Cost of Living Comparison Between Zagreb and Rijeka Cost of Living Comparison Between Zagreb and Rijeka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,738 per month in Zagreb vs $1,572 in Rijeka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,574 per month in Zagreb vs $2,371 in Rijeka, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,409 per month in Zagreb vs $3,170 in Rijeka, rent included.

Zagreb costs about 11% more than Rijeka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Zagreb and Rijeka sit above the global median – Zagreb by 30%, Rijeka by 17%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.78 €10.13

$12.60 €10.84

-6.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.1 €59.5

$69.7 €59.9

-0.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.49 €8.16

$10.27 €8.84

-7.59%

Cappuccino

$2.43 €2.09

$2.32 €1.99

4.74%

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

$3.16 €2.72

$3.48 €3.00

-9.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.03

$2.16 €1.86

9.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 €3.16

$4.29 €3.69

-14.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 €4.01

$4.69 €4.03

-0.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.18 €1.01

14.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 €1.61

$1.62 €1.39

15.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 €2.28

$3.95 €3.40

-32.66%

Eggs

$3.65 €3.14

$3.56 €3.06

2.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.88 €9.36

$16.29 €14.02

-33.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 €8.54

$11.14 €9.59

-10.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.72 €10.94

$14.58 €12.54

-12.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.60 €1.38

17.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.71 €1.47

-2.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.76 €1.52

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 €2.64

$2.60 €2.24

17.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.22 €1.05

18.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.27 €1.10

15.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 €1.12

$1.08 €0.93

20.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.18 €1.01

9.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.76 €4.96

$5.92 €5.09

-2.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 €8.16

$8.30 €7.14

14.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.57 €1.35

17.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.11 €1.82

9.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 €0.55

$1.92 €1.65

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.0 €49.05

$55.7 €47.90

2.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 €1.96

$5.67 €4.88

-59.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.92

$1.33 €1.14

-19.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.12 €8.70

$28.69 €24.68

-64.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.71 €1.47

4.68%

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

$35.1K €30.2K

$37.6K €32.3K

-6.75%

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

$26.2K €22.5K

$26.5K €22.8K

-1.15%

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

$208 €179

$184 €158

12.94%

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

$20.19 €17.37

$22.09 €19.00

-8.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.82 €28.23

$32.71 €28.13

0.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 €43.58

$51.3 €44.08

-1.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.47 €12.44

$14.78 €12.72

-2.10%

Cinema Ticket

$8.85 €7.61

$9.24 €7.95

-4.22%

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

$501 €431

$293 €252

71.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K €11.4K

$16.8K €14.4K

-20.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.3 €84.5

$92.8 €79.8

5.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.43 €33.92

$34.41 €29.60

14.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 €84.5

$98.9 €85.1

-0.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 €100

$103 €88.8

13.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$873 €751

$661 €569

31.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$662 €569

$531 €457

24.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,467 €1,262

$1,062 €914

38.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,079 €928

$772 €664

39.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,268 €4,531

$4,187 €3,602

25.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,255 €2,800

$4,039 €3,474

-19.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,886 €1,623

$1,573 €1,353

19.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.72

4.63

-19.65%

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

Last update for Zagreb: June 2, 2026

Last update for Rijeka: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $873 in Zagreb versus $661 in Rijeka. 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 20% 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 $70.0 in Rijeka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $298 – making Zagreb the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Rijeka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Zagreb is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,607 per month in Zagreb and $2,358 in Rijeka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Zagreb – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Zagreb and $70.0 in Rijeka. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Rijeka, where all-in costs run around $1,572, than in Zagreb at $1,738. In Rijeka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zagreb it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rijeka – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Rijeka. 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.