Polish women are less likely to go into debt than men, accounting for only 37% of all borrowers. However, the loans they take out tend to be larger. The average debt for women amounts to 11,000 PLN, according to ERIF BIG.
The highest number of indebted Polish women is found in the Mazowieckie, Dolnośląskie, and Wielkopolskie provinces. Despite the gender pay gap and lower pensions, women remain more cautious when taking out loans.
Women Borrow Less Often but Accumulate Higher Debt
The average debt among Polish women stands at 11,000 PLN, with multiple loan obligations possible. The average value of a single loan taken by women is typically 6,000 PLN, which is higher than that of men, who have an average debt of 10,000 PLN and a single loan value of 5,400 PLN. These figures come from ERIF BIG’s report summarizing 2024.
Women are less likely to take out loans, representing only 37% of all borrowers. This trend is consistent across all age groups, except for women aged 65 and older, who are more likely to incur debt than their male counterparts. Conversely, men in this age group take out loans the least.
The provinces with the highest number of indebted Polish women are Mazowieckie, Dolnośląskie, and Wielkopolskie, while the lowest numbers are found in Podlaskie, Opolskie, and Świętokrzyskie.
Why Do Women Have Higher Debts?
“The higher average debt among women compared to men is likely due to factors such as greater spending on family needs and healthcare. It is also interesting that women over 65 take out loans more often than men of the same age. This may be linked to lower pensions. Overall, women’s higher average debt could be attributed to lower earnings. The lower number of indebted women relative to men suggests that they approach borrowing more cautiously and manage their finances more carefully. However, it could also be a result of household loans and credits being taken out in the name of a husband or partner who has a higher income,” says Katarzyna Skrzypczyńska, Head of Business Projects at ERIF BIG SA.
The Gender Pay Gap Remains a Challenge
The average salary in the national economy in 2024 was 8,100 PLN gross, marking a 14.3% increase compared to 2023, when it was 7,100 PLN gross. However, this salary increase does not affect everyone equally. The latest data from the Central Statistical Office (GUS) from July 2024 shows that women earned an average of 7,769 PLN—9.7% less than men, who earned an average of 8,605 PLN. The gap is slightly narrower when comparing median salaries: women earned a median of 6,413 PLN, while men earned 6,899 PLN, reducing the disparity to 7%.
“This means that while the highest salaries are still dominated by men, the differences are smaller among employees with average incomes. Nevertheless, the persistent gender pay gap, even when reduced in median values, indicates that workplace inequalities still exist. These wage disparities directly impact women’s ability to manage their finances, including decisions about borrowing. Although our data suggests that women approach debt with more caution, lower earnings may force them to take out larger loans. They rely on higher-value loans or credit to cover essential household expenses or invest in personal and professional development,” comments Katarzyna Skrzypczyńska, an expert at ERIF BIG SA.
Growing Wages Do Not Eliminate the Need for Loans
While the increasing average salaries for Polish women are promising, they do not eliminate the necessity of taking out loans. For comparison, in 2023, the average loan value was 5,600 PLN, and the average debt of Polish women was 10,600 PLN. Despite rising wages year by year, the amounts borrowed by women are also increasing, indicating that external financing continues to play a significant role in meeting their financial needs.
