Cost of Living Comparison Between Pula and Rijeka Cost of Living Comparison Between Pula and Rijeka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,638 per month in Pula vs $1,624 in Rijeka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,583 per month in Pula vs $2,498 in Rijeka, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,527 per month in Pula vs $3,373 in Rijeka, rent included.

Pula costs about 1% more than Rijeka, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Pula and Rijeka sit above the global median – Pula by 19%, Rijeka by 18%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.18 €13.06

$13.89 €11.95

9.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.6 €59.1

$74.2 €63.9

-7.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.21 €7.93

$10.57 €9.10

-12.87%

Cappuccino

$2.50 €2.15

$2.34 €2.01

6.84%

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

$3.15 €2.71

$3.19 €2.75

-1.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 €1.88

$2.00 €1.72

9.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.53 €3.04

$3.92 €3.37

-9.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 €4.02

$4.58 €3.94

1.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.23 €1.06

1.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.66 €1.43

12.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 €2.77

$3.54 €3.05

-9.04%

Eggs

$4.08 €3.51

$3.86 €3.32

5.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.29 €9.71

$16.83 €14.48

-32.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.44 €9.84

$10.43 €8.97

9.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.52 €16.80

$14.69 €12.64

32.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 €1.69

$1.75 €1.51

12.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 €1.68

$1.80 €1.54

8.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.91 €1.64

16.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$2.66 €2.28

-3.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 €1.23

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.31 €1.13

4.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.36 €1.17

0.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 €1.09

$1.37 €1.18

-8.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 €4.94

$6.14 €5.29

-6.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.09 €6.96

$8.16 €7.03

-0.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.65 €1.42

21.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 €2.21

$2.21 €1.90

16.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 €2.06

$2.29 €1.97

4.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.58 €29.75

$56.7 €48.82

-39.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 €2.93

$5.76 €4.95

-40.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 €1.94

$1.48 €1.28

52.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.60 €19.45

$29.41 €25.31

-23.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.95 €1.68

-3.59%

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

$27.6K €23.8K

$27.4K €23.6K

0.85%

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

$27.2K €23.4K

$25.8K €22.2K

5.48%

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

$158 €136

$192 €166

-17.82%

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

$22.89 €19.70

$24.89 €21.41

-8.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.34 €35.58

$40.70 €35.03

1.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.4 €43.37

$55.5 €47.78

-9.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.07 €33.62

$11.44 €9.85

241.52%

Cinema Ticket

$11.10 €9.55

$7.00 €6.03

58.57%

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

$249 €215

$558 €480

-55.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,956 €2,543

$13.2K €11.3K

-77.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 €100

$104 €89.4

11.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.36 €32.15

$42.90 €36.92

-12.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 €126

$105 €90.6

38.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 €118

$115 €98.7

19.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$714 €614

$727 €626

-1.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 €467

$554 €477

-2.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,365 €1,175

$1,237 €1,065

10.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 €894

$892 €768

16.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,523 €3,892

$4,274 €3,678

5.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,814 €3,282

$4,159 €3,579

-8.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,560 €1,343

$1,525 €1,312

2.30%

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: August 29, 2026

Last update for Rijeka: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $714 in Pula versus $727 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 2% higher in Pula, 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 $69.0 in Pula versus $74.0 in Rijeka. Groceries tell a different story – $312 in Pula vs $303 in Rijeka – so Rijeka 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

Pula vs Rijeka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,638 in Pula, $1,624 in Rijeka – roughly 1% apart. Pula costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,457 per month in Pula and $2,435 in Rijeka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $249 per month in Pula and $558 in Rijeka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Pula, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Rijeka, where all-in costs run around $1,624, than in Pula at $1,638. In Rijeka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pula it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rijeka – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Rijeka. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Pula makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.