Cost of Living Comparison Between Split and Zadar Cost of Living Comparison Between Split and Zadar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,800 per month in Split vs $1,691 in Zadar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,790 per month in Split vs $2,632 in Zadar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,780 per month in Split vs $3,572 in Zadar, rent included.

Split costs about 6% more than Zadar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Split and Zadar sit above the global median – Split by 34%, Zadar by 26%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.26 €14.84

$16.05 €13.80

7.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 €69.9

$80.7 €69.4

0.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.23 €7.94

$7.88 €6.78

17.13%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.44

$2.51 €2.16

12.75%

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

$3.54 €3.05

$3.16 €2.72

12.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 €2.48

$2.12 €1.82

36.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.47 €4.71

$3.38 €2.91

61.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 €4.28

$3.71 €3.19

34.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 €1.22

$1.18 €1.02

20.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 €1.68

$1.36 €1.17

44.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 €3.22

$3.12 €2.68

19.87%

Eggs

$3.90 €3.36

$4.10 €3.53

-4.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 €10.82

$10.31 €8.87

21.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.16

$11.73 €10.09

-19.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 €11.64

$11.18 €9.61

21.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 €1.67

$1.60 €1.38

21.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 €1.69

$1.54 €1.33

27.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.15 €1.85

7.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 €1.95

$2.50 €2.15

-9.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.46 €1.26

2.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.49 €1.28

-8.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 €1.23

$0.97 €0.84

46.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.13 €0.97

13.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 €5.07

$5.19 €4.46

13.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.09 €7.82

$7.66 €6.59

18.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.34 €1.16

26.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 €2.09

$1.40 €1.21

73.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.89 €1.62

-10.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.12 €32.79

$46.27 €39.80

-17.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 €2.90

$3.16 €2.71

6.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 €1.81

$1.05 €0.91

100.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.48 €8.15

$8.75 €7.53

8.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 €1.53

$1.78 €1.53

-0.56%

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

$37.5K €32.3K

$38.3K €32.9K

-1.99%

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

$26.3K €22.7K

$25.8K €22.2K

2.24%

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

$215 €185

$183 €158

17.51%

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

$23.99 €20.64

$22.91 €19.70

4.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.09 €30.19

$30.36 €26.12

15.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.9 €52.4

$41.84 €35.99

45.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.75 €12.69

$17.05 €14.66

-13.49%

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.92

$16.10 €13.85

-42.86%

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

$192 €165

$253 €217

-24.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,077 €7,808

$1,385 €1,192

555.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.2 €70.7

$105 €90.1

-21.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.64 €34.10

$39.06 €33.60

1.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €92.6

$139 €120

-22.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 €92.0

$115 €99.3

-7.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 €830

$703 €604

37.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 €612

$620 €534

14.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,909 €1,642

$1,325 €1,140

44.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 €1,077

$1,109 €954

12.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,437 €6,397

$4,768 €4,102

55.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,150 €4,430

$4,245 €3,652

21.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,687 €1,451

$1,430 €1,230

17.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

4.7

-9.15%

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

Last update for Split: June 1, 2026

Last update for Zadar: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $965 in Split 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 18% higher in Split, 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 $81.0 in Split versus $81.0 in Zadar. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Split 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

Split vs Zadar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Split is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,699 per month in Split 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 Zadar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Split, 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 $81.0 in Split and $81.0 in Zadar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Zadar, where all-in costs run around $1,691, than in Split at $1,800. In Zadar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Split it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zadar – 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 Zadar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Split makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.