Cost of Living Comparison Between Rijeka and Varazdin Cost of Living Comparison Between Rijeka and Varazdin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,572 per month in Rijeka vs $1,302 in Varazdin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Rijeka vs $1,906 in Varazdin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,170 per month in Rijeka vs $2,510 in Varazdin, rent included.

Rijeka costs about 21% more than Varazdin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Rijeka sits 17% above the global median, while Varazdin is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.60 €10.84

$11.43 €9.84

10.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €59.9

$67.6 €58.1

3.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.27 €8.84

$11.12 €9.57

-7.64%

Cappuccino

$2.32 €1.99

$2.32 €2.00

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

$3.48 €3.00

$2.32 €2.00

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 €1.86

$3.14 €2.70

-31.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.29 €3.69

$3.74 €3.21

14.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.03

$3.45 €2.96

35.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.01

$1.18 €1.02

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 €1.39

$1.60 €1.37

1.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.95 €3.40

$2.85 €2.45

38.60%

Eggs

$3.56 €3.06

$3.32 €2.86

7.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.29 €14.02

$4.58 €3.94

255.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.14 €9.59

$8.11 €6.98

37.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.58 €12.54

$14.59 €12.55

-0.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.42 €1.22

12.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.42 €1.22

20.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.43 €1.23

23.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.60 €2.24

$2.59 €2.22

0.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.18 €1.02

3.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.13 €0.98

12.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 €0.93

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 €1.01

$1.01 €0.87

16.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.92 €5.09

Wine (Bottle)

$8.30 €7.14

$8.12 €6.98

2.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.76 €0.66

106.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.08 €1.79

1.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.97 €0.83

97.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.7 €47.90

$24.24 €20.85

129.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.67 €4.88

$3.10 €2.66

82.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.33 €1.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.69 €24.68

$9.09 €7.82

215.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.77 €1.52

-3.39%

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

$37.6K €32.3K

$38.1K €32.7K

-1.24%

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

$26.5K €22.8K

$25.7K €22.1K

2.92%

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

$184 €158

$152 €130

21.18%

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

$22.09 €19.00

$21.00 €18.07

5.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.71 €28.13

$32.87 €28.27

-0.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 €44.08

$53.9 €46.38

-4.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.78 €12.72

$14.53 €12.50

1.72%

Cinema Ticket

$9.24 €7.95

$8.24 €7.08

12.14%

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

$293 €252

$180 €154

62.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K €14.4K

$8,209 €7,061

104.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.8 €79.8

$76.1 €65.5

21.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.41 €29.60

$35.18 €30.26

-2.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 €85.1

$63.7 €54.8

55.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 €88.8

$76.5 €65.8

34.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 €569

$593 €510

11.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 €457

$440 €378

20.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 €914

$868 €746

22.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$772 €664

$493 €424

56.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,187 €3,602

$3,290 €2,830

27.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,039 €3,474

$2,557 €2,200

57.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,573 €1,353

$1,401 €1,205

12.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.63

4.12

12.38%

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

Last update for Rijeka: May 31, 2026

Last update for Varazdin: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $661 in Rijeka versus $593 in Varazdin. 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 12% 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 $70.0 in Rijeka versus $68.0 in Varazdin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $231 – making Varazdin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Varazdin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rijeka is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,358 per month in Rijeka and $1,953 in Varazdin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 29% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Rijeka and $68.0 in Varazdin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Varazdin, where all-in costs run around $1,302, than in Rijeka at $1,572. In Varazdin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rijeka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Varazdin – 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 Varazdin. 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.