Cost of Living Comparison Between Zagreb and Makarska Cost of Living Comparison Between Zagreb and Makarska

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,717 in Zagreb versus $1,581 in Makarska.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,576 in Zagreb versus $2,419 in Makarska.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,434 in Zagreb versus $3,258 in Makarska.

Living in Zagreb is roughly 9% more expensive than in Makarska, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Zagreb 29% above, Makarska 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.53 €10.08

$16.44 €14.38

-29.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.1 €60.5

$81.2 €71.0

-14.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.03 €7.90

$8.20 €7.18

10.12%

Cappuccino

$2.43 €2.12

$3.44 €3.01

-29.36%

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

$3.04 €2.66

$3.60 €3.15

-15.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 €2.17

$2.52 €2.21

-1.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.79 €3.31

$4.57 €4.00

-17.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 €4.14

$3.82 €3.34

23.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.15 €1.00

13.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 €1.71

$1.43 €1.25

37.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 €2.30

$3.12 €2.73

-15.71%

Eggs

$3.83 €3.35

$5.23 €4.58

-26.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.89 €9.53

$17.64 €15.43

-38.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.27

$11.56 €10.11

-18.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.74 €11.15

$11.54 €10.09

10.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 €1.64

$1.59 €1.39

17.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.58 €1.38

10.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 €1.77

$2.11 €1.85

-3.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 €2.59

$2.55 €2.23

16.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 €1.27

$1.42 €1.24

2.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 €1.23

$1.49 €1.30

-5.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 €1.12

$0.88 €0.77

45.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.14 €1.00

14.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 €5.03

$5.12 €4.48

12.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.30 €8.13

$7.51 €6.57

23.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 €1.63

$1.39 €1.22

33.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.95

$1.41 €1.24

57.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 €0.52

$1.72 €1.51

-65.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.1 €50.8

$43.56 €38.11

33.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 €1.98

$3.15 €2.76

-28.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 €0.93

$1.14 €1.00

-7.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.22 €8.94

$8.79 €7.69

16.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.69 €1.48

1.18%

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

$34.3K €30.0K

$38.0K €33.3K

-9.74%

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

$26.5K €23.2K

$26.2K €22.9K

1.32%

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

$209 €183

$187 €164

12.05%

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

$20.14 €17.62

$23.12 €20.23

-12.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.85 €28.74

$29.50 €25.81

11.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.4 €44.08

$53.1 €46.44

-5.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.41 €12.60

$14.67 €12.83

-1.77%

Cinema Ticket

$9.00 €7.87

$8.49 €7.42

6.01%

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

$511 €447

$243 €213

110.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K €11.4K

$1,393 €1,219

837.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.9

$105 €91.7

-3.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.74 €34.77

$45.70 €39.98

-13.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 €84.1

$140 €122

-31.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 €103

$103 €90.2

14.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 €771

$666 €582

32.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 €587

$460 €402

45.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 €1,329

$1,032 €903

47.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 €921

$768 €672

36.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,920 €4,304

$4,160 €3,639

18.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,240 €2,835

$3,066 €2,682

5.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,915 €1,675

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.72

4.7

-20.85%

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

Last update for Zagreb: July 11, 2026

Last update for Makarska: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $881 in Zagreb and $666 in Makarska. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $69.0 in Zagreb vs $81.0 in Makarska for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $280 vs $292 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 Makarska: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Makarska is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,575 in Zagreb and $2,372 in Makarska 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: $881 in Zagreb versus $666 in Makarska. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $511 in Zagreb versus $243 in Makarska. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Zagreb pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,581 in Makarska versus $1,717 in Zagreb, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Makarska but tight or insufficient in Zagreb. The gap between the two cities makes Makarska the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Makarska 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 Makarska 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 Makarska gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Zagreb. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.