Cost of Living Comparison Between Zagreb and Ljubljana Cost of Living Comparison Between Zagreb and Ljubljana

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,717 in Zagreb versus $2,054 in Ljubljana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,576 in Zagreb versus $3,008 in Ljubljana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,434 in Zagreb versus $3,962 in Ljubljana.

Living in Zagreb costs roughly 16% less than in Ljubljana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Zagreb 29% above, Ljubljana 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.53 €10.08

$17.24 €15.08

-33.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.1 €60.5

$69.5 €60.8

-0.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.03 €7.90

$9.45 €8.27

-4.44%

Cappuccino

$2.43 €2.12

$2.58 €2.25

-5.81%

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

$3.04 €2.66

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 €2.17

$1.98 €1.73

25.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.79 €3.31

$3.85 €3.37

-1.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 €4.14

$4.60 €4.02

2.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.48 €1.29

-11.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 €1.71

$2.17 €1.90

-9.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 €2.30

$2.88 €2.52

-8.68%

Eggs

$3.83 €3.35

$3.87 €3.39

-1.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.89 €9.53

$13.38 €11.70

-18.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.27

$10.70 €9.36

-11.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.74 €11.15

$12.75 €11.15

-0.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 €1.64

$2.02 €1.77

-7.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.76 €1.54

-0.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 €1.77

$2.16 €1.89

-6.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 €2.59

$3.54 €3.10

-16.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 €1.27

$1.37 €1.20

5.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 €1.23

$1.62 €1.42

-12.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 €1.12

$1.71 €1.50

-25.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$0.99 €0.86

32.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 €5.03

$5.98 €5.23

-3.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.30 €8.13

$8.39 €7.34

10.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 €1.63

$1.45 €1.27

28.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.95

$2.03 €1.77

9.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 €0.52

$1.46 €1.28

-59.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.1 €50.8

$42.25 €36.97

37.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 €1.98

$2.24 €1.96

0.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 €0.93

$1.17 €1.02

-9.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.22 €8.94

$19.99 €17.49

-48.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.74 €1.52

-1.72%

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

$34.3K €30.0K

$28.9K €25.2K

18.90%

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

$26.5K €23.2K

$28.9K €25.3K

-8.30%

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

$209 €183

$279 €244

-24.81%

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

$20.14 €17.62

$18.60 €16.27

8.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.85 €28.74

$37.84 €33.11

-13.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.4 €44.08

$52.8 €46.16

-4.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.41 €12.60

$18.04 €15.78

-20.12%

Cinema Ticket

$9.00 €7.87

$9.12 €7.98

-1.32%

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

$511 €447

$541 €473

-5.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K €11.4K

$14.2K €12.4K

-8.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.9

$100.0 €87.4

1.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.74 €34.77

$46.21 €40.42

-14.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 €84.1

$104 €91.0

-7.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 €103

$139 €121

-14.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 €771

$1,002 €877

-12.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 €587

$851 €745

-21.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 €1,329

$2,070 €1,811

-26.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 €921

$1,469 €1,285

-28.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,920 €4,304

$6,373 €5,575

-22.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,240 €2,835

$4,903 €4,290

-33.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,915 €1,675

$2,018 €1,766

-5.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.72

3.84

-3.12%

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

Last update for Zagreb: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ljubljana: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $881 in Zagreb and $1,002 in Ljubljana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ljubljana 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: $69.0 in Zagreb vs $69.0 in Ljubljana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $280 vs $297 per month, with Zagreb 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 Ljubljana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zagreb is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Ljubljana. 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 $1,002 in Ljubljana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Zagreb runs roughly 38% less than in Ljubljana. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $511 in Zagreb versus $541 in Ljubljana. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,717 in Zagreb versus $2,054 in Ljubljana, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Zagreb but tight or insufficient in Ljubljana. The gap between the two cities makes Zagreb the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Zagreb and Ljubljana 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 Zagreb gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Ljubljana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.