Cost of Living Comparison Between Makarska and Rijeka Cost of Living Comparison Between Makarska and Rijeka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,560 in Makarska versus $1,558 in Rijeka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,442 in Makarska versus $2,374 in Rijeka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,324 in Makarska versus $3,191 in Rijeka.

Monthly costs are close between Makarska and Rijeka; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Makarska 17% above, Rijeka 17% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.22 €14.14

$12.54 €10.93

29.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.1 €70.7

$70.3 €61.3

15.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 €6.96

$10.53 €9.18

-24.12%

Cappuccino

$3.50 €3.05

$2.25 €1.96

55.56%

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

$3.64 €3.17

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.30

$2.24 €1.95

17.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.73 €4.13

$4.19 €3.65

12.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 €3.24

$4.78 €4.17

-22.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 €1.04

$1.23 €1.07

-2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.53 €1.34

-11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 €2.62

$4.09 €3.57

-26.41%

Eggs

$5.06 €4.41

$3.44 €3.00

47.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.01 €15.70

$16.41 €14.31

9.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.41 €9.95

$10.83 €9.44

5.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.41 €9.95

$14.40 €12.55

-20.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 €1.39

$1.61 €1.40

-1.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 €1.37

$1.65 €1.44

-4.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.70 €1.48

22.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 €2.11

$2.55 €2.22

-5.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 €1.27

$1.19 €1.04

22.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 €1.25

$1.27 €1.11

12.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 €0.78

$1.10 €0.96

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.02

$1.16 €1.02

0.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.28 €4.60

$5.95 €5.19

-11.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 €6.39

$8.12 €7.08

-9.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.15

$1.59 €1.39

-16.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 €1.18

$2.10 €1.83

-35.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 €1.56

$2.00 €1.74

-11.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.28 €37.73

$54.0 €47.10

-19.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 €2.66

$5.87 €5.12

-48.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.96

$1.32 €1.15

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.79 €7.67

$28.50 €24.84

-69.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 €1.49

$1.77 €1.55

-3.95%

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

$38.2K €33.3K

$37.5K €32.7K

1.70%

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

$26.3K €22.9K

-0.05%

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

$183 €160

$191 €166

-3.95%

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

$23.60 €20.58

$22.34 €19.48

5.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.64 €26.71

$32.97 €28.75

-7.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 €45.67

$53.0 €46.22

-1.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.51 €12.65

$14.97 €13.05

-3.07%

Cinema Ticket

$8.18 €7.13

$9.33 €8.13

-12.33%

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

$239 €208

$295 €257

-19.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,394 €1,216

$16.8K €14.6K

-91.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$92.4 €80.5

13.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.62 €39.77

$34.26 €29.87

33.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 €121

$101 €87.8

37.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 €93.1

$104 €90.5

2.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$678 €591

$651 €568

4.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 €396

$532 €463

-14.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,053 €918

$1,060 €924

-0.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$775 €676

$789 €688

-1.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,708 €3,233

$4,270 €3,723

-13.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,645 €2,306

$4,044 €3,525

-34.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,509 €1,316

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.7

4.63

1.51%

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

Last update for Makarska: July 25, 2026

Last update for Rijeka: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $678 in Makarska and $651 in Rijeka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $81.0 in Makarska vs $70.0 in Rijeka. Groceries flip the comparison at $290 vs $295, with Makarska 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

Makarska vs Rijeka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

You'd need roughly $2,340 in Makarska and $2,337 in Rijeka to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $678 in Makarska versus $651 in Rijeka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Rijeka runs roughly 25% less than in Makarska. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Makarska pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,558 in Rijeka versus $1,560 in Makarska, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Rijeka but tight or insufficient in Makarska. The gap between the two cities makes Rijeka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Makarska 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.

It comes down to priorities – Rijeka wins on affordability, Makarska on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.