Basic diving course: OWD price in 2026 and what it includes

indekscen.pl editorial team · published 30 September 2026 · prices according to the 5 October 2026 index

In 2026, a basic Open Water Diver course most commonly costs PLN 2,400 (typically PLN 2,050 ‑ 2,700) and includes theory, pool sessions and open-water dives. The cheapest courses in school price lists start at PLN 1,950, while the most expensive cost up to PLN 2,800. An introductory dive without certification costs around PLN 450.

Diving starts with a single course that qualifies you to dive independently with a buddy: Open Water Diver (OWD) with PADI or SSI, or its equivalent from another organisation. This is the real entry point into the sport. Below, we look at how much a basic diving course costs at Polish schools, what is included, what costs extra, and how it compares with other water sports courses. The figures are medians from diving school price lists collected in the price index.

How much does a basic diving course cost?

A basic Open Water Diver course in Poland usually costs PLN 2,050 ‑ 2,700, while the median from 4 diving school price lists is PLN 2,400. The cheapest offer in our sources is PLN 1,950, while the most expensive is PLN 2,800. The variation is therefore smaller than for many other courses because the OWD programme is standardised by training organisations.

The course price usually includes theory, pool sessions and open-water dives. Additional costs may include certification, which some schools charge for separately, and personal equipment if the school requires students to have items such as their own mask and fins. A full price comparison with quotations is available on the diving course page.

Median and typical range from public price lists, as at 5 October 2026. Each price includes a source and quotation on the service page.

Diving course for beginners: OWD or a trial dive?

According to price lists, an introductory dive costs around PLN 450 and provides no qualification, while an OWD course costing PLN 2,400 provides a certificate recognised at diving centres around the world. The price difference is considerable, but these are two different services.

Option	Price (median)	What you get
Introductory dive	PLN 450	one dive with an instructor, without certification
Open Water Diver course	PLN 2,400	theory, pool sessions, open-water dives, qualification to dive independently with a buddy
Typical range for an OWD course	PLN 2,050 ‑ 2,700	half of the offers fall within this range

A trial dive makes sense if you do not know how well you will cope with breathing through a regulator, pressure in your ears or limited visibility. If you decide after the introductory dive that you want to continue, some schools will count it towards the course. Ask about this before paying.

How long does a diving course take?

An Open Water Diver course usually takes from a few days in intensive mode to several weekends when spread out. The programme has three parts: theory, often online or in a classroom, pool sessions and at least several open-water dives, which in Poland most commonly take place in a lake or flooded quarry.

The course format affects the price less than whether the lessons are private or in a group. School price lists show that a private course is considerably more expensive than a group course because the instructor works with one person. Group sessions are cheaper, but depend on the season: open-water dives in Poland mainly take place from late spring to autumn.

How deep can you dive without a qualification?

Without a qualification, you can only dive with an instructor as part of an introductory dive, usually to a shallow depth set by the school. After completing an Open Water Diver course, standard training organisations allow recreational diving with a buddy to a depth of 18 metres.

The next level, usually Advanced Open Water with PADI and SSI, extends the permitted depth to 30 metres and teaches specialist diving skills, such as night diving and underwater navigation. We do not yet have advanced course prices in the index, so we do not provide them in this article.

Is diving an expensive hobby?

Diving has a high initial cost, but the OWD course itself costs about the same as other courses leading to a qualification. The median price is PLN 2,400 for a diving course, PLN 1,500 for a sailing licence course and PLN 1,600 for a lifeguard course.

Median and typical range from public price lists, as at 5 October 2026. Each price includes a source and quotation on the service page.

The expensive part of diving comes after the course: diving trips, entry fees for dive sites, tank refills and equipment. In sailing, yacht charter plays a similar role. We cover the cost of gaining a licence in our article sailing licence price. If you are looking for a one-off adventure rather than a hobby, also compare the cost of a tandem skydive.

Does a diving course cost more in Wrocław, Warsaw or Poznań?

The price of a diving course depends more on the school than on the city. In the collected price lists from schools in Katowice, Poznań and Łódź, an OWD course costs from PLN 1,950 to PLN 2,800. We do not yet have separate medians for individual cities because there are usually only a few diving schools in each city, rather than a dozen or more.

The differences mainly result from three factors. The first is the training organisation and whether the certificate fee is included in the price. The second is the location of the open-water dives: a school in Wrocław or Warsaw will often take students to a quarry or lake several dozen kilometres away, and transport and dive-site entry may be charged separately. The third is the course format: in one of the sources, a private course costs 50% more than a standard group course. When comparing schools in your city, consider the total cost, not just the headline price in the price list.

What are the side effects of diving?

The most common problems experienced by beginner divers are difficulty equalising pressure in the ears and sinuses, fatigue and getting cold in cold water. An OWD course teaches you how to prevent them by descending slowly, equalising pressure and making a controlled ascent. More serious risks, such as decompression sickness, are mainly associated with errors in dive planning. This is a medical matter, so if you have any health concerns, make the decision together with a doctor.

How much does a full set of diving equipment cost?

Diving equipment prices are not yet included in our index, so we do not provide figures. During an OWD course, schools usually provide the main equipment, such as a tank, regulator, BCD and wetsuit, and at most expect students to have their own mask, snorkel and fins.

A sensible order of purchases for a beginner is:

1. Mask, snorkel and fins before the course, as they need to fit properly.
2. Dive computer after the course, once you start diving regularly.
3. Wetsuit or drysuit only when you know where you will be diving: the water in Poland is cold even in summer.
4. Regulator and BCD last; rent them from diving centres beforehand.

How do you choose a diving school without overpaying?

First compare what the price includes, and only then compare the amount itself. A course costing PLN 1,950 may ultimately be more expensive than one costing PLN 2,400 if you have to pay extra for certification, equipment hire and pool entry. Ask the school:

• Does the price include certification by the training organisation and training materials?
• How many open-water dives are included and where do they take place, including transport and dive-site fees?
• Is equipment included in the price, and if not, how much does it cost to hire?
• How many students are assigned to each instructor in the water?
• Will they count a trial dive towards the course?

Diving requires good health. Before the course, you will complete a medical questionnaire. If you have any concerns about your heart, lungs, ears or sinuses, consult a doctor before paying. You can find other sports courses and activities in the sport and recreation category, and courses leading to qualifications in the education and courses category.

„OWD 2650 zł. (Open Water Diver ) Podstawowy kurs, od niego każdy zaczyna”

SCUBA (Katowice), source

„Kurs Open Water Diver (nurek samodzielny) | 1950 PLN”

Centrum Nurkowe (Poznań), source

„Podstawowe kursy (rekreacyjne) Open Water Diver 2800 zł”

Aquanaut, source

„Kurs standardowy to 2000 zł (Zatoka Sportu) lub 2200 zł (Deepspot), a indywidualny 3100 zł.”

Seaquest (Łódź), source

The prices in this article come from public price lists published by diving schools and guides. Each price has a source, date and verbatim quotation on the service page, and we update the medians together with the index (as at 5 October 2026).

Frequently asked questions

How much does a diving qualification cost?

Podstawowe uprawnienia nurka zdobywa się na kursie Open Water Diver, który kosztuje zwykle PLN 2,050 ‑ 2,700. Część szkół dolicza osobno opłatę za certyfikat organizacji szkoleniowej, więc zapytaj, czy jest w cenie.

How much does a trial dive cost?

Nurkowanie zapoznawcze z instruktorem, bez certyfikatu, kosztuje według cenników około PLN 450. To dobry sposób, żeby sprawdzić, czy nurkowanie Ci odpowiada, zanim zapłacisz PLN 2,400 za pełny kurs.

Do you need to be able to swim to take a diving course?

Tak, szkoły wymagają podstawowej umiejętności pływania i utrzymania się na wodzie. Jeśli jej nie masz, zajęcia grupowe nauki pływania kosztują około PLN 72 za spotkanie, a indywidualne około PLN 120.

Do you need a medical examination for a diving course?

Przed kursem wypełnia się ankietę zdrowotną, a przy niektórych odpowiedziach szkoła poprosi o zaświadczenie od lekarza. Jeśli masz choroby serca, płuc, uszu albo zatok, zapytaj lekarza przed zapisem.

Is a diving course in warm waters abroad cheaper?

Nasze ceny dotyczą szkół w Polsce: kurs OWD to typowo PLN 2,050 ‑ 2,700. Za granicą cena kursu bywa podobna, ale dochodzą przelot i nocleg, a teorię i basen często można zrobić wcześniej w Polsce.

Translation of the original Polish article dated 30 September 2026. Quotations from price lists are in Polish, as published by the companies. Read the original in Polish.

Found an error? Report it. Do you provide these services? Add your company's price list free of charge.