Cost of Living Comparison Between Zagreb and Catania Cost of Living Comparison Between Zagreb and Catania

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,717 in Zagreb versus $1,446 in Catania.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,576 in Zagreb versus $2,218 in Catania.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,434 in Zagreb versus $2,991 in Catania.

Living in Zagreb is roughly 19% more expensive than in Catania, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Zagreb 29% above, Catania 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.53 €10.09

$17.20 €15.07

-32.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.1 €60.5

$70.2 €61.5

-1.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.03 €7.91

$11.80 €10.33

-23.47%

Cappuccino

$2.43 €2.13

$1.94 €1.70

25.26%

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

$3.04 €2.66

$2.49 €2.18

22.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 €2.17

$1.28 €1.12

93.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.79 €3.32

$5.39 €4.72

-29.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 €4.15

$3.57 €3.13

32.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.48 €1.30

-11.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 €1.71

$1.85 €1.62

5.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 €2.31

$2.50 €2.19

5.20%

Eggs

$3.83 €3.36

$3.22 €2.82

18.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.89 €9.54

$10.63 €9.31

2.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.27

$11.19 €9.80

-15.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.74 €11.16

$16.28 €14.26

-21.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 €1.64

$1.72 €1.51

8.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.55 €1.36

12.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.48 €1.30

37.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 €2.59

$1.68 €1.47

76.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 €1.27

$1.38 €1.21

5.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 €1.23

$1.18 €1.03

19.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 €1.12

$0.92 €0.80

39.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$0.47 €0.41

178.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 €5.03

$6.48 €5.68

-11.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.30 €8.14

$7.90 €6.92

17.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 €1.63

$2.01 €1.76

-7.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.95

$3.14 €2.75

-29.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 €0.52

$1.67 €1.46

-64.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.1 €50.9

$29.61 €25.93

96.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 €1.98

$7.13 €6.24

-68.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 €0.93

$1.02 €0.89

3.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.22 €8.95

$28.99 €25.39

-64.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.49

$2.12 €1.85

-19.34%

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

$34.3K €30.0K

$25.1K €21.9K

36.90%

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

$26.5K €23.2K

$25.6K €22.4K

3.64%

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

$209 €183

$210 €184

-0.08%

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

$20.14 €17.64

$14.30 €12.52

40.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.85 €28.77

$38.79 €33.97

-15.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.4 €44.12

$58.5 €51.2

-13.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.41 €12.62

$17.64 €15.45

-18.31%

Cinema Ticket

$9.00 €7.88

$9.12 €7.99

-1.32%

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

$511 €448

$443 €388

15.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K €11.4K

$7,050 €6,174

85.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €89.0

$77.8 €68.1

30.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.74 €34.80

$29.47 €25.81

34.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 €84.2

$89.7 €78.6

7.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 €103

$115 €101

2.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 €771

$555 €487

58.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 €588

$403 €353

66.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 €1,331

$918 €804

65.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 €921

$700 €613

50.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,920 €4,309

$2,337 €2,047

110.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,240 €2,838

$1,542 €1,350

110.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,915 €1,677

-0.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.72

4.59

-18.95%

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

Last update for Zagreb: July 11, 2026

Last update for Catania: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $881 in Zagreb and $555 in Catania. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Catania pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Zagreb vs $70.0 in Catania. Groceries flip the comparison at $280 vs $273, with Catania 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

Zagreb vs Catania: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Catania is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 0% lower in Catania. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $881 in Zagreb versus $555 in Catania. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,717 per month in Zagreb versus $1,446 in Catania – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Catania runs roughly 96% less than in Zagreb. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,446 in Catania versus $1,717 in Zagreb, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Catania but tight or insufficient in Zagreb. The gap between the two cities makes Catania the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Catania is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Zagreb, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Zagreb and Catania 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 Catania gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Zagreb. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.