Cost of Living Comparison Between Rijeka and Dubrovnik Cost of Living Comparison Between Rijeka and Dubrovnik

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,585 per month in Rijeka vs $1,961 in Dubrovnik, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,394 per month in Rijeka vs $2,877 in Dubrovnik, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,202 per month in Rijeka vs $3,794 in Dubrovnik, rent included.

Rijeka is about 19% cheaper than Dubrovnik, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rijeka and Dubrovnik sit above the global median – Rijeka by 18%, Dubrovnik by 46%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.94 €11.08

$17.51 €14.99

-26.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 €60.4

$82.0 €70.2

-13.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.25 €8.77

$12.29 €10.52

-16.60%

Cappuccino

$2.34 €2.00

$3.46 €2.96

-32.37%

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

$3.58 €3.06

$4.81 €4.12

-25.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 €1.85

$3.76 €3.21

-42.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.40 €3.77

$6.87 €5.88

-35.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 €4.14

$4.55 €3.89

6.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.01

$1.17 €1.00

0.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 €1.37

$1.51 €1.29

5.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.99 €3.41

$2.33 €1.99

71.24%

Eggs

$3.54 €3.03

$4.33 €3.71

-18.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.44 €14.07

$12.59 €10.77

30.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.77 €9.21

$12.23 €10.47

-11.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 €12.26

$10.57 €9.05

35.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 €1.37

$1.75 €1.50

-8.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.46

$1.70 €1.45

0.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.97 €1.68

-10.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.22

$2.67 €2.28

-3.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 €1.05

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 €1.13

$0.81 €0.69

62.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 €0.93

$1.58 €1.36

-31.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.00

$1.31 €1.12

-10.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.86 €5.02

$5.34 €4.57

9.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.51 €7.28

$4.65 €3.98

83.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.32

$1.33 €1.14

16.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 €1.81

$2.87 €2.46

-26.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.63 €2.25

-24.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.2 €47.23

$56.1 €48.03

-1.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 €4.84

$3.16 €2.71

78.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 €1.19

$1.13 €0.97

23.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.37 €25.14

$7.30 €6.25

302.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.51

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

$38.0K €32.5K

$38.5K €33.0K

-1.47%

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

$25.8K €22.1K

$25.9K €22.2K

-0.58%

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

$186 €160

$187 €160

-0.19%

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

$22.72 €19.45

$23.35 €19.99

-2.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.43 €28.62

$26.73 €22.88

25.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 €44.99

$70.1 €60.0

-25.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.25 €13.05

$24.69 €21.13

-38.23%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 €7.76

$8.63 €7.39

5.10%

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

$288 €247

$93.7 €80.2

207.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K €14.3K

$8,019 €6,864

108.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.4 €78.3

$75.2 €64.4

21.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.31 €29.37

$29.40 €25.16

16.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.6 €84.4

$68.9 €59.0

43.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 €89.3

$79.8 €68.3

30.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$656 €562

$1,236 €1,058

-46.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 €450

$882 €755

-40.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 €895

$1,706 €1,460

-38.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$766 €656

$1,217 €1,042

-37.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,258 €3,645

$8,477 €7,256

-49.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,014 €3,436

$4,430 €3,792

-9.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,577 €1,350

$1,518 €1,300

3.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.63

4.66

-0.64%

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

Last update for Rijeka: April 26, 2026

Last update for Dubrovnik: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $656 in Rijeka versus $1,236 in Dubrovnik. 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 4% higher in Rijeka, 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 $71.0 in Rijeka versus $82.0 in Dubrovnik. Groceries tell a different story – $296 in Rijeka vs $273 in Dubrovnik – 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

Rijeka vs Dubrovnik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,585 in Rijeka, $1,961 in Dubrovnik – roughly 24% apart. Dubrovnik costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,377 per month in Rijeka and $2,941 in Dubrovnik. 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.

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

Kindergarten costs $288 per month in Rijeka and $93.7 in Dubrovnik. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Rijeka, where all-in costs run around $1,585, than in Dubrovnik at $1,961. In Rijeka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dubrovnik 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, Dubrovnik makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.