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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,674 per month in Zagreb vs $1,643 in Zadar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,514 per month in Zagreb vs $2,584 in Zadar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,355 per month in Zagreb vs $3,525 in Zadar, rent included.

Zagreb costs about 2% more than Zadar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zagreb and Zadar sit above the global median – Zagreb by 25%, Zadar by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.76 €10.03

$15.99 €13.64

-26.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 €60.0

$79.6 €67.9

-11.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.03 €7.70

$8.30 €7.08

8.80%

Cappuccino

$2.53 €2.15

$2.55 €2.17

-0.78%

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

$3.03 €2.58

$3.24 €2.76

-6.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 €2.08

$2.06 €1.76

18.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 €3.17

$3.57 €3.04

4.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 €3.99

$3.71 €3.16

26.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.18 €1.01

13.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 €1.67

$1.37 €1.17

43.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 €2.24

$3.01 €2.57

-12.96%

Eggs

$3.67 €3.13

$4.22 €3.60

-13.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.01 €9.39

$10.46 €8.92

5.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 €8.21

$11.52 €9.83

-16.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.74 €10.87

$10.85 €9.25

17.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 €1.55

$1.65 €1.41

10.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.48

$1.54 €1.32

12.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 €1.75

$2.10 €1.79

-2.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 €2.52

$2.53 €2.16

17.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 €1.22

$1.41 €1.21

1.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 €1.25

$1.49 €1.27

-2.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 €1.12

$0.96 €0.82

36.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.10

$1.18 €1.01

9.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.94 €5.07

$5.33 €4.55

11.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.43 €7.19

$7.19 €6.13

17.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 €1.57

$1.39 €1.18

32.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 €1.96

$1.41 €1.20

63.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 €0.51

$1.87 €1.60

-67.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.0 €48.63

$45.72 €39.00

24.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 €1.92

$3.02 €2.58

-25.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 €0.87

$1.05 €0.90

-2.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.39 €8.86

$8.96 €7.64

15.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.48

$1.69 €1.44

2.37%

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

$35.0K €29.9K

$37.6K €32.1K

-6.88%

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

$26.2K €22.4K

$26.4K €22.5K

-0.73%

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

$203 €173

$187 €159

8.50%

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

$19.60 €16.72

$23.75 €20.26

-17.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.02 €27.32

$29.90 €25.51

7.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.83 €42.50

$41.73 €35.59

19.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.29 €12.19

$17.08 €14.57

-16.33%

Cinema Ticket

$8.74 €7.46

$16.44 €14.02

-46.84%

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

$498 €425

$247 €211

101.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K €11.4K

$1,416 €1,208

840.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.6 €84.1

$104 €88.5

-4.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.51 €33.70

$38.46 €32.81

2.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 €84.4

$139 €119

-28.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.3

$116 €99.0

0.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$883 €754

$719 €614

22.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$684 €583

$626 €534

9.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,503 €1,282

$1,322 €1,128

13.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 €896

$1,089 €929

-3.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,520 €4,709

$4,758 €4,058

16.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,448 €2,941

$3,890 €3,318

-11.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,933 €1,649

$1,407 €1,200

37.35%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Zadar: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $883 in Zagreb versus $719 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 37% 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 $70 in Zagreb versus $80 in Zadar. Groceries tell a different story – $279 in Zagreb vs $264 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: $1,674 in Zagreb, $1,643 in Zadar – roughly 2% apart. Zagreb costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,511 per month in Zagreb and $2,465 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 $1,674 in Zagreb and $1,643 in Zadar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 25% 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 $1,643, than in Zagreb at $1,674. 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 $1,643 in Zadar to $1,674 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.