Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlovac and Rijeka Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlovac and Rijeka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,254 in Karlovac versus $1,603 in Rijeka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,865 in Karlovac versus $2,369 in Rijeka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,476 in Karlovac versus $3,135 in Rijeka.

Living in Karlovac costs roughly 22% less than in Rijeka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Karlovac is 6% below, Rijeka is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.65 €11.07

$12.91 €11.30

-2.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.88 €41.02

$68.7 €60.1

-31.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 €7.11

$10.41 €9.11

-21.90%

Cappuccino

$1.99 €1.74

$2.28 €1.99

-12.72%

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

$2.44 €2.14

$3.53 €3.09

-30.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.20

$2.18 €1.91

-36.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 €2.00

$4.18 €3.66

-45.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 €1.98

$4.69 €4.11

-51.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.23 €1.08

-7.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 €1.02

$1.61 €1.41

-27.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 €1.63

$3.99 €3.49

-53.38%

Eggs

$3.57 €3.13

$3.53 €3.09

1.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 €8.50

$16.15 €14.13

-39.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.80 €10.32

$10.75 €9.40

9.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.05 €12.30

$14.73 €12.89

-4.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 €1.56

$1.67 €1.46

6.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 €1.80

$1.70 €1.49

20.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.71 €1.50

2.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$2.63 €2.30

-23.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 €1.43

$1.18 €1.03

38.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 €0.89

$1.27 €1.11

-20.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 €1.50

$1.12 €0.98

53.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 €0.93

$1.22 €1.07

-13.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.62 €4.91

$5.89 €5.16

-4.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.03 €6.15

$7.79 €6.81

-9.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 €1.50

$1.60 €1.40

6.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 €2.33

$2.08 €1.82

28.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 €1.55

$1.94 €1.69

-8.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.29 €37.00

$55.9 €48.93

-24.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 €2.66

$5.88 €5.14

-48.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 €1.16

$1.31 €1.15

0.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 €7.63

$28.63 €25.05

-69.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.77 €1.55

-0.56%

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

$36.6K €32.0K

$38.6K €33.8K

-5.27%

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

$26.3K €23.0K

$25.9K €22.6K

1.51%

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

$187 €164

$184 €161

1.95%

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

$23.15 €20.25

$22.25 €19.47

4.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.87 €28.76

$33.59 €29.39

-2.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.33 €30.04

$52.0 €45.48

-33.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.93 €13.06

$15.08 €13.19

-0.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 €5.62

$9.17 €8.02

-29.99%

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

$238 €208

$285 €249

-16.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,385 €1,212

$16.4K €14.4K

-91.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €90.9

$90.8 €79.4

14.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.79 €30.44

$34.57 €30.24

0.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 €60.7

$101 €88.1

-31.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 €65.5

$106 €92.8

-29.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 €373

$663 €580

-35.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 €293

$535 €468

-37.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 €559

$1,058 €926

-39.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 €420

$776 €679

-38.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,897 €2,534

$4,153 €3,633

-30.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,475 €2,166

$3,977 €3,480

-37.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,387 €1,214

$1,550 €1,356

-10.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.63

-3.46%

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

Last update for Karlovac: July 13, 2026

Last update for Rijeka: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $426 in Karlovac and $663 in Rijeka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rijeka pays 12% 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: $47.00 in Karlovac vs $69.0 in Rijeka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $296 per month, with Karlovac cheaper across the board.

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

Karlovac vs Rijeka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karlovac is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Rijeka. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $426 in Karlovac versus $663 in Rijeka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,254 per month in Karlovac versus $1,603 in Rijeka – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karlovac runs roughly 32% less than in Rijeka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,254 in Karlovac versus $1,603 in Rijeka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Karlovac but tight or insufficient in Rijeka. The gap between the two cities makes Karlovac the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Karlovac and Rijeka 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 Karlovac gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Rijeka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.