Cost of Living Comparison Between Zagreb and Hvar Cost of Living Comparison Between Zagreb and Hvar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,725 in Zagreb versus $1,552 in Hvar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,556 in Zagreb versus $2,306 in Hvar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,388 in Zagreb versus $3,061 in Hvar.

Living in Zagreb is roughly 11% more expensive than Hvar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Zagreb 29% above, Hvar 16% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.80 €10.08

$13.46 €11.50

-12.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.6 €59.4

$73.3 €62.6

-5.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.44 €8.06

$9.02 €7.71

4.66%

Cappuccino

$2.44 €2.08

$2.50 €2.13

-2.40%

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

$2.99 €2.55

$3.26 €2.78

-8.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.02

$2.27 €1.94

4.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.73 €3.19

$3.57 €3.05

4.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.72 €4.03

$4.32 €3.69

9.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 €1.11

$1.24 €1.06

4.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 €1.59

$1.54 €1.32

20.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 €2.28

$3.05 €2.61

-12.46%

Eggs

$3.74 €3.19

$3.70 €3.16

1.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.84 €9.26

$10.81 €9.23

0.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 €8.21

$9.49 €8.10

1.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.56 €10.72

$12.13 €10.36

3.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 €1.58

$1.70 €1.45

8.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.48

$1.66 €1.42

4.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.92 €1.64

3.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 €2.54

$2.46 €2.10

20.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.33 €1.13

3.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 €1.25

$1.32 €1.13

11.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 €1.07

$1.22 €1.04

2.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.12

$1.27 €1.08

3.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 €5.00

$5.62 €4.80

4.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.07 €6.89

$6.91 €5.90

16.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 €1.57

$1.49 €1.28

23.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 €1.94

$2.06 €1.76

10.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 €0.55

$1.74 €1.48

-63.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.5 €49.07

$43.66 €37.28

31.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 €2.03

$3.01 €2.57

-21.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 €0.88

$1.11 €0.95

-7.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.46 €8.93

$8.95 €7.64

16.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 €1.51

$1.78 €1.52

-0.56%

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

$34.3K €29.3K

$38.5K €32.9K

-10.88%

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

$26.0K €22.2K

$25.8K €22.0K

0.74%

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

$208 €178

$186 €159

11.80%

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

$20.10 €17.17

$22.42 €19.15

-10.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.57 €27.81

$31.25 €26.69

4.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.99 €42.69

$51.4 €43.86

-2.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.35 €12.25

$14.81 €12.65

-3.11%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.72

$9.12 €7.79

-0.88%

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

$503 €430

$240 €205

109.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K €11.1K

$7,968 €6,805

63.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €86.2

$91.2 €77.9

10.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.78 €34.82

$39.26 €33.52

3.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 €81.8

$103 €87.9

-6.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 €99.8

$105 €89.6

11.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 €737

$687 €587

25.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$666 €569

$526 €449

26.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,513 €1,292

$1,105 €943

36.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 €906

$849 €725

24.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,525 €4,719

$4,109 €3,509

34.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,446 €2,943

$3,317 €2,833

3.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,928 €1,647

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.72

4.35

-14.48%

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

Last update for Zagreb: April 27, 2026

Last update for Hvar: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $863 in Zagreb and $687 in Hvar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70 in Zagreb vs $73 in Hvar. Groceries flip the comparison at $276 vs $262, with Hvar 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 Hvar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hvar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,587 in Zagreb and $2,328 in Hvar to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $863 in Zagreb versus $687 in Hvar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Hvar – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $70.0 in Zagreb. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,725 per month in Zagreb versus $1,552 in Hvar – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,552 in Hvar versus $1,725 in Zagreb, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Hvar but tight or insufficient in Zagreb. The gap between the two cities makes Hvar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Hvar 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 Hvar 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 Hvar 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.