Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and Split Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and Split

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,217 in Cambridge versus $1,822 in Split.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,973 in Cambridge versus $2,773 in Split.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,729 in Cambridge versus $3,724 in Split.

Living in Cambridge is roughly 22% more expensive than in Split, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge 66% above, Split 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.40 NZ$22.93

$17.34 €15.15

-22.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.88 NZ$61.4

$82.0 €71.6

-56.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 NZ$15.77

$9.48 €8.29

-2.74%

Cappuccino

$3.05 NZ$5.23

$2.79 €2.44

9.32%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 NZ$4.08

$3.52 €3.08

-32.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 NZ$3.81

$2.85 €2.49

-21.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 NZ$8.46

$5.56 €4.86

-10.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.21 NZ$10.62

$4.79 €4.18

29.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 NZ$2.86

$1.37 €1.20

21.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 NZ$2.90

$1.86 €1.63

-8.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 NZ$3.26

$3.75 €3.27

-49.07%

Eggs

$6.27 NZ$10.73

$3.78 €3.30

65.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.37 NZ$14.31

$12.44 €10.87

-32.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.02 NZ$15.43

$9.71 €8.49

-7.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.17 NZ$20.83

$13.90 €12.14

-12.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 NZ$4.16

$1.85 €1.62

31.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 NZ$3.12

$1.85 €1.62

-1.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 NZ$4.00

$2.29 €2.00

2.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 NZ$5.23

$2.35 €2.06

30.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 NZ$3.69

$1.45 €1.26

48.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 NZ$3.03

$1.38 €1.20

28.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 NZ$3.47

$1.43 €1.25

41.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NZ$2.11

$1.31 €1.14

-5.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.04 NZ$34.29

$5.95 €5.20

236.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.18 NZ$17.41

$9.23 €8.06

10.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 NZ$4.31

$1.70 €1.49

48.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 NZ$4.49

$2.34 €2.05

11.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.09 NZ$5.28

$1.78 €1.56

73.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.7 NZ$111

$39.52 €34.53

63.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 NZ$4.54

$3.48 €3.04

-23.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 NZ$3.30

$2.07 €1.81

-6.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.76 NZ$59.5

$9.22 €8.05

277.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.96

$1.75 €1.53

-1.14%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.6K NZ$47.3K

$38.0K €33.2K

-27.24%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.9K NZ$39.2K

$26.3K €23.0K

-12.70%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$110 NZ$189

$210 €183

-47.34%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$37.70 NZ$64.5

$23.64 €20.65

59.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.46 NZ$67.5

$34.74 €30.35

13.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.48 NZ$64.1

$59.1 €51.6

-36.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.19 NZ$20.86

$14.19 €12.39

-14.09%

Cinema Ticket

$9.08 NZ$15.53

$9.25 €8.08

-1.84%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$757 NZ$1,296

$188 €164

303.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K NZ$20.8K

$8,934 €7,806

35.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.8 NZ$167

$82.5 €72.0

18.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 NZ$97.9

$39.38 €34.41

45.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 NZ$177

$110 €95.9

-5.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 NZ$216

$105 €91.5

20.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$954 NZ$1,633

$976 €853

-2.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 NZ$2,060

$705 €616

70.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,081 NZ$3,560

$1,908 €1,667

9.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 NZ$2,727

$1,243 €1,086

28.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,784 NZ$8,185

$7,166 €6,261

-33.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,307 NZ$5,657

$5,134 €4,485

-35.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,610 NZ$4,465

$1,660 €1,450

57.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

40.52%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Cambridge: July 12, 2026

Last update for Split: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $954 in Cambridge and $976 in Split. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 57% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Cambridge vs $82.0 in Split. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $291, with Split cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cambridge vs Split: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Split is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 57% higher in Cambridge, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $954 in Cambridge versus $976 in Split. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,217 per month in Cambridge versus $1,822 in Split – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Split runs roughly 64% less than in Cambridge. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,822 in Split versus $2,217 in Cambridge, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Split but tight or insufficient in Cambridge. The gap between the two cities makes Split the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Split is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cambridge, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cambridge and Split are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Split gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.