Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubrovnik and Zagreb Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubrovnik and Zagreb

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,081 per month in Dubrovnik vs $1,789 in Zagreb, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,060 per month in Dubrovnik vs $2,672 in Zagreb, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,039 per month in Dubrovnik vs $3,554 in Zagreb, rent included.

Dubrovnik costs about 16% more than Zagreb, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dubrovnik and Zagreb sit above the global median – Dubrovnik by 51%, Zagreb by 30%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.43 €17.56

$13.61 €11.70

50.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 €69.1

$60.1 €51.7

33.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.11 €11.27

$7.99 €6.87

64.08%

Cappuccino

$4.35 €3.74

$2.59 €2.23

67.95%

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

$4.86 €4.18

$3.03 €2.61

60.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 €4.23

$2.64 €2.27

86.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.82 €5.01

$3.45 €2.97

68.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 €6.89

$4.62 €3.97

73.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 €0.92

$1.39 €1.20

-23.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 €1.08

$1.82 €1.56

-30.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 €2.01

$3.04 €2.62

-23.36%

Eggs

$4.22 €3.63

$4.07 €3.50

3.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.36 €8.90

$16.18 €13.91

-35.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.38 €8.06

$12.77 €10.98

-26.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.02 €8.62

$18.32 €15.75

-45.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 €1.67

$2.42 €2.08

-19.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 €1.26

$1.88 €1.61

-22.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.16 €1.86

-18.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.91 €2.50

$2.62 €2.25

11.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 €0.78

$1.39 €1.20

-34.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 €0.85

$1.11 €0.96

-10.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.34 €1.15

-14.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.33 €1.14

-3.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.48 €4.71

$5.90 €5.08

-7.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.54 €3.90

$9.56 €8.22

-52.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 €1.16

$1.65 €1.42

-18.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 €2.58

$2.36 €2.03

27.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.83 €2.43

$0.60 €0.51

371.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.1 €49.09

$58.4 €50.2

-2.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 €4.11

$2.28 €1.96

109.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 €1.06

$1.47 €1.26

-16.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.48 €6.43

$10.76 €9.25

-30.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 €1.61

$1.95 €1.68

-4.10%

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

$26.8K €23.1K

$28.1K €24.2K

-4.55%

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

$25.5K €21.9K

$27.2K €23.4K

-6.16%

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

$188 €162

$220 €189

-14.67%

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

$23.18 €19.93

$22.53 €19.36

2.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.89 €38.59

$40.79 €35.07

10.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.6 €60.7

$53.5 €45.98

32.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.86 €21.37

$19.36 €16.64

28.41%

Cinema Ticket

$8.58 €7.38

$9.15 €7.87

-6.23%

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

$91.5 €78.7

$541 €465

-83.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,962 €5,985

$10.6K €9,117

-34.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 €64.4

$108 €93.2

-30.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.59 €25.44

$46.72 €40.17

-36.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 €60.1

$97.1 €83.5

-27.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.8 €71.2

$111 €95.3

-25.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,494 €1,285

$906 €779

64.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$939 €807

$683 €587

37.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 €1,784

$1,436 €1,235

44.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,505 €1,294

$1,081 €930

39.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,265 €7,105

$5,360 €4,608

54.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,456 €3,831

$3,494 €3,003

27.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,541 €1,325

$2,015 €1,732

-23.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

3.25

16.62%

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

Last update for Dubrovnik: August 31, 2026

Last update for Zagreb: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,494 in Dubrovnik versus $906 in Zagreb. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 31% higher in Zagreb, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Dubrovnik versus $60.0 in Zagreb. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Dubrovnik vs $333 in Zagreb – so Dubrovnik wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Dubrovnik vs Zagreb: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,081 in Dubrovnik, $1,789 in Zagreb – roughly 16% apart. Dubrovnik costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,121 per month in Dubrovnik and $2,684 in Zagreb. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zagreb, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Zagreb. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $91.5 per month in Dubrovnik and $541 in Zagreb. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Zagreb, where all-in costs run around $1,789, than in Dubrovnik at $2,081. In Zagreb it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dubrovnik it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Dubrovnik has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,789 in Zagreb to $2,081 in Dubrovnik. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Zagreb. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dubrovnik makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.