Which place is cheaper, Rio de Janeiro or Zagreb?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Zagreb or Rio de Janeiro?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Zagreb and Rio de Janeiro. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Zagreb or Rio de Janeiro?
Zagreb
Zagreb, in central Croatia, is the country's capital. It has a wonderful old town that has cobblestone streets, historic buildings, and a great atmosphere. Many people travel to Croatia specifically for its beaches and coastal towns, but if you overlook this lovely capital city, you'll miss a large part of the culture and personality that is Croatia.
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro is the most popular travel destination in Brazil. It is the second largest city in Brazil and the sixth largest in the Americas. A portion of the city has been designated a World Heritage Site. It's also famous for Carnival, it's gorgeous beaches, and world-famous landmarks. Rio's appeal as a travel destination is apparent year round due to the great weather and plenty of fun activities. The city has a wonderful natural harbor that is surrounded by Sugar Loaf Mountain, Corcovado Peak, and the hills of Tijuca, creating an absolutely breathtaking and awe-inspiring setting.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Dubrovnik, The Best 2-Week Tours from Split, The Best 10-Day Tours in Brazil, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Brazil.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayZagreb $82Rio de Janeiro $106
The average daily cost (per person) in Zagreb is $82, while the average daily cost in Rio de Janeiro is $106. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Zagreb and Rio de Janeiro in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personZagreb $51Rio de Janeiro $67
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomZagreb $102Rio de Janeiro $134
Compare Hotels in Zagreb and Rio de Janeiro
Looking for a hotel in Zagreb or Rio de Janeiro? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Zagreb Hotel Prices and Rio de Janeiro Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Zagreb $9.69Rio de Janeiro $8.04
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zagreb
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zagreb:
- Airport Zagreb Transfer and Shuttle : $98
- Arrival Private Transfer from Zagreb Airport ZAG to Zagreb City by Business Car: $47
- Arrival Private Transfer from Zagreb Airport ZAG to Zagreb City by luxury van: $66
- Franjo Tudman Airport (ZAG) to Zagreb-Round-Trip Private Transfer: $33
- From Sarajevo: One-Way Transfer to Zagreb & Plitvice Lakes: $431
- From Split: Transfer to Zagreb with Stop at Plitvice Lakes: $150
- From Plitvice Lakes Round-Trip Comfort Bus Transfer: $16
- From Transfer to Split & Plitvice Lakes Guided Tour: $160
- Guided transfer from Zagreb to Split with Plitvice Lakes stop: $152
- Krka National Park Private Tour from Zagreb with transfer to Sibenik: $272
- Krka National Park Private Tour from Zagreb with transfer to Split: $296
- Luxury Private Transfer Zagreb - Zagreb Airport: $40
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Rio de Janeiro:
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Taxi Ride$2.96
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rio de Janeiro
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rio de Janeiro:
- 2025 Sambadrome Carnival Parade: Transfer Included Sector 5: $471
- 2025: Rio Carnival Parade at Sapucaí with Transfer Sector 7: $471
- A transfer with safety and comfort in Rio: $45
- Airport Private Transfer - Premium Service: $65
- Airport Transfer: Rio de Janeiro to Airport GIG by Luxury Van: $125
- All Private Transfer from Rio de Janeiro to Ilha Grande: $275
- All-You-Can-Eat Brazilian Churrascaria in Rio de Janeiro with Transfer: $80
- Angra dos Reis Shared Transfer From Rio de Janeiro: $53
- AquaRio Small Group Guided Tour with entrance and transfer: $60
- Arraial do Cabo Private Transfer From Rio de Janeiro: $123
- Arraial do Cabo Shared Transfer From Rio de Janeiro: $54
- Arrival Private Transfer GIG or SDU Airport to Rio City by Minivan: $91
Is it cheaper to fly into Zagreb or Rio de Janeiro?
Prices for flights to both Rio de Janeiro and Zagreb change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayZagreb $18Rio de Janeiro $20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Zagreb
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Zagreb.
- Taste Zagreb Food Tour: $74
- Taste Zagreb Food Tour: $75
- Private Authentic Croatian Cooking Class in Central Zagreb: $114
- Zagreb Walking Food Tour - Sightseeing - Dolac market visit: $137
- Private Authentic Market Tour and Cooking Class in the Heart of Zagreb: $144
- PRIVATE Half-Day Food Tour: The 10 Tastings of Zagreb With Locals: $196
- Wine & Food tour of Plešivica near Zagreb: $958
Typical Food Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rio de Janeiro:
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Popcorn$0.59
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Corn on the Cob$0.79
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Hamburger$0.99
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rio de Janeiro
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rio de Janeiro.
- Waterfront Dinner & Live Music Experience: $46
- Barra da Tijuca Food Tour with Drinks: $73
- THE BEST FOOD TOUR: $80
- Dinner & Rio Scenarium Nightclub Admission with Transfer: $85
- 9-Recipe Boozy Brazilian Cooking Class: $85
- Brazilian Meats and Snacks + South American Wines Guided Dinner: $89
- Food Tour Rio de Janeiro - The Best Typical Brazilian Dishes: $92
- Rio Scenarium Entrance, Dinner, and Open Bar: $106
- Rio Bar Food Tour with a Local: $113
- Rio Scenarium: Fast Track Entrance, Dinner & Open Bar: $115
- Brazilian Cooking Class: $129
- Samba Show Admission & Transfer with Dinner Option: $130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Zagreb $13Rio de Janeiro $22
Tours and Activities in Zagreb
Here are a few actual costs in Zagreb for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Nikola Tesla Technical Museum Ticket: $4.31
- Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $5.38
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $6.46
- Skip-the-Ticket-Line Museum of Broken Relationships: $7.53
- Zagreb Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Museum of Illusions Entrance Ticket: $9.69
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Zagreb's Old Town: Walking In-App Audio Tour(ENG): $11
- Small-Group Walking Highlights Tour: $16
- Group walking tour of Zagreb (funicular included): $17
- City Walking Tour with Funicular Ride & WW2 Tunnels: $18
Tours and Activities in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few actual costs in Rio de Janeiro for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Santa Teresa: the staircase: $6.99
- Rio de Janeiro (Ipanema & Copacabana) Self-Guided Tour: $7.73
- Rio de Janeiro (Urca) Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Tour: $7.73
- Salvador Sights Self Guided Tour (Pelourinho): $7.78
- Rio de Janeiro (Urca) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.89
- Rio de Janeiro Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- A Self-Guided Black History Audio Tour of Rio de Janeiro’s Little Africa: $9.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour-Story of Bossanova: Rhythm and soul of Rio: $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Imperial Rio: $10
- Hiking Experience to Pedra do Telégrafo: $10
- Favela tour in copacabana with local guide!: $10
- Ticket to the match at maracanã of Flamengo: $10
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayZagreb $9.49Rio de Janeiro $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Zagreb
Also in Zagreb, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Zagreb Pub Crawl: $16
- Zagreb:Private Bar Crawling and Alcohol Testing with a Guide: $32
- Zagreb Wine Tasting & Jarun Lake Tour: $75
- Private Zagreb Walking Tour and Wine Tasting From Zagreb: $103
- Taste Zagreb Heritage Wine Tasting with Traditional Lunch: $179
- Plesivica countryside Wine Tasting: $199
- Fairytale castle & delicious wine tasting and lunch: $202
- Private Wine Tasting Tour from Zagreb: $208
- Castles & Wine Tasting - Private Day Trip from Zagreb: $235
Sample the Local Flavors in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rio de Janeiro:
- Rio: Pub Crawl in Lapa with Cachaça Tasting and Live Samba: $33
- Pub Crawl in Lapa: $34
- Rio de Janeiro Pub Crawl (Lapa district): $35
- Petropolis City Tour with Imperial Museum and Optional Lunch & Bohemia Brewery: $40
- Petropolis Bohemia: Historic tour and visit to the Bohemian Brewery: $60
- Walking tour + Pub crawl + Samba in Lapa: $65
- Petropolis City Tour + Bohemia Brewery + Lunch: $77
- Petrópolis City and Brewery Bohemia Tour - Best of Rio's Mountains: $110
- Brazilian Wine Tasting Evening: $110
- Rio: Sitio Burle Marx and Cachaça Distillery Private Tour: $132
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Zagreb and Rio de Janeiro, we can see that Rio de Janeiro is more expensive. And not only is Zagreb much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Zagreb is in Europe and Rio de Janeiro is in South America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Zagreb would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Zagreb and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Rio de Janeiro would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Rio de Janeiro than you might in Zagreb.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Zagreb Expensive? and Is Rio de Janeiro Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Zagreb or Rio de Janeiro?
Rio de Janeiro has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Zagreb. When comparing the sizes of Zagreb and Rio de Janeiro, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
When is the best time to visit Zagreb or Rio de Janeiro?
Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Rio de Janeiro is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Zagreb has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Zagreb or Rio de Janeiro in the Summer?
Both Rio de Janeiro and Zagreb are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. Most visitors come to Zagreb for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In the summer, Zagreb is cooler than Rio de Janeiro. Typically, the summer temperatures in Zagreb in July average around 22°C (72°F), and Rio de Janeiro averages at about 26°C (79°F)in January.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Rio de Janeiro. In July, Zagreb usually receives less rain than Rio de Janeiroin January. Zagreb gets 87 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 114 mm (4.5 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryZagreb 22°C (72°F)Rio de Janeiro 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Zagreb or Rio de Janeiro in the Autumn?
Both Rio de Janeiro and Zagreb during the autumn are popular places to visit. The autumn months attract visitors to Zagreb because of the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene.
In October, Zagreb is generally much colder than Rio de Janeiroin April. Daily temperatures in Zagreb average around 13°C (55°F), and Rio de Janeiro fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).
Rio de Janeiro gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Zagreb usually gets less rain in October than Rio de Janeiroin April. Zagreb gets 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 137 mm (5.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilZagreb 13°C (55°F)Rio de Janeiro 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Zagreb or Rio de Janeiro in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Zagreb and Rio de Janeiro. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Zagreb this time of year.
It's quite cold in Zagreb in the winter. Zagreb is much colder than Rio de Janeiro in the winter. The daily temperature in Zagreb averages around 1°C (35°F) in January, and Rio de Janeiro fluctuates around 21°C (70°F)in July.
In January, Zagreb usually receives around the same amount of rain as Rio de Janeiroin July. Zagreb gets 53 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyZagreb 1°C (35°F)Rio de Janeiro 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Zagreb or Rio de Janeiro in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Zagreb as well as Rio de Janeiro. Many travelers come to Zagreb for the activities around the city.
In the spring, Zagreb is much colder than Rio de Janeiro. Typically, the spring temperatures in Zagreb in April average around 13°C (55°F), and Rio de Janeiro averages at about 23°C (73°F)in October.
Zagreb usually gets less rain in April than Rio de Janeiroin October. Zagreb gets 65 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 88 mm (3.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberZagreb 13°C (55°F)Rio de Janeiro 23°C (73°F)
Typical Weather for Rio de Janeiro and Zagreb
| Zagreb | Rio de Janeiro | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 1°C (35°F) | 53 mm (2.1 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) |
| Feb | 4°C (39°F) | 46 mm (1.8 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) |
| Mar | 8°C (47°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 103 mm (4.1 in) |
| Apr | 13°C (55°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 137 mm (5.4 in) |
| May | 17°C (63°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Jun | 20°C (69°F) | 101 mm (4 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Jul | 22°C (72°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) |
| Aug | 22°C (71°F) | 91 mm (3.6 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 51 mm (2 in) |
| Sep | 18°C (65°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Oct | 13°C (55°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 88 mm (3.5 in) |
| Nov | 8°C (46°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) |
| Dec | 3°C (37°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 169 mm (6.7 in) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.