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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,603 per month in Rijeka vs $1,303 in Varazdin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,369 per month in Rijeka vs $1,876 in Varazdin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,135 per month in Rijeka vs $2,449 in Varazdin, rent included.

Rijeka costs about 23% more than Varazdin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Rijeka sits 20% above the global median, while Varazdin is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.91 €11.30

$11.39 €9.96

13.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €60.1

$67.2 €58.8

2.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 €9.11

$11.16 €9.76

-6.72%

Cappuccino

$2.28 €1.99

$2.27 €1.99

0.44%

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

$3.53 €3.09

$2.28 €2.00

54.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 €1.91

$3.07 €2.69

-28.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.18 €3.66

$3.84 €3.36

8.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

$3.44 €3.01

36.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.19 €1.04

3.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 €1.41

$1.60 €1.40

0.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.99 €3.49

$2.97 €2.60

34.34%

Eggs

$3.53 €3.09

$3.42 €3.00

3.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.15 €14.13

$4.51 €3.95

258.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.75 €9.40

$8.12 €7.10

32.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 €12.89

$14.57 €12.75

1.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 €1.46

$1.41 €1.23

18.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.49

$1.42 €1.24

19.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 €1.50

$1.42 €1.24

20.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.30

$2.47 €2.17

6.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 €1.03

$1.24 €1.09

-4.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.18 €1.03

7.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 €0.98

$1.07 €0.94

4.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.07

$1.02 €0.89

19.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.89 €5.16

$5.95 €5.20

-1.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 €6.81

$7.82 €6.84

-0.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 €1.40

$0.73 €0.63

119.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 €1.82

$2.00 €1.75

4.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 €1.69

$1.01 €0.88

92.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.9 €48.93

$23.97 €20.97

133.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 €5.14

$3.04 €2.66

93.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.33 €1.16

-1.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.63 €25.05

$8.94 €7.82

220.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 €1.55

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

$38.6K €33.8K

$38.0K €33.2K

1.68%

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

$25.9K €22.6K

$25.7K €22.5K

0.69%

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

$184 €161

$152 €133

20.57%

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

$22.25 €19.47

$21.42 €18.74

3.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.59 €29.39

$33.01 €28.88

1.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 €45.48

$54.5 €47.69

-4.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.08 €13.19

$14.60 €12.77

3.29%

Cinema Ticket

$9.17 €8.02

$8.33 €7.29

10.08%

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

$285 €249

$178 €155

60.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$8,195 €7,169

100.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.8 €79.4

$75.5 €66.0

20.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 €30.24

$34.66 €30.32

-0.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €88.1

$63.7 €55.8

57.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 €92.8

$75.7 €66.2

40.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$663 €580

$580 €508

14.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 €468

$445 €389

20.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 €926

$867 €758

22.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 €679

$484 €424

60.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,153 €3,633

$3,159 €2,764

31.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,977 €3,480

$2,484 €2,173

60.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,550 €1,356

$1,366 €1,195

13.46%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Varazdin: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $663 in Rijeka versus $580 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 13% 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 $67.0 in Varazdin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $296 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 23%, 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 $2,404 per month in Rijeka and $1,954 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 28% 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 $69.0 in Rijeka and $67.0 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 $1,303, than in Rijeka at $1,603. 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.