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: $1,719 in Zagreb versus $1,262 in Karlovac.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,518 in Zagreb versus $1,859 in Karlovac.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Zagreb versus $2,456 in Karlovac.

Living in Zagreb is roughly 36% more expensive than in Karlovac, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Zagreb is 29% above, Karlovac is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.66 €10.17

$12.93 €11.28

-9.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €59.7

$46.92 €40.94

45.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.23 €8.06

$7.99 €6.97

15.52%

Cappuccino

$2.51 €2.19

$1.98 €1.73

26.77%

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

$3.04 €2.66

$2.47 €2.15

23.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 €2.15

$1.41 €1.23

75.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.69 €3.22

$2.24 €1.96

64.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 €3.98

$2.25 €1.96

102.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 €1.13

$1.14 €0.99

14.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 €1.62

$1.13 €0.98

64.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 €2.29

$1.88 €1.64

39.36%

Eggs

$3.80 €3.32

$3.56 €3.10

6.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.13 €9.71

$9.86 €8.60

12.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.42

$11.40 €9.95

-15.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.63 €11.02

$13.80 €12.04

-8.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 €1.62

$1.70 €1.48

9.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.51

$1.99 €1.74

-13.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.70

$1.70 €1.48

14.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 €2.67

$1.98 €1.73

54.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 €1.20

$1.59 €1.39

-13.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 €1.24

$1.02 €0.89

39.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 €1.14

$1.69 €1.47

-23.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 €1.10

$1.06 €0.92

18.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.74 €5.01

$5.47 €4.77

4.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.19 €8.02

$6.98 €6.09

31.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 €1.54

$1.70 €1.48

4.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 €1.98

$2.53 €2.21

-10.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 €0.55

$1.77 €1.54

-64.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.0 €51.5

$43.22 €37.71

36.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 €1.97

$3.09 €2.70

-26.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.93

$1.33 €1.16

-19.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.12 €8.83

$8.87 €7.73

14.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 €1.50

$1.78 €1.56

-3.37%

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

$34.2K €29.8K

$37.3K €32.6K

-8.47%

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

$26.7K €23.3K

$26.1K €22.8K

2.45%

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

$208 €182

$186 €163

11.77%

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

$19.99 €17.45

$23.31 €20.34

-14.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.85 €28.66

$32.32 €28.20

1.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.97 €42.72

$34.70 €30.27

41.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.94 €12.16

$14.48 €12.63

-3.73%

Cinema Ticket

$8.80 €7.68

$6.34 €5.53

38.80%

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

$514 €448

$245 €214

109.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K €11.6K

$1,407 €1,228

844.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €88.1

$106 €92.1

-4.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.78 €35.58

$34.83 €30.39

17.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 €83.2

$70.0 €61.1

36.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 €102

$75.7 €66.0

54.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$858 €748

$421 €367

103.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 €584

$332 €290

101.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,475 €1,287

$640 €558

130.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 €927

$473 €413

124.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,141 €4,485

$2,937 €2,562

75.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,306 €2,884

$2,462 €2,148

34.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,907 €1,664

$1,397 €1,218

36.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.72

4.47

-16.78%

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

Last update for Zagreb: June 15, 2026

Last update for Karlovac: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $858 in Zagreb and $421 in Karlovac. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zagreb pays 37% 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: $68.0 in Zagreb vs $47.00 in Karlovac for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $279 vs $263 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, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 37% 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: $858 in Zagreb versus $421 in Karlovac. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,719 per month in Zagreb versus $1,262 in Karlovac – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karlovac runs roughly 36% less than in Zagreb. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,262 in Karlovac versus $1,719 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 36% less than in Zagreb. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.