Cost of Living Comparison Between Zagreb and Zadar Cost of Living Comparison Between Zagreb and Zadar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,738 per month in Zagreb vs $1,691 in Zadar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,574 per month in Zagreb vs $2,632 in Zadar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,409 per month in Zagreb vs $3,572 in Zadar, rent included.

Zagreb costs about 3% more than Zadar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zagreb and Zadar sit above the global median – Zagreb by 30%, Zadar by 26%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.78 €10.22

$16.05 €13.92

-26.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.1 €60.0

$80.7 €70.0

-14.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.49 €8.23

$7.88 €6.84

20.43%

Cappuccino

$2.43 €2.10

$2.51 €2.18

-3.19%

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

$3.16 €2.74

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.05

$2.12 €1.84

11.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 €3.18

$3.38 €2.93

8.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 €4.05

$3.71 €3.22

25.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.17

$1.18 €1.03

14.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 €1.62

$1.36 €1.18

37.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 €2.30

$3.12 €2.70

-14.74%

Eggs

$3.65 €3.17

$4.10 €3.56

-10.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.88 €9.44

$10.31 €8.95

5.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 €8.61

$11.73 €10.18

-15.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.72 €11.03

$11.18 €9.70

13.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 €1.63

$1.60 €1.39

17.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.44

$1.54 €1.34

7.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.72

$2.15 €1.87

-7.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 €2.66

$2.50 €2.17

22.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 €1.25

$1.46 €1.27

-1.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 €1.27

$1.49 €1.29

-1.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 €1.13

$0.97 €0.84

34.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.12

$1.13 €0.98

14.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.76 €5.00

$5.19 €4.50

10.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 €8.23

$7.66 €6.65

23.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 €1.60

$1.34 €1.17

37.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 €1.99

$1.40 €1.22

64.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 €0.55

$1.89 €1.64

-66.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.0 €49.47

$46.27 €40.14

23.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 €1.98

$3.16 €2.74

-27.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.93

$1.05 €0.91

1.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.12 €8.78

$8.75 €7.59

15.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.78 €1.55

0.56%

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

$35.1K €30.4K

$38.3K €33.2K

-8.37%

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

$26.2K €22.7K

$25.8K €22.4K

1.60%

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

$208 €180

$183 €159

13.24%

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

$20.19 €17.52

$22.91 €19.87

-11.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.82 €28.47

$30.36 €26.34

8.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 €43.95

$41.84 €36.30

21.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.47 €12.55

$17.05 €14.79

-15.13%

Cinema Ticket

$8.85 €7.68

$16.10 €13.97

-45.03%

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

$501 €435

$253 €219

98.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K €11.5K

$1,385 €1,202

857.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.3 €85.2

$105 €90.9

-6.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.43 €34.21

$39.06 €33.89

0.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 €85.2

$139 €121

-29.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 €101

$115 €100

1.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$873 €757

$703 €610

24.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$662 €574

$620 €538

6.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,467 €1,273

$1,325 €1,150

10.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,079 €936

$1,109 €962

-2.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,268 €4,570

$4,768 €4,137

10.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,255 €2,824

$4,245 €3,683

-23.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,886 €1,637

$1,430 €1,241

31.89%

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 Zadar: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $873 in Zagreb versus $703 in Zadar. 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 32% 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 $81.0 in Zadar. Groceries tell a different story – $281 in Zagreb vs $266 in Zadar – so Zadar 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 Zadar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,738 in Zagreb, $1,691 in Zadar – roughly 3% apart. Zagreb costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,607 per month in Zagreb and $2,537 in Zadar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,738 in Zagreb and $1,691 in Zadar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 23% less in Zadar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Zadar, where all-in costs run around $1,691, than in Zagreb at $1,738. In Zadar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zagreb it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Zadar has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,691 in Zadar to $1,738 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 Zadar. 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.