Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pula and Rijeka

For one person, living costs are similar in Pula and in Rijeka: $1,580 and $1,594 a month, rent and utilities included.

Pula
🇭🇷 Croatia
$1,580
/mo nomad
Rijeka
🇭🇷 Croatia
$1,594
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pula and in Rijeka

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Pula and in Rijeka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,580 per month in Pula vs $1,594 in Rijeka, rent included.

  • Pula $1,580
  • Rijeka $1,594

A couple spends around $2,515 per month in Pula vs $2,442 in Rijeka, rent included.

  • Pula $2,515
  • Rijeka $2,442

A family of three spends $3,450 per month in Pula vs $3,289 in Rijeka, rent included.

  • Pula $3,450
  • Rijeka $3,289

Pula is about 1% cheaper than Rijeka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Pula and Rijeka sit above the global median – Pula by 17%, Rijeka by 18%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pula
Rijeka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.68 €13.06
$13.57 €12.07
8.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.1 €60.6
$72.8 €64.8
-6.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.92 €7.94
$9.99 €8.88
-10.71%
Cappuccino
$2.55 €2.27
$2.33 €2.07
9.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 €2.60
$3.14 €2.79
-6.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 €1.86
$1.88 €1.68
11.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.42 €3.05
$3.92 €3.49
-12.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41 €3.92
$4.55 €4.05
-3.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pula
Rijeka
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.23 €1.10
$1.21 €1.08
1.65%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.65
$1.63 €1.45
14.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.18 €2.83
$3.38 €3.01
-5.92%
Eggs
$3.78 €3.37
$3.78 €3.36
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.95 €9.74
$15.71 €13.97
-30.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.79 €9.59
$10.06 €8.95
7.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.80 €16.72
$14.51 €12.91
29.57%
Apples (1kg)
$1.98 €1.76
$1.70 €1.51
16.47%
Banana (1kg)
$1.87 €1.67
$1.68 €1.50
11.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.14 €1.90
$1.81 €1.61
18.23%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.30
$2.63 €2.34
-1.52%
Potato (1kg)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.31 €1.17
3.82%
Onion (1kg)
$1.33 €1.19
$1.28 €1.14
3.91%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.30 €1.15
$1.36 €1.21
-4.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 €1.08
$1.31 €1.16
-6.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.59 €4.97
$5.79 €5.15
-3.45%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.80 €6.94
$7.73 €6.87
0.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.85 €1.64
$1.67 €1.48
10.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 €2.14
$2.13 €1.89
12.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Pula
Rijeka
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.28 €2.03
$2.26 €2.01
0.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$33.26 €29.58
$53.9 €47.93
-38.27%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.28 €2.91
$5.75 €5.11
-42.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.22 €1.98
$1.50 €1.34
48.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.18 €19.73
$27.89 €24.81
-20.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.83 €1.62
$1.96 €1.74
-6.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.0K €23.1K
$27.6K €24.5K
-5.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K €23.7K
$24.4K €21.7K
9.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pula
Rijeka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$156 €139
$188 €167
-16.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.01 €19.58
$24.24 €21.56
-9.20%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.37 €35.02
$39.78 €35.38
-1.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pula
Rijeka
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.70 €44.21
$53.5 €47.60
-7.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$37.64 €33.48
$11.09 €9.86
239.40%
Cinema Ticket
$10.59 €9.42
$10.63 €9.45
-0.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pula
Rijeka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$240 €214
$535 €476
-55.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,826 €2,514
$12.6K €11.2K
-77.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pula
Rijeka
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$114 €101
$99.3 €88.3
14.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.80 €32.74
$41.34 €36.77
-10.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$144 €128
$101 €90.2
42.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 €116
$109 €97.3
19.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pula
Rijeka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$685 €609
$693 €617
-1.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$522 €464
$526 €467
-0.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,315 €1,170
$1,169 €1,040
12.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$999 €889
$872 €775
14.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,363 €3,881
$4,200 €3,736
3.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,650 €3,246
$4,001 €3,559
-8.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pula
Rijeka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,517 €1,349
$1,527 €1,358
-0.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.54
3.73
-5.09%

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

Last update for Pula: October 18, 2026

Last update for Rijeka: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Pula
$522
Rijeka
$526 0.8% $4
Groceries & Markets
Pula
$301
Rijeka
$293 2.7% $8
Eating Out
Pula
$221
Rijeka
$215 2.5% $5.5
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pula
$218
Rijeka
$252 15.7% $34
Clothing & Footwear
Pula
$192
Rijeka
$158 17.4% $33
Sport & Entertainment
Pula
$71
Rijeka
$75 5.5% $3.9
Getting Around
Pula
$57
Rijeka
$76 34.2% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $685 in Pula versus $693 in Rijeka. 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 1% higher in Rijeka, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Pula versus $73.0 in Rijeka. Groceries tell a different story – $301 in Pula vs $293 in Rijeka – so Rijeka wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇭🇷 Pula
🇭🇷 Rijeka
🕒 Local time
18:04 6:04 PM
18:04 6:04 PM
Same time as Pula
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
52,220
107,964
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Pula Rijeka 69 km
From you
  • Pula
  • Rijeka

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Pula vs Rijeka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Pula and in Rijeka compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,580 in Pula, $1,594 in Rijeka – roughly 1% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Pula compared to Rijeka?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,370 per month in Pula and $2,392 in Rijeka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Pula and Rijeka?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Pula, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Pula and Rijeka?
Kindergarten costs $240 per month in Pula and $535 in Rijeka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Rijeka – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pula, where all-in costs run around $1,580, than in Rijeka at $1,594. In Pula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rijeka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Pula or Rijeka?
Families tend to lean toward Pula – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Pula or Rijeka safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Pula and Rijeka?
If budget matters most, go with Pula. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rijeka makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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