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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,631 in Rijeka versus $1,297 in Karlovac.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,514 in Rijeka versus $1,905 in Karlovac.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,397 in Rijeka versus $2,513 in Karlovac.

Living in Rijeka is roughly 26% more expensive than in Karlovac, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rijeka is 18% above, Karlovac is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.85 €11.93

$11.60 €10.00

19.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 €64.1

$46.04 €39.69

61.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.49 €9.04

$8.07 €6.95

29.99%

Cappuccino

$2.37 €2.04

$2.11 €1.82

12.32%

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

$3.14 €2.70

$2.50 €2.16

25.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.75 €1.51

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.91 €3.37

$2.51 €2.16

55.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

$2.67 €2.30

77.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$1.18 €1.02

5.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 €1.40

$1.21 €1.05

34.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.45 €2.98

$1.61 €1.39

114.29%

Eggs

$3.81 €3.29

$3.29 €2.84

15.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.53 €14.25

$9.91 €8.54

66.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.72 €9.24

$9.95 €8.57

7.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.56 €12.55

$12.48 €10.76

16.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.99 €1.72

-10.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$2.03 €1.75

-11.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.97 €1.70

-1.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.38

$2.17 €1.87

27.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.45 €1.25

-5.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 €1.17

$1.06 €0.92

27.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.78 €1.53

-22.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 €1.22

$1.25 €1.08

12.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.09 €5.25

$5.90 €5.08

3.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 €6.86

$6.80 €5.86

17.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.69 €1.46

-1.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 €1.88

$2.39 €2.06

-8.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.02

$3.50 €3.02

-33.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.6 €47.88

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.90 €5.09

$5.86 €5.05

0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.17 €1.01

29.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.16

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 €1.70

$1.71 €1.47

15.79%

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

$26.9K €23.2K

$27.4K €23.6K

-1.71%

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

$26.1K €22.5K

$25.6K €22.1K

1.86%

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

$200 €172

$187 €161

6.89%

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

$25.26 €21.77

$28.66 €24.71

-11.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.65 €35.91

$40.60 €35.00

2.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.1 €47.53

$39.02 €33.63

41.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.68 €10.07

$19.37 €16.70

-39.70%

Cinema Ticket

$7.15 €6.16

$7.05 €6.07

1.42%

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

$568 €490

$440 €379

29.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K €11.3K

$7,185 €6,193

82.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.8

$91.5 €78.9

13.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.77 €37.73

$52.5 €45.21

-16.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €91.0

$92.2 €79.5

14.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 €98.6

$81.1 €69.9

41.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 €628

$513 €442

41.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 €472

$365 €315

49.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 €1,056

$769 €663

59.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$902 €778

$542 €467

66.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,228 €3,644

$2,883 €2,485

46.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,063 €3,502

$2,489 €2,145

63.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,531 €1,320

$1,402 €1,208

9.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.73

3.72

0.27%

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

Last update for Rijeka: September 6, 2026

Last update for Karlovac: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $728 in Rijeka and $513 in Karlovac. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rijeka pays 9% 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: $74.0 in Rijeka vs $46.00 in Karlovac for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $304 vs $257 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

Rijeka vs Karlovac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karlovac is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 9% higher in Rijeka, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $728 in Rijeka versus $513 in Karlovac. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Rijeka. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,631 per month in Rijeka versus $1,297 in Karlovac – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Karlovac versus $1,631 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, Rijeka and Karlovac 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 26% less than in Rijeka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.