In short
This is not a ranking and not an offer. We compare facts from the banks’ public documents and representative examples, recalculated for the same amounts. The bank sets your final rate and loan amount after assessing your application.
The surcharge for a deposit below 20%
With a 10% deposit you borrow 90% of the property value. Banks take more risk and raise the margin or the fixed rate until the balance falls to 80%. We calculated what the surcharge costs at each bank on a PLN 450,000 loan for a flat at PLN 500,000, with equal instalments and the rates from the banks’ examples.
| Rate type | PKO Bank Polski | mBank | Cost difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Variable rate | +0.25 p.p.about PLN 7,650 over 7 years and 2 months | +0.45 p.p.about PLN 14,250 over 7 years and 5 months | PLN 6,600 |
The cost is the extra interest from the surcharge until the balance falls to 80% of the price. Details
The contract sets the exact moment the surcharge ends. Surcharges from the banks’ price lists and rate tables.
How to get rid of the surcharge sooner
Without overpayments the surcharge lasts 7 years and 2 months at PKO Bank Polski and 7 years and 5 months at mBank. Overpaying capital shortens this, because the balance reaches 80% of the price sooner. Once it does, ask the bank to remove the surcharge if it does not do so itself.
Which one should you choose?
PKO Bank Polski and mBank confirm the amount, margin and terms only after assessing your application, and a personal offer is often better than the advert. A mortgage expert can apply to both and compare the information sheets (ESIS) at no cost to you, because the bank pays for the service.
Compare PKO Bank Polski and mBank for you
Frequently asked questions
PKO Bank Polski or mBank: which is cheaper with a 10% deposit?
In our example (a PLN 450,000 loan, a flat at PLN 500,000, variable rate), the low-deposit surcharge costs about PLN 7,650 at PKO Bank Polski and PLN 14,250 at mBank. What counts is the whole rate, not just the surcharge, so compare the APRC in both banks’ information sheets.
How long do I pay the low-deposit surcharge?
Until the loan falls to 80% of the property value. With equal instalments and a loan of 90% of the value, that is 7 years and 2 months at PKO Bank Polski and 7 years and 5 months at mBank in our example. Overpayments shorten it.
Can I put down less than 10%?
In a standard mortgage both banks require at least 10%. Less, even 0%, is possible under the family housing loan with a BGK guarantee (for Polish citizens) if the bank offers it, or with extra security on another property.
Other comparisons
- PKO Bank Polski or mBank for a single buyer
- PKO Bank Polski or Bank Pekao with a 10% deposit
- PKO Bank Polski or Erste Bank Polska with a 10% deposit
- Bank Pekao or mBank with a 10% deposit
- Erste Bank Polska or mBank with a 10% deposit
Full comparison of PKO Bank Polski and mBank (in Polish) · All bank comparisons
Sources
- PKO Bank Polski: Zmiana oprocentowania na stałe dla obecnych klientów (strona banku, odczyt 1.11.2026)
- PKO Bank Polski: Strona kredytu hipotecznego Własny Kąt
- PKO Bank Polski: Informacje ogólne dotyczące umowy o kredyt hipoteczny (PDF)
- PKO Bank Polski: Oprocentowanie kredytu hipotecznego, tabela nr 5 (PDF, od 3.09.2026)
- PKO Bank Polski: Podstawowe opłaty związane z obsługą kredytu hipotecznego (PDF)
Show all sources (9)Show fewer sources
- mBank: Zmiana oprocentowania na stałe dla obecnych klientów (strona banku, odczyt 1.11.2026)
- mBank: Strona kredytu hipotecznego w ofercie standard
- mBank: Ogólne informacje dotyczące umowy o kredyt hipoteczny (PDF, wersja z czerwca 2025)
- mBank: Strona kredytu: obowiązujące marże i oprocentowanie stałe (oferta standard)
This guide describes general rules and typical bank practice as of October 2026. Details
It is not legal or tax advice and not a bank offer. Each bank sets its own criteria, and the lending decision is always made by the bank.