Cost of Living Comparison Between Zadar and Zagreb Cost of Living Comparison Between Zadar and Zagreb

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,691 per month in Zadar vs $1,738 in Zagreb, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,632 per month in Zadar vs $2,574 in Zagreb, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,572 per month in Zadar vs $3,409 in Zagreb, rent included.

Zadar is about 3% cheaper than Zagreb, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zadar and Zagreb sit above the global median – Zadar by 26%, Zagreb by 30%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.05 €13.92

$11.78 €10.22

36.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.7 €70.0

$69.1 €60.0

16.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.88 €6.84

$9.49 €8.23

-16.97%

Cappuccino

$2.51 €2.18

$2.43 €2.10

3.29%

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

$3.16 €2.74

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 €1.84

$2.36 €2.05

-10.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 €2.93

$3.67 €3.18

-7.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 €3.22

$4.67 €4.05

-20.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.03

$1.35 €1.17

-12.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.87 €1.62

-27.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.12 €2.70

$2.66 €2.30

17.29%

Eggs

$4.10 €3.56

$3.65 €3.17

12.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.31 €8.95

$10.88 €9.44

-5.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.73 €10.18

$9.92 €8.61

18.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.18 €9.70

$12.72 €11.03

-12.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 €1.39

$1.88 €1.63

-14.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 €1.34

$1.66 €1.44

-7.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 €1.87

$1.98 €1.72

8.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 €2.17

$3.06 €2.66

-18.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 €1.27

$1.44 €1.25

1.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 €1.29

$1.47 €1.27

1.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 €0.84

$1.30 €1.13

-25.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.98

$1.29 €1.12

-12.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.19 €4.50

$5.76 €5.00

-9.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.66 €6.65

$9.49 €8.23

-19.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 €1.17

$1.84 €1.60

-27.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 €1.22

$2.30 €1.99

-39.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.89 €1.64

$0.64 €0.55

195.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.27 €40.14

$57.0 €49.47

-18.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 €2.74

$2.28 €1.98

38.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 €0.91

$1.07 €0.93

-1.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.75 €7.59

$10.12 €8.78

-13.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 €1.55

$1.79 €1.55

-0.56%

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

$38.3K €33.2K

$35.1K €30.4K

9.14%

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

$25.8K €22.4K

$26.2K €22.7K

-1.58%

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

$183 €159

$208 €180

-11.69%

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

$22.91 €19.87

$20.19 €17.52

13.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.36 €26.34

$32.82 €28.47

-7.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.84 €36.30

$50.7 €43.95

-17.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.05 €14.79

$14.47 €12.55

17.83%

Cinema Ticket

$16.10 €13.97

$8.85 €7.68

81.92%

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

$253 €219

$501 €435

-49.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,385 €1,202

$13.3K €11.5K

-89.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.9

$98.3 €85.2

6.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.06 €33.89

$39.43 €34.21

-0.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 €121

$98.2 €85.2

41.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 €100

$117 €101

-1.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$703 €610

$873 €757

-19.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 €538

$662 €574

-6.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 €1,150

$1,467 €1,273

-9.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,109 €962

$1,079 €936

2.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,768 €4,137

$5,268 €4,570

-9.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,245 €3,683

$3,255 €2,824

30.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,430 €1,241

$1,886 €1,637

-24.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.7

3.72

26.34%

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

Last update for Zadar: June 2, 2026

Last update for Zagreb: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $703 in Zadar 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 32% higher in Zagreb, 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 Zadar versus $69.0 in Zagreb. Groceries tell a different story – $266 in Zadar vs $281 in Zagreb – 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

Zadar vs Zagreb: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,691 in Zadar, $1,738 in Zagreb – roughly 3% apart. Zagreb costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,537 per month in Zadar 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 Zadar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,691 in Zadar and $1,738 in Zagreb. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 23% less in Zadar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Zadar, where all-in costs run around $1,691, than in Zagreb at $1,738. In Zadar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zagreb it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Zadar has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,691 in Zadar to $1,738 in Zagreb. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Zagreb makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.