Cost of Living Comparison Between Rijeka and Zadar Cost of Living Comparison Between Rijeka and Zadar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,572 per month in Rijeka vs $1,691 in Zadar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Rijeka vs $2,632 in Zadar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,170 per month in Rijeka vs $3,572 in Zadar, rent included.

Rijeka is about 7% cheaper than Zadar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Rijeka and Zadar sit above the global median – Rijeka by 17%, Zadar by 26%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.60 €10.84

$16.05 €13.80

-21.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €59.9

$80.7 €69.4

-13.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.27 €8.84

$7.88 €6.78

30.33%

Cappuccino

$2.32 €1.99

$2.51 €2.16

-7.57%

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

$3.48 €3.00

$3.16 €2.72

10.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 €1.86

$2.12 €1.82

1.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.29 €3.69

$3.38 €2.91

26.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.03

$3.71 €3.19

26.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.01

$1.18 €1.02

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 €1.39

$1.36 €1.17

19.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.95 €3.40

$3.12 €2.68

26.60%

Eggs

$3.56 €3.06

$4.10 €3.53

-13.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.29 €14.02

$10.31 €8.87

58.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.14 €9.59

$11.73 €10.09

-5.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.58 €12.54

$11.18 €9.61

30.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 €1.38

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.54 €1.33

11.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 €1.52

$2.15 €1.85

-18.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.60 €2.24

$2.50 €2.15

4.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.46 €1.26

-16.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.49 €1.28

-14.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.97 €0.84

11.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 €1.01

$1.13 €0.97

4.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.92 €5.09

$5.19 €4.46

14.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.30 €7.14

$7.66 €6.59

8.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.34 €1.16

17.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.40 €1.21

50.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.89 €1.62

1.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.7 €47.90

$46.27 €39.80

20.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.67 €4.88

$3.16 €2.71

79.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.05 €0.91

26.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.69 €24.68

$8.75 €7.53

227.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.78 €1.53

-3.93%

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

$37.6K €32.3K

$38.3K €32.9K

-1.74%

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

$26.5K €22.8K

$25.8K €22.2K

2.79%

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

$184 €158

$183 €158

0.26%

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

$22.09 €19.00

$22.91 €19.70

-3.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.71 €28.13

$30.36 €26.12

7.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 €44.08

$41.84 €35.99

22.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.78 €12.72

$17.05 €14.66

-13.31%

Cinema Ticket

$9.24 €7.95

$16.10 €13.85

-42.61%

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

$293 €252

$253 €217

15.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K €14.4K

$1,385 €1,192

1111.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.8 €79.8

$105 €90.1

-11.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.41 €29.60

$39.06 €33.60

-11.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 €85.1

$139 €120

-29.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 €88.8

$115 €99.3

-10.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 €569

$703 €604

-5.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 €457

$620 €534

-14.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 €914

$1,325 €1,140

-19.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$772 €664

$1,109 €954

-30.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,187 €3,602

$4,768 €4,102

-12.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,039 €3,474

$4,245 €3,652

-4.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,573 €1,353

$1,430 €1,230

9.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.63

4.7

-1.49%

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

Last update for Rijeka: May 31, 2026

Last update for Zadar: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $661 in Rijeka versus $703 in Zadar. 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 10% higher in Rijeka, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Rijeka versus $81.0 in Zadar. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Rijeka vs $266 in Zadar – so Zadar 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 Zadar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Zadar is pricier by about 8%, 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 $2,537 in Zadar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Zadar – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Rijeka and $81.0 in Zadar. 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 Rijeka, where all-in costs run around $1,572, than in Zadar at $1,691. In Rijeka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zadar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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 Rijeka. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zadar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.