Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zadar and Zagreb

For one person, living is cheaper in Zadar: $1,683 a month against $1,772 in Zagreb, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Zadar, Croatia
Zagreb, Croatia
Zadar
🇭🇷 Croatia
$1,683
/mo nomad
Zagreb
🇭🇷 Croatia
$1,772
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zadar and in Zagreb

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Zadar and in Zagreb actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,683 per month in Zadar vs $1,772 in Zagreb, rent included.

  • Zadar $1,683
  • Zagreb $1,772

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Zadar vs $2,619 in Zagreb, rent included.

  • Zadar $2,565
  • Zagreb $2,619

A family of three spends $3,446 per month in Zadar vs $3,467 in Zagreb, rent included.

  • Zadar $3,446
  • Zagreb $3,467

Zadar is about 5% cheaper than Zagreb, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Zadar and Zagreb sit above the global median – Zadar by 24%, Zagreb by 30%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zadar
Zagreb
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.50 €12.99
$12.33 €11.04
17.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.7 €71.4
$63.9 €57.3
24.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.05 €7.21
$8.01 €7.18
0.50%
Cappuccino
$2.51 €2.25
$2.50 €2.24
0.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 €2.70
$3.09 €2.76
-2.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 €1.88
$2.62 €2.35
-19.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.44 €3.08
$3.42 €3.06
0.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.35 €3.90
$4.51 €4.04
-3.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zadar
Zagreb
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.18 €1.06
$1.27 €1.13
-7.09%
White Bread (500g)
$1.72 €1.54
$1.60 €1.43
7.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.00 €2.69
$2.68 €2.40
11.94%
Eggs
$3.92 €3.51
$3.95 €3.53
-0.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.87 €9.74
$14.58 €13.06
-25.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.63 €8.62
$11.47 €10.27
-16.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.69 €10.47
$17.35 €15.54
-32.62%
Apples (1kg)
$1.88 €1.68
$2.31 €2.07
-18.61%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 €1.42
$1.65 €1.48
-4.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.17 €1.94
$2.19 €1.96
-0.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.57 €2.30
$2.56 €2.30
0.39%
Potato (1kg)
$2.26 €2.03
$1.36 €1.22
66.18%
Onion (1kg)
$1.30 €1.17
$1.20 €1.08
8.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.32 €1.18
$1.19 €1.07
10.92%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 €1.07
$1.29 €1.16
-6.98%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.53 €4.95
$6.08 €5.45
-9.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.95 €7.12
$11.07 €9.91
-28.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.43 €1.28
$1.69 €1.51
-15.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 €1.27
$2.46 €2.21
-42.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Zadar
Zagreb
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.81 €1.62
$0.57 €0.51
217.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.27 €39.65
$53.2 €47.68
-16.85%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.27 €2.93
$2.18 €1.95
50.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.27 €2.03
$1.44 €1.29
57.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.15 €19.83
$12.39 €11.09
78.77%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.86 €1.67
$1.90 €1.70
-2.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.8K €23.1K
$27.9K €25.0K
-7.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K €21.9K
$26.0K €23.3K
-5.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zadar
Zagreb
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$179 €160
$215 €193
-16.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.76 €19.48
$22.34 €20.01
-2.60%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.49 €35.36
$38.73 €34.69
1.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zadar
Zagreb
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.85 €36.59
$48.65 €43.57
-16.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.53 €14.81
$18.95 €16.97
-12.77%
Cinema Ticket
$10.80 €9.67
$10.41 €9.32
3.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zadar
Zagreb
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$246 €220
$499 €447
-50.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,722 €6,020
$9,720 €8,705
-30.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zadar
Zagreb
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €79.5
$109 €97.3
-18.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.75 €32.01
$42.23 €37.82
-15.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 €91.8
$102 €91.6
0.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.0 €69.0
$111 €99.0
-30.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zadar
Zagreb
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$877 €785
$888 €796
-1.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$694 €621
$683 €612
1.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,461 €1,309
$1,468 €1,315
-0.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,146 €1,026
$1,066 €955
7.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,679 €4,191
$5,275 €4,724
-11.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,010 €3,591
$3,670 €3,287
9.26%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zadar
Zagreb
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,407 €1,260
$1,975 €1,769
-28.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.54
3.3
7.27%

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

Last update for Zadar: October 26, 2026

Last update for Zagreb: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Zadar
$694
Zagreb
$683 1.5% $11
Groceries & Markets
Zadar
$268
Zagreb
$314 17% $46
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zadar
$240
Zagreb
$276 15% $36
Eating Out
Zadar
$217
Zagreb
$202 6.9% $15
Clothing & Footwear
Zadar
$137
Zagreb
$164 19.6% $27
Getting Around
Zadar
$66
Zagreb
$65 1.9% $1.3
Sport & Entertainment
Zadar
$62
Zagreb
$69 11.2% $7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $877 in Zadar versus $888 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 40% higher in Zagreb. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80 in Zadar versus $64 in Zagreb. Groceries tell a different story – $268 in Zadar vs $314 in Zagreb – so Zadar wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇭🇷 Zadar
🇭🇷 Zagreb
🕒 Local time
19:21 7:21 PM
19:21 7:21 PM
Same time as Zadar
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
67,309
767,131 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Zadar Zagreb 200 km
From you
  • Zadar
  • Zagreb

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
How do living costs in Zadar and in Zagreb compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,683 in Zadar, $1,772 in Zagreb – Zadar comes out roughly 5% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Zadar compared to Zagreb?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,525 per month in Zadar and $2,658 in Zagreb. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do apartment prices compare in Zadar and in Zagreb?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $877 in Zadar and $888 in Zagreb. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Which city is more expensive overall: Zadar or Zagreb?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,683 in Zadar and $1,772 in Zagreb. That makes Zadar about 5% cheaper.
How do commuting costs compare in Zadar and in Zagreb?
Public transport costs about 17% less in Zadar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How far does $3,000 go in Zadar compared to Zagreb?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,683 in Zadar and $1,772 in Zagreb, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should digital nomads live: Zadar or Zagreb?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Zadar costs $1,683 versus $1,772 in Zagreb. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Is Zadar or Zagreb safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
How do I decide between Zadar and Zagreb?
If budget matters most, go with Zadar. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zagreb makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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