Cost of Living Comparison Between Zagreb and Pula Cost of Living Comparison Between Zagreb and Pula

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,717 per month in Zagreb vs $1,444 in Pula, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,576 per month in Zagreb vs $2,386 in Pula, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,434 per month in Zagreb vs $3,328 in Pula, rent included.

Zagreb costs about 19% more than Pula, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Zagreb and Pula sit above the global median – Zagreb by 29%, Pula by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.53 €10.08

$13.77 €12.04

-16.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.1 €60.5

$74.6 €65.3

-7.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.03 €7.90

$9.05 €7.92

-0.22%

Cappuccino

$2.43 €2.12

$2.43 €2.13

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

$3.04 €2.66

$3.25 €2.84

-6.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 €2.17

$2.04 €1.79

21.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.79 €3.31

$3.52 €3.08

7.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 €4.14

$4.95 €4.33

-4.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.54 €1.35

-14.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 €1.71

$1.68 €1.47

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 €2.30

$3.59 €3.14

-26.74%

Eggs

$3.83 €3.35

$4.23 €3.70

-9.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.89 €9.53

$10.45 €9.15

4.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.27

$8.81 €7.71

7.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.74 €11.15

$10.89 €9.53

16.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 €1.64

$2.01 €1.76

-6.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.62 €1.42

8.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 €1.77

$2.16 €1.89

-6.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 €2.59

$3.41 €2.98

-13.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 €1.27

$1.46 €1.28

-0.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 €1.23

$0.90 €0.79

56.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 €1.12

$1.41 €1.24

-9.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.36 €1.19

-3.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 €5.03

$5.31 €4.65

8.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.30 €8.13

$7.49 €6.55

24.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 €1.63

$1.79 €1.57

3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.95

$2.65 €2.32

-16.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 €0.52

$2.26 €1.98

-73.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.1 €50.8

$34.98 €30.60

66.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 €1.98

$3.15 €2.76

-28.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 €0.93

$1.01 €0.89

4.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.22 €8.94

$8.81 €7.71

16.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.78 €1.56

-3.93%

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

$34.3K €30.0K

$38.8K €33.9K

-11.54%

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

$26.5K €23.2K

$27.6K €24.1K

-3.79%

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

$209 €183

$130 €113

61.50%

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

$20.14 €17.62

$23.58 €20.63

-14.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.85 €28.74

$32.73 €28.64

0.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.4 €44.08

$58.9 €51.5

-14.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.41 €12.60

$40.62 €35.54

-64.52%

Cinema Ticket

$9.00 €7.87

$16.05 €14.05

-43.93%

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

$511 €447

$246 €215

107.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K €11.4K

$2,283 €1,998

471.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.9

$93.7 €82.0

8.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.74 €34.77

$38.59 €33.76

2.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 €84.1

$167 €146

-42.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 €103

$114 €99.4

3.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 €771

$662 €579

33.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 €587

$447 €391

50.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 €1,329

$1,180 €1,032

28.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 €921

$895 €783

17.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,920 €4,304

$4,199 €3,674

17.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,240 €2,835

$3,460 €3,027

-6.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,915 €1,675

$1,520 €1,330

25.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.72

4.22

-11.85%

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

Last update for Zagreb: July 11, 2026

Last update for Pula: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $881 in Zagreb versus $662 in Pula. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 26% higher in Zagreb, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Zagreb versus $75.0 in Pula. Groceries tell a different story – $280 in Zagreb vs $274 in Pula – so Pula wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Pula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,717 in Zagreb, $1,444 in Pula – roughly 19% apart. Zagreb costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,575 per month in Zagreb and $2,165 in Pula. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pula, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $511 per month in Zagreb and $246 in Pula. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Zagreb, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pula, where all-in costs run around $1,444, than in Zagreb at $1,717. In Pula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zagreb it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Zagreb has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,444 in Pula to $1,717 in Zagreb. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Pula. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zagreb makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.