Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rijeka and Wausau, WI

For one person, living is cheaper in Rijeka: $1,594 a month against $1,756 in Wausau, WI, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Rijeka
🇭🇷 Croatia
$1,594
/mo nomad
Wausau, WI
🇺🇸 United States
$1,756
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rijeka and in Wausau, WI

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rijeka and in Wausau, WI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,594 per month in Rijeka vs $1,756 in Wausau, WI, rent included.

  • Rijeka $1,594
  • Wausau, WI $1,756

A couple spends around $2,442 per month in Rijeka vs $2,748 in Wausau, WI, rent included.

  • Rijeka $2,442
  • Wausau, WI $2,748

A family of three spends $3,289 per month in Rijeka vs $3,740 in Wausau, WI, rent included.

  • Rijeka $3,289
  • Wausau, WI $3,740

Rijeka is about 9% cheaper than Wausau, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Rijeka and Wausau, WI sit above the global median – Rijeka by 18%, Wausau, WI by 30%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rijeka
Wausau, WI
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.57 €12.07
$20.20 $20.20
-32.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$72.8 €64.8
$74.5 $74.5
-2.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.99 €8.88
$8.58 $8.58
16.43%
Cappuccino
$2.33 €2.07
$5.01 $5.01
-53.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14 €2.79
$2.84 $2.84
10.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88 €1.68
$2.02 $2.02
-6.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.92 €3.49
$5.62 $5.62
-30.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.55 €4.05
$5.60 $5.60
-18.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rijeka
Wausau, WI
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 €1.08
$0.83 $0.83
45.78%
White Bread (500g)
$1.63 €1.45
$2.76 $2.76
-40.94%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.38 €3.01
$5.31 $5.31
-36.35%
Eggs
$3.78 €3.36
$4.44 $4.44
-14.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.71 €13.97
$8.65 $8.65
81.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.06 €8.95
$6.49 $6.49
55.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.51 €12.91
$13.53 $13.53
7.24%
Apples (1kg)
$1.70 €1.51
$4.13 $4.13
-58.84%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 €1.50
$1.45 $1.45
15.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.81 €1.61
$3.83 $3.83
-52.74%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.63 €2.34
$4.13 $4.13
-36.32%
Potato (1kg)
$1.31 €1.17
$1.78 $1.78
-26.40%
Onion (1kg)
$1.28 €1.14
$2.44 $2.44
-47.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.36 €1.21
$2.21 $2.21
-38.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 €1.16
$1.03 $1.03
27.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.79 €5.15
$8.35 $8.35
-30.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.73 €6.87
$8.96 $8.96
-13.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67 €1.48
$1.98 $1.98
-15.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$2.21 $2.21
-3.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Rijeka
Wausau, WI
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.26 €2.01
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.9 €47.93
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.75 €5.11
$2.72 $2.72
111.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.50 €1.34
$1.62 $1.62
-7.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.89 €24.81
$21.12 $21.12
32.05%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.96 €1.74
$0.81 $0.81
141.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K €24.5K
$33.5K $33.5K
-17.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.4K €21.7K
$25.7K $25.7K
-4.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rijeka
Wausau, WI
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$188 €167
$160 $160
17.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.24 €21.56
$66.5 $66.5
-63.53%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.78 €35.38
$71.3 $71.3
-44.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rijeka
Wausau, WI
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.5 €47.60
$30.10 $30.10
77.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.09 €9.86
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.63 €9.45
$6.03 $6.03
76.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rijeka
Wausau, WI
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$535 €476
$1,855 $1,855
-71.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$24.7K $24.7K
-48.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rijeka
Wausau, WI
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.3 €88.3
$25.25 $25.25
293.19%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.34 €36.77
$40.16 $40.16
2.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 €90.2
$64.0 $64.0
58.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 €97.3
$84.8 $84.8
28.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rijeka
Wausau, WI
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$693 €617
$939 $939
-26.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$526 €467
$699 $699
-24.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$1,548 $1,548
-24.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$872 €775
$1,361 $1,361
-35.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,200 €3,736
$1,774 $1,774
136.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,001 €3,559
$1,809 $1,809
121.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rijeka
Wausau, WI
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,527 €1,358
$3,488 $3,488
-56.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.73
6.65
-43.91%

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

Last update for Rijeka: October 18, 2026

Last update for Wausau, WI: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Rijeka
$526
Wausau, WI
$699 33.1% $174
Groceries & Markets
Rijeka
$293
Wausau, WI
$303 3.5% $10
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rijeka
$252
Wausau, WI
$298 18.2% $46
Eating Out
Rijeka
$215
Wausau, WI
$306 42.2% $91
Clothing & Footwear
Rijeka
$158
Wausau, WI
$96 39% $62
Getting Around
Rijeka
$76
Wausau, WI
$11 * 85.8% $65
Sport & Entertainment
Rijeka
$75
Wausau, WI
$42 43.6% $33

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Rijeka versus $939 in Wausau, WI. 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 128% higher in Wausau, WI, 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 $73.0 in Rijeka versus $75.0 in Wausau, WI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $303 – making Rijeka the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇭🇷 Rijeka
🇺🇸 Wausau, WI
🕒 Local time
06:48 6:48 AM
23:48 11:48 PM
7 h behind Rijeka
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
107,964
38,435
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Rijeka Wausau, WI 7,510 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Rijeka
  • Wausau, WI

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Wausau, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wausau, WI cheaper than Rijeka?
Yes – Wausau, WI is pricier by about 10%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,392 per month in Rijeka and $2,633 in Wausau, WI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Rijeka, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Rijeka and in Wausau, WI?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,594 in Rijeka and $1,756 in Wausau, WI. That's a gap of about 10%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $535 per month in Rijeka and $1,855 in Wausau, WI. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Rijeka or in Wausau, WI?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Rijeka, where all-in costs run around $1,594, than in Wausau, WI at $1,756. In Rijeka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wausau, WI it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Rijeka or Wausau, WI more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Rijeka – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Rijeka or Wausau, WI?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Rijeka. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Wausau, WI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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