Cost of Living Comparison Between Split and Zagreb Cost of Living Comparison Between Split and Zagreb

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,800 per month in Split vs $1,738 in Zagreb, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,790 per month in Split vs $2,574 in Zagreb, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,780 per month in Split vs $3,409 in Zagreb, rent included.

Split costs about 4% more than Zagreb, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Split and Zagreb sit above the global median – Split by 34%, Zagreb by 30%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.26 €14.84

$11.78 €10.13

46.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 €69.9

$69.1 €59.5

17.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.23 €7.94

$9.49 €8.16

-2.74%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.44

$2.43 €2.09

16.46%

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

$2.36 €2.03

22.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.47 €4.71

$3.67 €3.16

49.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 €4.28

$4.67 €4.01

6.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 €1.22

$1.35 €1.16

5.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 €1.68

$1.87 €1.61

4.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 €3.22

$2.66 €2.28

40.60%

Eggs

$3.90 €3.36

$3.65 €3.14

6.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 €10.82

$10.88 €9.36

15.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.16

$9.92 €8.54

-4.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 €11.64

$12.72 €10.94

6.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 €1.67

$1.88 €1.62

3.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 €1.69

$1.66 €1.43

18.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.98 €1.71

16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 €1.95

$3.06 €2.64

-25.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.44 €1.24

4.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.47 €1.26

-6.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 €1.23

$1.30 €1.12

9.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.29 €1.11

-0.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 €5.07

$5.76 €4.96

2.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.09 €7.82

$9.49 €8.16

-4.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.84 €1.58

-7.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 €2.09

$2.30 €1.98

5.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.64 €0.55

165.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.12 €32.79

$57.0 €49.05

-33.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 €2.90

$2.28 €1.96

47.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 €1.81

$1.07 €0.92

97.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.48 €8.15

$10.12 €8.70

-6.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 €1.53

$1.79 €1.54

-1.12%

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

$37.5K €32.3K

$35.1K €30.2K

6.97%

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

$26.3K €22.7K

$26.2K €22.5K

0.63%

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

$215 €185

$208 €179

3.77%

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

$23.99 €20.64

$20.19 €17.37

18.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.09 €30.19

$32.82 €28.23

6.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.9 €52.4

$50.7 €43.58

20.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.75 €12.69

$14.47 €12.44

1.94%

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.92

$8.85 €7.61

3.95%

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

$192 €165

$501 €431

-61.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,077 €7,808

$13.3K €11.4K

-31.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.2 €70.7

$98.3 €84.5

-16.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.64 €34.10

$39.43 €33.92

0.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €92.6

$98.2 €84.5

9.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 €92.0

$117 €100

-8.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 €830

$873 €751

10.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 €612

$662 €569

7.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,909 €1,642

$1,467 €1,262

30.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 €1,077

$1,079 €928

16.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,437 €6,397

$5,268 €4,531

41.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,150 €4,430

$3,255 €2,800

58.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,687 €1,451

$1,886 €1,623

-10.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

3.72

14.78%

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

Last update for Split: June 1, 2026

Last update for Zagreb: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $965 in Split versus $873 in Zagreb. 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 Zagreb, 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 $81.0 in Split versus $69.0 in Zagreb. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $281 – making Zagreb 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

Split vs Zagreb: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Split is pricier by about 4%, 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 $2,607 in Zagreb. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 4% 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 $69.0 in Zagreb. 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 Zagreb, where all-in costs run around $1,738, than in Split at $1,800. In Zagreb it covers expenses comfortably, while in Split it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zagreb – 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 Zagreb. 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.