Cost of Living Comparison Between Wausau, WI and Zadar Cost of Living Comparison Between Wausau, WI and Zadar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,744 in Wausau, WI versus $1,787 in Zadar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,700 in Wausau, WI versus $2,705 in Zadar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,657 in Wausau, WI versus $3,623 in Zadar.

Living in Wausau, WI costs roughly 2% less than in Zadar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wausau, WI 27% above, Zadar 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.69 $19.69

$15.04 €12.94

30.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.9 $74.9

$81.4 €70.0

-7.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.60 $8.60

$7.90 €6.80

8.86%

Cappuccino

$4.93 $4.93

$2.56 €2.20

92.58%

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

$2.81 $2.81

$3.13 €2.70

-10.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.28 €1.96

-13.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.53 $5.53

$3.58 €3.08

54.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.53 $5.53

$4.75 €4.09

16.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.17 €1.01

-21.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.78 €1.53

61.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.42 $6.42

$3.18 €2.73

101.89%

Eggs

$3.72 $3.72

$4.11 €3.54

-9.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.97 $8.97

$11.12 €9.57

-19.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 $6.69

$10.20 €8.78

-34.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.93 $13.93

$12.22 €10.52

13.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 $4.24

$1.96 €1.69

116.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.59 €1.36

-3.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$2.19 €1.89

81.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$2.62 €2.26

58.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 $1.82

$2.38 €2.05

-23.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.41 €1.21

80.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.38 €1.19

58.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.25 €1.08

-20.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.52 $8.52

$5.80 €4.99

46.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.10 $9.10

$7.99 €6.87

13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.47 €1.27

38.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.55 €1.33

43.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.82 €1.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.93 €40.38

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 €3.02

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.39 €2.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.63 €19.48

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.82 €1.57

-54.40%

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

$27.4K €23.6K

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

$26.4K €22.7K

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

$155 $155

$191 €164

-18.63%

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

$46.09 $46.09

$23.31 €20.06

97.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.29 $44.29

$41.38 €35.61

7.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.96 $29.96

$57.8 €49.69

-48.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.27 €14.86

Cinema Ticket

$5.87 $5.87

$10.98 €9.45

-46.54%

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

$1,719 $1,719

$255 €219

574.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,006 €6,029

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.78 $24.78

$94.4 €81.2

-73.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.4 $63.4

$38.23 €32.89

65.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.1 $65.1

$105 €90.6

-38.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 $85.5

$82.5 €71.0

3.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$920 $920

$942 €810

-2.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 $699

$704 €606

-0.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 $1,573

$1,540 €1,325

2.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,383 $1,383

$1,156 €994

19.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,699 $1,699

$4,761 €4,097

-64.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,722 $1,722

$4,286 €3,688

-59.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,487 $3,487

$1,459 €1,256

138.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

3.54

72.88%

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

Last update for Wausau, WI: August 31, 2026

Last update for Zadar: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $920 in Wausau, WI and $942 in Zadar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wausau, WI pays 139% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $75.0 in Wausau, WI vs $81.0 in Zadar. Groceries flip the comparison at $312 vs $278, with Zadar cheaper for home cooking.

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

Wausau, WI vs Zadar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wausau, WI wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Zadar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Wausau, WI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 139% higher in Wausau, WI, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $920 in Wausau, WI versus $942 in Zadar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,719 in Wausau, WI versus $255 in Zadar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Wausau, WI – a meal for two runs $75.0 versus $81.0 in Zadar. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,744 in Wausau, WI versus $1,787 in Zadar, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Wausau, WI but tight or insufficient in Zadar. The gap between the two cities makes Wausau, WI the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Wausau, WI delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,744 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Wausau, WI hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Wausau, WI and Zadar are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Wausau, WI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Zadar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.