Cost of Living Comparison Between Zagreb and Karlovac Cost of Living Comparison Between Zagreb and Karlovac

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,841 in Zagreb versus $1,262 in Karlovac.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,690 in Zagreb versus $1,884 in Karlovac.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,539 in Zagreb versus $2,505 in Karlovac.

Living in Zagreb is roughly 46% more expensive than in Karlovac, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Zagreb is 35% above, Karlovac is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.87 €12.09

$11.39 €9.93

21.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.0 €52.3

$46.49 €40.52

29.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 €6.86

$8.26 €7.20

-4.72%

Cappuccino

$2.55 €2.22

$2.05 €1.79

24.39%

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

$3.16 €2.75

$2.48 €2.16

27.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 €2.25

$1.66 €1.45

55.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 €2.96

$2.55 €2.22

32.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.13

$2.67 €2.32

77.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.16 €1.01

12.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 €1.46

$1.17 €1.02

43.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 €2.75

$1.63 €1.42

93.25%

Eggs

$4.15 €3.62

$3.17 €2.76

30.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 €14.14

$9.70 €8.45

67.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.41 €10.81

$10.09 €8.79

22.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.77 €15.49

$12.08 €10.53

47.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 €2.00

$2.04 €1.78

12.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$1.93 €1.69

-4.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 €1.84

$1.95 €1.70

8.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 €2.42

$2.13 €1.86

30.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 €1.27

$1.44 €1.25

1.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 €0.97

$1.10 €0.96

1.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.75 €1.53

-25.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.26 €1.10

5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.73 €5.00

$5.82 €5.07

-1.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.20 €8.02

$6.85 €5.97

34.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 €1.42

$1.67 €1.45

-2.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.09

$2.37 €2.06

1.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 €0.54

$3.46 €3.01

-82.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.6 €49.35

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 €2.07

$5.88 €5.13

-59.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 €1.28

$1.18 €1.03

24.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.41 €9.94

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 €1.64

$1.78 €1.55

5.62%

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

$27.4K €23.9K

$27.2K €23.7K

0.78%

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

$27.3K €23.8K

$26.3K €23.0K

3.77%

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

$215 €187

$188 €164

14.54%

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

$22.97 €20.02

$28.44 €24.80

-19.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.40 €39.57

$40.15 €35.00

13.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 €47.80

$39.89 €34.78

37.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.37 €16.89

$18.76 €16.35

3.25%

Cinema Ticket

$9.39 €8.19

$6.88 €6.00

36.48%

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

$541 €471

$431 €375

25.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K €9,386

$6,937 €6,047

55.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €95.8

$93.9 €81.8

17.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.00 €40.10

$52.6 €45.87

-12.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100.0 €87.1

$91.4 €79.7

9.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 €97.3

$80.9 €70.5

37.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$889 €775

$502 €437

77.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$684 €597

$367 €320

86.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,437 €1,253

$750 €654

91.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 €914

$533 €464

96.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,191 €4,525

$2,843 €2,478

82.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,555 €3,099

$2,472 €2,155

43.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,015 €1,757

$1,433 €1,249

40.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

3.72

-12.63%

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

Last update for Zagreb: September 13, 2026

Last update for Karlovac: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $889 in Zagreb and $502 in Karlovac. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zagreb pays 41% 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 $46.00 in Karlovac for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $254 per month, with Karlovac 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 Karlovac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karlovac is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 41% 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: $889 in Zagreb versus $502 in Karlovac. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Zagreb. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,841 per month in Zagreb versus $1,262 in Karlovac – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,262 in Karlovac versus $1,841 in Zagreb, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Karlovac but tight or insufficient in Zagreb. The gap between the two cities makes Karlovac the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Karlovac 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 Karlovac 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 Karlovac gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Zagreb. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.