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: $1,603 in Rijeka versus $1,254 in Karlovac.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,369 in Rijeka versus $1,865 in Karlovac.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,135 in Rijeka versus $2,476 in Karlovac.

Living in Rijeka is roughly 28% more expensive than in Karlovac, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rijeka is 20% above, Karlovac is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.91 €11.30

$12.65 €11.07

2.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €60.1

$46.88 €41.02

46.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 €9.11

$8.13 €7.11

28.04%

Cappuccino

$2.28 €1.99

$1.99 €1.74

14.57%

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

$3.53 €3.09

$2.44 €2.14

44.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 €1.91

$1.38 €1.20

57.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.18 €3.66

$2.29 €2.00

82.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

$2.26 €1.98

107.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.14 €0.99

7.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 €1.41

$1.17 €1.02

37.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.99 €3.49

$1.86 €1.63

114.52%

Eggs

$3.53 €3.09

$3.57 €3.13

-1.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.15 €14.13

$9.71 €8.50

66.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.75 €9.40

$11.80 €10.32

-8.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 €12.89

$14.05 €12.30

4.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 €1.46

$1.78 €1.56

-6.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.49

$2.05 €1.80

-17.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 €1.50

$1.76 €1.54

-2.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.30

$2.01 €1.76

30.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 €1.03

$1.64 €1.43

-28.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.01 €0.89

25.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 €0.98

$1.72 €1.50

-34.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.07

$1.06 €0.93

15.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.89 €5.16

$5.62 €4.91

4.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 €6.81

$7.03 €6.15

10.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 €1.40

$1.71 €1.50

-6.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 €1.82

$2.67 €2.33

-22.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 €1.69

$1.77 €1.55

9.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.9 €48.93

$42.29 €37.00

32.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 €5.14

$3.04 €2.66

93.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.32 €1.16

-0.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.63 €25.05

$8.72 €7.63

228.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 €1.55

$1.76 €1.54

0.57%

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

$38.6K €33.8K

$36.6K €32.0K

5.56%

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

$25.9K €22.6K

$26.3K €23.0K

-1.48%

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

$184 €161

$187 €164

-1.92%

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

$22.25 €19.47

$23.15 €20.25

-3.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.59 €29.39

$32.87 €28.76

2.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 €45.48

$34.33 €30.04

51.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.08 €13.19

$14.93 €13.06

1.00%

Cinema Ticket

$9.17 €8.02

$6.42 €5.62

42.83%

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

$285 €249

$238 €208

19.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$1,385 €1,212

1085.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.8 €79.4

$104 €90.9

-12.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 €30.24

$34.79 €30.44

-0.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €88.1

$69.3 €60.7

45.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 €92.8

$74.9 €65.5

41.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$663 €580

$426 €373

55.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 €468

$334 €293

60.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 €926

$639 €559

65.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 €679

$480 €420

61.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,153 €3,633

$2,897 €2,534

43.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,977 €3,480

$2,475 €2,166

60.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,550 €1,356

$1,387 €1,214

11.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.63

4.47

3.58%

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

Last update for Rijeka: July 12, 2026

Last update for Karlovac: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $663 in Rijeka and $426 in Karlovac. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rijeka pays 12% 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: $69.0 in Rijeka vs $47.00 in Karlovac for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $296 vs $268 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 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 12% 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: $663 in Rijeka versus $426 in Karlovac. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,603 per month in Rijeka versus $1,254 in Karlovac – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karlovac runs roughly 32% less than in Rijeka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,254 in Karlovac versus $1,603 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 28% less than in Rijeka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.