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: $1,815 in Zagreb versus $1,630 in Catania.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,718 in Zagreb versus $2,447 in Catania.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,620 in Zagreb versus $3,264 in Catania.

Living in Zagreb is roughly 11% more expensive than in Catania, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Zagreb 32% above, Catania 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.88 €11.96

$17.43 €15.02

-20.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 €51.9

$57.0 €49.12

5.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.30 €7.16

$11.48 €9.90

-27.70%

Cappuccino

$2.63 €2.26

$2.40 €2.07

9.58%

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

$3.17 €2.73

$2.99 €2.58

6.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 €2.28

$1.88 €1.62

40.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.93

$7.05 €6.08

-51.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.72 €4.07

$4.23 €3.65

11.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.31 €1.13

3.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.68 €1.45

2.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 €2.65

$2.76 €2.38

11.23%

Eggs

$4.10 €3.53

$3.55 €3.06

15.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.57 €14.28

$11.42 €9.84

45.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.71 €10.96

$12.18 €10.50

4.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.87 €15.41

$16.52 €14.24

8.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.18 €1.88

5.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.76 €1.52

7.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 €1.88

$1.43 €1.24

52.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 €2.34

$2.64 €2.27

2.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.68 €1.44

-13.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 €0.92

$1.30 €1.12

-17.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.31 €1.13

1.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 €1.15

$0.45 €0.39

197.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.78 €4.98

$6.86 €5.91

-15.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.15 €7.89

$7.95 €6.85

15.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.91 €1.65

-9.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 €2.15

$1.64 €1.42

51.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 €0.51

$1.65 €1.42

-63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.2 €50.2

$37.87 €32.64

53.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 €1.95

$8.05 €6.94

-71.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 €1.24

$2.34 €2.02

-38.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.00 €9.49

$34.71 €29.92

-68.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 €1.60

$2.06 €1.78

-9.71%

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

$27.9K €24.1K

$38.0K €32.8K

-26.57%

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

$27.6K €23.8K

$36.9K €31.8K

-25.16%

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

$218 €188

$316 €272

-30.99%

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

$22.03 €18.99

$10.65 €9.18

106.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.41 €34.84

$36.32 €31.31

11.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 €46.37

$63.3 €54.6

-15.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.46 €16.78

$14.62 €12.60

33.11%

Cinema Ticket

$9.40 €8.11

$10.11 €8.72

-7.02%

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

$555 €478

$458 €395

21.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K €9,364

$6,949 €5,990

56.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 €94.4

$86.0 €74.1

27.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.46 €40.05

$34.69 €29.90

33.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.8 €85.2

$89.6 €77.2

10.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 €96.0

$131 €113

-15.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 €789

$620 €534

47.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$700 €603

$372 €321

88.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,460 €1,259

$1,113 €959

31.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,067 €920

$765 €659

39.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,291 €4,561

$2,313 €1,994

128.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,520 €3,034

$1,553 €1,339

126.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,954 €1,685

$1,855 €1,599

5.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

3.55

-8.45%

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

Last update for Zagreb: September 6, 2026

Last update for Catania: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $916 in Zagreb and $620 in Catania. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zagreb pays 5% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $60.0 in Zagreb vs $57.0 in Catania for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $331 vs $287 per month, with Catania cheaper across the board.

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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Zagreb, 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: $916 in Zagreb versus $620 in Catania. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,815 per month in Zagreb versus $1,630 in Catania – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Catania runs roughly 54% less than in Zagreb. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,630 in Catania versus $1,815 in Zagreb, a $2,500 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 11% less than in Zagreb. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.