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Living in Zagreb

Zagreb is the national capital of Croatia. Zagreb had a population of 767,131 in August 2021. The city covered 641.4 km² in 2024. Population density was 1,196.1 people per km² in 2024.

Which Croatia-wide rules apply when you move to Zagreb?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in CroatiaNational rates and thresholds that apply in Zagreb.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

Owner occupation accounted for 90.9% of homes in 2021. Living space averaged 28 m² per person in 2021. The housing-vacancy rate was 29.1% in 2021. The city had 314,567 dwellings in 2021.

How much does it cost to rent in Zagreb?

Average net cold rent is 13.3 EUR/m² per month (2025), excluding heating and operating charges.

Published average over existing tenancies; a specific flat can sit either side of it. Asking-rent series, where present, are separate rows in the table.

  • Average net rent (nettokalt): 13.3 EUR/m²/month · MPGI/EIZ — Review of the Croatian real-estate market 202511
What recurs every month6 published recurring costs, € per month
Zagreb recurring monthly costs, € per month€471Private kindergarten€190Utilities, 85 m² flat€48Transport pass€47Fitness club€35Internet, 60 Mbps€19Mobile plan, 10 GB€ / month

Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Fitness club membership, monthly46.84 EUR/month31 Jul 2026Lebenshaltungskosten in Zagreb16Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Col Groceries Index Basket Eur Month72.95 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo17Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited35.26 EUR/month31 Jul 2026Lebenshaltungskosten in Zagreb16Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Private kindergarten, monthly471.2 EUR/month31 Jul 2026Lebenshaltungskosten in Zagreb16Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant12 EUR31 Jul 2026Lebenshaltungskosten in Zagreb16Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB19.13 EUR/month31 Jul 2026Lebenshaltungskosten in Zagreb16Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Monthly transport pass47.78 EUR/month26 Jul 2026Cijene karata - Grad Zagreb1Official
Basic utilities, 85 m² home189.9 EUR/month31 Jul 2026Lebenshaltungskosten in Zagreb16Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Dwellings314,567 dwellings2021Number of conventional dwellings12Official · Eurostat City Statistics city (HR001C), not FUA/greater city
Housing Vacancy Rate Percent29.12 %2021HR official material for housing_vacancy_rate_percent9Official
Average net rent (nettokalt)13.3 EUR/m²/month31 Dec 2025MPGI/EIZ — Review of the Croatian real-estate market 202511Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context

Cost of living

Fixed monthly costs for one person in an 85 m² flat were about €1,423 in the latest published figures. From a median gross salary of €2,581, that leaves €1,158 before income tax and social contributions.

Where a Zagreb salary goesfixed monthly costs, share of the €1,423 basket · median gross salary €2,581/month
€1,158left of €2,581
  • Net rent, 85 m² · 79%€1,131
  • Utilities, 85 m² · 13%€190
  • Transport pass · 3%€48
  • Internet and mobile · 4%€54

One person, 85 m² flat; the ring splits the €1,423 fixed basket before income tax and social contributions, latest published figures (checked 2026-08-27).

Worked out from these numbers

What does a 60 m² flat cost?

About 798 EUR a month in cold rent at the published average of 13.3 EUR/m² per month, before heating and operating charges.

Heating, water and operating charges come on top, and a specific flat can sit either side of an average.

Source period: 2025

Work and income

The unemployment rate was 2.83% in 2024.

What is the unemployment rate in Zagreb?

The unemployment rate is about 2.8 % (2024).

  • Unemployment rate: 2.83 % · Unemployment rate15
MetricValuePeriodSource
Median gross salary (regional)2,581 EUR/month27 Aug 2026podaci.dzs.hr13Official
Unemployment rate2.83 %2024Unemployment rate15Official · Eurostat City Statistics city (HR001C), not FUA/greater city

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Zagreb. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Croatian Employment Service — Public employment service

Hrvatski zavod za zapošljavanje (HZZ)

Job Search
Open official service
Open the Croatia service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Zagreb. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Mobility and administration

Car density was 390.4 vehicles per 1,000 residents in 2024. An estimate placed a monthly public-transport pass at €48 in 2026.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Public transport monthly pass53 EUR/month31 Dec 2024Eurostat5Official

Language courses and integration in Zagreb

1 exact course-location record is linked to this city. Check the linked source for dates, availability and enrolment.

Verified locally
1verified local records

Croaticum — Centre for Croatian as a Second and Foreign Language

Ivana Lučića 13, Zagreb

View official record
Check courses in ZagrebHow the country programme works
Exact city-linked record checked 2026-08-10. Provider-supplied records are supplemental and are not presented as official accreditation.

Climate and air quality

Monthly mean temperatures were 1.4°C in January and 22.2°C in July. Monthly precipitation was 45.7 mm in January and 80.4 mm in July. Annual PM2.5 was 14 µg/m³ at the end of 2024. Annual NO₂ was 35 µg/m³ in 2016.

Is the air quality good in Zagreb?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 14 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — validated PM2.5 station data3

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Zagreb average monthly daytime high and night-time low temperature, °C-10°0°10°20°30°JFMAMJJASOND28°-2°Daytime highNight-time low
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Zagreb average monthly precipitation, mm03060901204645486177918086104898762JFMAMJJASONDmm
Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours
Zagreb average monthly sunshine, hours075150225300691031501902462662942741841316653JFMAMJJASONDhours
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits
Zagreb annual air pollutant levels against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limitsCity valueWHO guidelineEU limit52514.0PM2.5104035.0NO₂µg/m³

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

MetricValuePeriodSource
NO₂ — annual mean35 µg/m³2016HR official material for air_quality_no2_annual_ug_m37Official
PM2.5 — annual mean14 µg/m³31 Dec 2024EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — validated PM2.5 station data3Official
Average daytime high by monthJan 5 · Feb 7.8 · Mar 13 · Apr 18 · May 22.4 · Jun 26.2 · Jul 28.1 · Aug 28.1 · Sep 22.6 · Oct 17 · Nov 10.7 · Dec 5.3 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV18Independent
Average night-time low by monthJan -2 · Feb -1.2 · Mar 2.5 · Apr 6.6 · May 11 · Jun 14.7 · Jul 16.2 · Aug 16 · Sep 11.8 · Oct 7.5 · Nov 3.4 · Dec -1.1 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV18Independent
Average temperature by monthJan 1.4 · Feb 3 · Mar 7.4 · Apr 12.2 · May 16.7 · Jun 20.6 · Jul 22.2 · Aug 21.8 · Sep 16.7 · Oct 11.7 · Nov 6.8 · Dec 1.9 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV18Independent
Average precipitation by monthJan 45.7 · Feb 45 · Mar 48 · Apr 60.6 · May 76.5 · Jun 90.8 · Jul 80.4 · Aug 85.6 · Sep 103.8 · Oct 88.5 · Nov 87.4 · Dec 61.8 mm1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV18Independent
Average sunshine by monthJan 69.1 · Feb 102.6 · Mar 149.9 · Apr 190.4 · May 246.1 · Jun 266 · Jul 293.6 · Aug 274.3 · Sep 183.7 · Oct 131.3 · Nov 66.4 · Dec 52.7 hours1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV18Independent

Cities of a similar size in Croatia

Closest published populations, for a like-for-like comparison.

All Croatia cities
Split160,577 residentsRijeka107,964 residentsOsijek96,313 residents

Population and city profile

How many people live in Zagreb?

The published population was 767,131 people in August 2021. Source: 2021 Census population by towns and municipalities2

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population
Zagreb residents by nationalityBy nationalityNational passport99.1%Foreign residents 0.9%

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Cars per 1,000 residents390.4 cars/1000 residents2024HR official material for car_density_per_10008Official
City area641.4 km²2024Eurostat GISCO LAU 2024 dataset6Official
Foreign-resident share0.7 %31 Dec 2021Eurostat4Official
Foreign residents6,559 people31 Aug 2021Croatian 2021 census municipality workbook2Official
Population density1,196 people/km²2024Eurostat GISCO LAU 2024 dataset6Official
Population767,131 people31 Aug 20212021 Census population by towns and municipalities2Official
Students as a share of residents10.41 %2024HR official material for student_population_share_percent10Official
Population over time14 published observations, 2001–2024
Population in Zagreb by year, residents756,171774,775793,379811,983200120172024760,020residents

Population fell 2.5% between 2001 and 2024, from 779,145 to 760,020.

Foreign residents over time8 published observations, 2013–2021
Foreign residents in Zagreb by year, residents5,5415,9056,2706,63420132016201820216,559residents

Foreign residents rose 16.8% between 2013 and 2021, from 5,616 to 6,559.

International community in Zagreb

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Country of birth

Population in the Croatian 2021 Census; POPULATION BY PLACE OF BIRTH1) AND SEX, BY TOWNS/MUNICIPALITIES, 2021 CENSUS; situation as on 31 August 2021 · 2021 Census (situation as on 31 August 2021)

Published groupPeopleShare
Total population767,131100.0%
Born in the Republic of Croatia648,65684.6%
Born in the Republic of Croatia — In the place of residence406,71453.0%
Born in the Republic of Croatia — In another county205,31226.8%
Born abroad118,42815.4%
Born abroad — Bosnia and Herzegovina82,91710.8%
Born in the Republic of Croatia — In another settlement of the same town/ municipality2)36,6084.8%
Born abroad — Other countries10,2371.3%
Born abroad — Serbia7,7811.0%
Born abroad — Germany6,4890.8%
Born abroad — Kosovo5,7260.7%
Show 4 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Born abroad — Slovenia2,8840.4%
Born abroad — Macedonia2,3940.3%
Unknown place of birth — Source column 23470.0%
Born in the Republic of Croatia — Unknown place in the Republic of Croatia220.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source2

Citizenship

Population in the Croatian 2021 Census; POPULATION BY CITIZENSHIP, BY TOWNS/MUNICIPALITIES, 2021 CENSUS; situation as on 31 August 2021 · 2021 Census (situation as on 31 August 2021)

Published groupPeopleShare
Total population767,131100.0%
Croatian citizenship760,44299.1%
Croatian citizenship — Out of that: Croatian and other25,3373.3%
Foreign citizenship — Foreign6,5590.9%
Stateless930.0%
Unknown citizenship — Unknown370.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source2

Ancestry or ethnicity

Population in the Croatian 2021 Census; POPULATION BY ETHNICITY, BY TOWNS/MUNICIPALITIES, 2021 CENSUS; situation as on 31 August 2021 · 2021 Census (situation as on 31 August 2021)

Published groupPeopleShare
Serbs12,0341.6%
Bosniacs6,5660.9%
Albanians3,4750.5%
Roma2,1670.3%
Slovenians1,3120.2%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source2

Is Zagreb a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker49%strong on work, weak on safety · range 39–59%
Skilled employee57%strong on work, weak on safety · range 48–66%
Student54%strong on education, weak on safety · range 44–64%
Family51%strong on family, weak on safety · range 40–62%
Retirement47%strong on legal route, weak on admin · range 35–59%
Foreign residents6,559 people31 Aug 2021Official source · Croatian 2021 census municipality workbook
Population767,131 people31 Aug 2021Official source · 2021 Census population by towns and municipalities
Average net rent (nettokalt)13.3 EUR/m²/month31 Dec 2025Official source · MPGI/EIZ — Review of the Croatian real-estate market 2025
Dwellings314,567 dwellings2021Official source · Number of conventional dwellings
Median gross salary (regional)2,581 EUR/month27 Aug 2026Official source · podaci.dzs.hr
Unemployment rate2.83 %2024Official source · Unemployment rate
Every value keeps its source, geographic scope and verification date · Last checked 2026-08-27

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Owner-occupied homes90.9 %2021Proportion of households living in owned dwellings14Official · Eurostat City Statistics city (HR001C), not FUA/greater city
Living space per resident28 m²/person2021HR official material for housing_vacancy_rate_percent9Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Zagreb when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

Is Zagreb expensive?

Fixed monthly costs for one person in an 85 m² flat — net rent, utilities, a transport pass, internet and mobile — came to about €1,423 against a median gross salary of €2,581 (figures), leaving about €1,158 before income tax. Sources: the rent, recurring-cost and salary series published on this page, each with its own source and date.

How many people live in Zagreb?

The published population was 767,131 people in August 2021. Source: 2021 Census population by towns and municipalities.

How much does it cost to rent in Zagreb?

Average net cold rent is 13.3 EUR/m² per month (2025), excluding heating and operating charges. For a 70 m² flat that is about 931 EUR a month before utilities. Source: MPGI/EIZ — Review of the Croatian real-estate market 2025.

Is the air quality good in Zagreb?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 14 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — validated PM2.5 station data.

What is the unemployment rate in Zagreb?

The unemployment rate is about 2.8 % (2024). Source: Unemployment rate.

What is the typical salary around Zagreb?

The median gross salary is 2,581 EUR/month. Source: podaci.dzs.hr.

How many foreign residents live in Zagreb?

6,559 people residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Croatian 2021 census municipality workbook.

Is Zagreb a good place to live?

Zagreb may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

How many people born in Total population live in Zagreb?

The official country of birth distribution records 767,131 people (100.0%) in the source-defined population for 2021 Census (situation as on 31 August 2021). This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, September 12). Zagreb, Croatia: cost of living, rent and salaries [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/hr/zagreb/ Retrieved 2026-09-12. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_zagreb-croatia-cost-of-living-rent-and-salaries_980eb0e2ea77,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Zagreb, Croatia: cost of living, rent and salaries},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-12},
  version = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  snapshot = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/hr/zagreb/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-12. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Zagreb, Croatia: cost of living, rent and salaries](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/hr/zagreb/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; retrieved 2026-09-12; built 2026-09-12.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. Cijene karata - Grad Zagreb zet.hr · checked 2026-07-26
  2. Croatian 2021 census municipality workbook podaci.dzs.hr · checked 2026-07-18
  3. EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — validated PM2.5 station data EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics · air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-26
  4. Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-02
  5. Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-03
  6. Eurostat GISCO LAU 2024 dataset gisco-services.ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-18
  7. HR official material for air_quality_no2_annual_ug_m3 ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-18
  8. HR official material for car_density_per_1000 ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-18
  9. HR official material for housing_vacancy_rate_percent ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-18
  10. HR official material for student_population_share_percent ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-18
Show 8 more sources
  1. MPGI/EIZ — Review of the Croatian real-estate market 2025 MPGI/EIZ · mpgi.gov.hr · checked 2026-07-29
  2. Number of conventional dwellings ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-16
  3. podaci.dzs.hr podaci.dzs.hr · checked 2026-08-27
  4. Proportion of households living in owned dwellings ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-16
  5. Unemployment rate ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-16
  6. Lebenshaltungskosten in Zagreb de.numbeo.com · checked 2026-07-26
  7. Numbeo numbeo.com · checked 2026-08-03
  8. WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-26

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.