of 07.10.2026) and NBP research – together with a cautious scenario, because actual rents in Łódź may be below the average.

Key facts

• According to NBP, the average transaction price per square metre on the Łódź primary market in Q2 2026 was PLN 9,945 – the lowest of the six cities for which the central bank publishes a common rent figure.
• The average rent in this group (Gdańsk, Gdynia, Kraków, Łódź, Poznań, Wrocław) in Q1 2026 was 67.5 PLN/m² per month, excluding service charges and utilities.
• Our offer in Łódź includes 364 studios (median price PLN 418,526) and 405 two-room flats (median PLN 508,250).
• Our estimated gross yield is around 5.6–6.6% at the NBP rent and around 4.6–5.4% in a cautious scenario (55 PLN/m²).
• After fitting out, tax and one month’s void, a sample studio in a completed building returns around 3.0–3.8% net a year.

Why are investors looking at Łódź? Prices compared with other cities

In its rental market reports NBP groups Łódź with five other large cities: Gdańsk, Gdynia, Kraków, Poznań and Wrocław. Rents are published for the group as a whole, but flat prices separately for each city – and this is where Łódź stands out:

City	Transaction price, primary market, PLN/m²
Łódź	9,945
Poznań	12,766
Gdynia	12,887
Wrocław	14,312
Gdańsk	14,491
Kraków	15,923

Since a flat in Łódź costs more than a third less than in Kraków while the group rent is shared, the yield calculation looks best on paper precisely in Łódź. The catch is that NBP does not publish a separate rent figure for Łódź, and lower flat prices usually go hand in hand with lower rents. That is why we calculate two scenarios below: with the average NBP rent and with a cautious rent of 55 PLN/m² (our assumption, about 19% below the average).

Who rents flats in Łódź?

Łódź is a major university city. Its largest universities – the University of Łódź (Uniwersytet Łódzki) and Lodz University of Technology (Politechnika Łódzka) – were both founded in 1945; the University of Technology alone had more than 10,000 students in 2024. Students mainly look for studios and two-room flats close to a tram stop or within walking distance of campuses and the centre. The second group of tenants are people working in the centre and young couples who do not yet want to buy; they more often sign longer leases.

Rail links matter to investors too: Łódź Fabryczna station, rebuilt and opened as a new transport hub in 2016, sits right next to the centre. A flat close to the station may appeal to people commuting to work in other cities. But check the actual connections and walking times for each flat – the district name alone is not enough.

How much does a buy-to-let flat in Łódź cost?

This is our offer of studios and two-room flats in the three districts where we have developments:

District	Studios: number / median price, PLN	Studio: median m²	2 rooms: number / median price, PLN	2 rooms: median m²
Górna	84 / 418,124	32.8	134 / 491,649	39.9
Polesie	232 / 409,524	28.5	191 / 523,082	39.6
Widzew	48 / 497,810	35.7	80 / 517,974	38.4

An interesting detail: in Górna (Gardenia) the median price of a two-room flat – PLN 491,649 – is lower than the median studio price in Widzew. For a similar budget you can buy an extra room, which is often the better choice when letting to two students or a couple. For a fuller comparison, see studio or two rooms for rent.

Estimated gross yield by district in Łódź

We take annual rent (median floor area × rent per m² × 12 months) and divide it by the median price. This is a simplification – it ignores fitting out, tax and voids – but it shows the differences between districts well.

District	Studio – rent / gross at 67.5 PLN/m²	Studio – at 55 PLN/m²	2 rooms – at 67.5 PLN/m²	2 rooms – at 55 PLN/m²
Górna	approx. 2,214 / 6.35%	approx. 1,804 / 5.18%	approx. 2,693 / 6.57%	approx. 2,194 / 5.36%
Polesie	approx. 1,924 / 5.64%	approx. 1,568 / 4.59%	approx. 2,673 / 6.13%	approx. 2,178 / 5.00%
Widzew	approx. 2,410 / 5.81%	approx. 1,964 / 4.73%	approx. 2,592 / 6.00%	approx. 2,112 / 4.89%

For comparison, NBP estimates the capitalisation rate (annual rent to price) for the six-city group in Q1 2026 at 6.24%. With the NBP rent our Łódź results are very close to that; in the cautious scenario they are about 1–1.7 percentage points lower. In Wrocław, at the same rent, studios give around 4.3–6% gross in our calculations – see flat to let in Wrocław.

Example: a studio in a completed building – from price to net profit

Take the median studio at Forum on ul. Targowa – the building is already completed, so rent starts once the flat is fitted out rather than in a few years. It is 35.7 m² for PLN 498,080, bought in cash. Fitting-out and furnishing costs are our assumptions; a flat from a developer is handed over in stan deweloperski (shell-and-core), so it cannot be let without them.

Item	NBP rent 67.5 PLN/m²	Cautious scenario 55 PLN/m²
Flat price (median studio, Forum)	PLN 498,080	PLN 498,080
Fitting out – assumed 2,000 PLN/m²	PLN 71,400	PLN 71,400
Furniture and appliances – assumed	PLN 25,000	PLN 25,000
Notary and court fees – assumed	PLN 4,000	PLN 4,000
Total investment	PLN 598,480	PLN 598,480
Rent for 11 months (1 month void)	PLN 26,507	PLN 21,599
Flat-rate tax (ryczałt) 8.5% of revenue	−PLN 2,253	−PLN 1,836
Reserve for repairs and property tax – assumed	−PLN 1,500	−PLN 1,500
Annual net profit	PLN 22,754	PLN 18,263
Net yield	approx. 3.8%	approx. 3.1%

Around 5.8% gross has turned into 3.1–3.8% net – before any increase in the flat’s value. With a mortgage the picture is completely different: NBP estimates that with 80% loan financing, a buy-to-let flat in the six-city group produced a negative return on equity in Q1 2026 (−5.3%). More in mortgage for a buy-to-let flat, and the flat-rate tax rules in rental income tax in Poland.

Where to buy a buy-to-let flat in Łódź – what to look for

• Completion date. In the completed developments – Forum, Agosto and Osiedle Faktoria – rent starts after fitting out. At UniverCity (median studio PLN 401,328 for 28.1 m²) the keys come only after Q3 2028, and at Gardenia after Q4 2027 – during that time your money is not working.
• Competition. Large developments with hundreds of small flats completed at the same time mean many similar rental listings at once – be ready to negotiate the rent in the first months.
• The resale market next door. According to NBP, the average transaction price on the Łódź resale market in Q2 2026 was 8,020 PLN/m². Tenants will compare your new flat with cheaper ones in older buildings, so your advantage has to be the standard, layout and transport links.
• Layout. For students, two-room flats with separate entrances work better; in a studio, space for a washing machine and good ventilation of the kitchenette matter.
• Running costs. High service charges reduce the rent a tenant will accept paying you.

For the letting process itself – the lease, deposit and registration – see our guide how to rent out a flat step by step, and for the cost of management companies rental management cost.

Frequently asked questions

Summary

Łódź has the lowest flat prices in the group of six large cities for which NBP calculates rents, so on paper it offers the highest yield. The real result depends on the rent you can achieve in a specific location, on the completion date and on the cost of fitting out. Under cautious assumptions a studio in a completed building returns about 3% net, and at the average NBP rent almost 4%. You will find the full offer in our catalogue of developments in Łódź, and the districts described in our guide to the best districts of Łódź to buy a flat.

Would you like to compare several buy-to-let flats in Łódź? We will help you choose and buy a flat from a developer – we have been on the market since 2016, and in most cases there is no commission for the buyer, as our fee is usually paid by the developer. If you plan to use a mortgage, book a call with our mortgage expert: mortgage.

Flat prices from the TM Invest offer as of 07.10.2026. Rents and yields are indicative calculations based on average NBP data and stated assumptions. This article is not investment or tax advice.

Read also:

• New Apartments in Łódź 2026 – Prices, Districts, Developments
• Best districts of Łódź to buy a flat
• A flat as an investment in Poland
• Rental yield – worked examples
• Flat to let in Wrocław

Sources

• NBP – Informacja o cenach mieszkań i sytuacji na rynku nieruchomości mieszkaniowych i komercyjnych w Polsce w I kwartale 2026 r. (rents, capitalisation rate).
• NBP: Baza cen nieruchomości mieszkaniowych (Q2 2026 prices).
• Act on flat-rate income tax – consolidated text, Dz.U. 2025 item 843 and podatki.gov.pl – rental income (ryczałt).
• Wikipedia (Polish): Politechnika Łódzka, Uniwersytet Łódzki, Łódź Fabryczna.
• Listing data: TM Invest development catalogue, as of 07.10.2026.