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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,603 per month in Rijeka vs $1,444 in Pula, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,369 per month in Rijeka vs $2,386 in Pula, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,135 per month in Rijeka vs $3,328 in Pula, rent included.

Rijeka costs about 11% more than Pula, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Rijeka and Pula sit above the global median – Rijeka by 20%, Pula by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.91 €11.30

$13.77 €12.04

-6.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €60.1

$74.6 €65.3

-7.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 €9.11

$9.05 €7.92

15.03%

Cappuccino

$2.28 €1.99

$2.43 €2.13

-6.17%

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

$3.53 €3.09

$3.25 €2.84

8.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 €1.91

$2.04 €1.79

6.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.18 €3.66

$3.52 €3.08

18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

$4.95 €4.33

-5.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.54 €1.35

-20.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 €1.41

$1.68 €1.47

-4.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.99 €3.49

$3.59 €3.14

11.14%

Eggs

$3.53 €3.09

$4.23 €3.70

-16.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.15 €14.13

$10.45 €9.15

54.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.75 €9.40

$8.81 €7.71

22.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 €12.89

$10.89 €9.53

35.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 €1.46

$2.01 €1.76

-16.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.49

$1.62 €1.42

4.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 €1.50

$2.16 €1.89

-20.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.30

$3.41 €2.98

-22.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 €1.03

$1.46 €1.28

-19.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 €1.11

$0.90 €0.79

41.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 €0.98

$1.41 €1.24

-20.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.07

$1.36 €1.19

-10.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.89 €5.16

$5.31 €4.65

10.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 €6.81

$7.49 €6.55

4.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 €1.40

$1.79 €1.57

-10.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 €1.82

$2.65 €2.32

-21.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 €1.69

$2.26 €1.98

-14.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.9 €48.93

$34.98 €30.60

59.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 €5.14

$3.15 €2.76

86.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.01 €0.89

29.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.63 €25.05

$8.81 €7.71

224.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 €1.55

$1.78 €1.56

-0.56%

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

$38.6K €33.8K

$38.8K €33.9K

-0.36%

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

$25.9K €22.6K

$27.6K €24.1K

-6.14%

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

$184 €161

$130 €113

41.74%

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

$22.25 €19.47

$23.58 €20.63

-5.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.59 €29.39

$32.73 €28.64

2.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 €45.48

$58.9 €51.5

-11.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.08 €13.19

$40.62 €35.54

-62.88%

Cinema Ticket

$9.17 €8.02

$16.05 €14.05

-42.87%

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

$285 €249

$246 €215

15.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$2,283 €1,998

619.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.8 €79.4

$93.7 €82.0

-3.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 €30.24

$38.59 €33.76

-10.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €88.1

$167 €146

-39.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 €92.8

$114 €99.4

-6.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$663 €580

$662 €579

0.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 €468

$447 €391

19.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 €926

$1,180 €1,032

-10.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 €679

$895 €783

-13.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,153 €3,633

$4,199 €3,674

-1.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,977 €3,480

$3,460 €3,027

14.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,550 €1,356

$1,520 €1,330

1.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.63

4.22

9.72%

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

Last update for Rijeka: July 12, 2026

Last update for Pula: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $663 in Rijeka versus $662 in Pula. 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 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 $69.0 in Rijeka versus $75.0 in Pula. Groceries tell a different story – $296 in Rijeka vs $274 in Pula – so Pula 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 Pula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,603 in Rijeka, $1,444 in Pula – roughly 11% apart. Rijeka costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,404 per month in Rijeka and $2,165 in Pula. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Kindergarten costs $285 per month in Rijeka and $246 in Pula. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Rijeka, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pula, where all-in costs run around $1,444, than in Rijeka at $1,603. In Pula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rijeka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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 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.