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: $1,738 in Zagreb versus $1,580 in Makarska.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,574 in Zagreb versus $2,408 in Makarska.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,409 in Zagreb versus $3,236 in Makarska.

Living in Zagreb is roughly 10% more expensive than Makarska, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Zagreb 30% above, Makarska 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.78 €10.13

$16.07 €13.82

-26.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.1 €59.5

$80.7 €69.4

-14.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.49 €8.16

$8.25 €7.10

15.03%

Cappuccino

$2.43 €2.09

$3.55 €3.06

-31.55%

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

$3.16 €2.72

$3.71 €3.19

-14.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.03

$2.58 €2.22

-8.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 €3.16

$4.60 €3.96

-20.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 €4.01

$3.83 €3.30

21.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.19 €1.02

13.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 €1.61

$1.41 €1.21

32.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 €2.28

$2.99 €2.57

-11.04%

Eggs

$3.65 €3.14

$5.20 €4.47

-29.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.88 €9.36

$17.90 €15.40

-39.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 €8.54

$11.56 €9.94

-14.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.72 €10.94

$11.63 €10.00

9.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.66 €1.43

13.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.55 €1.34

7.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.71

$2.08 €1.79

-4.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 €2.64

$2.55 €2.19

20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.47 €1.27

-2.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.47 €1.27

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 €1.12

$0.89 €0.76

46.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.19 €1.03

8.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.76 €4.96

$5.09 €4.38

13.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 €8.16

$7.65 €6.58

24.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.34 €1.16

37.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 €1.98

$1.42 €1.22

61.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 €0.55

$1.72 €1.48

-62.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.0 €49.05

$42.95 €36.95

32.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 €1.96

$2.99 €2.58

-23.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.92

$1.15 €0.99

-6.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.12 €8.70

$9.12 €7.84

10.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.75 €1.51

2.29%

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

$35.1K €30.2K

$37.5K €32.2K

-6.48%

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

$26.2K €22.5K

$25.8K €22.2K

1.41%

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

$208 €179

$188 €162

10.42%

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

$20.19 €17.37

$22.89 €19.69

-11.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.82 €28.23

$29.85 €25.67

9.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 €43.58

$53.1 €45.69

-4.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.47 €12.44

$15.02 €12.92

-3.66%

Cinema Ticket

$8.85 €7.61

$8.50 €7.31

4.12%

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

$501 €431

$244 €210

105.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K €11.4K

$1,373 €1,181

866.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.3 €84.5

$105 €90.1

-6.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.43 €33.92

$45.57 €39.20

-13.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 €84.5

$138 €118

-28.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 €100

$103 €88.8

12.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$873 €751

$660 €567

32.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$662 €569

$464 €400

42.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,467 €1,262

$1,040 €895

41.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,079 €928

$760 €654

41.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,268 €4,531

$4,587 €3,945

14.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,255 €2,800

$2,819 €2,425

15.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,886 €1,623

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Makarska: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $873 in Zagreb and $660 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 $281 vs $294 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 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,607 in Zagreb and $2,370 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: $873 in Zagreb versus $660 in Makarska. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $501 in Zagreb versus $244 in Makarska. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Zagreb pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,580 in Makarska versus $1,738 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 10% less than in Zagreb. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.