Zagreb is the most expensive city in the Balkans but sits comfortably below the cost level of Vienna, Prague, or Lisbon. For travelers coming from Western Europe, it feels affordable. For travelers coming from Serbia or Bosnia, it feels noticeably more expensive. The honest answer depends on your reference point.
Accommodation costs
A mid-range hotel in a good central location (Gornji Grad, Donji Grad, or near Tkalciceva Street) costs roughly 100 to 160 EUR per night for a double room. Budget hotels and hostels exist from around 50 to 80 EUR per night for a double but tend to be slightly outside the most central areas. Boutique hotels and design properties push 170 to 250 EUR per night.
Apartments via Booking.com offer good value for two people sharing -- a well-located one-bedroom typically runs 80 to 130 EUR per night and often includes a kitchen, which saves money on breakfasts.
For a two-night weekend, budget 200 to 320 EUR for accommodation at the mid-range level.
Food and drink costs
Breakfast at a cafe runs 6 to 12 EUR per person depending on what you order. The Dolac market is the best value breakfast option -- fresh bread, local cheese, and seasonal fruit from the stalls for 4 to 6 EUR total.
Lunch at a mid-range restaurant costs 15 to 25 EUR per person including a drink. The best value lunches are at local konobas (traditional Croatian restaurants) slightly off the main tourist streets rather than on the main Tkalciceva strip.
Dinner at a solid restaurant runs 25 to 40 EUR per person including wine. Zagreb has a good wine culture and local Croatian wines add 15 to 30 EUR to a dinner bill for a bottle.
Coffee: 2 to 3.50 EUR for an espresso at a good cafe. Zagreb takes its coffee seriously and the quality is generally high.
Total daily food budget at a comfortable mid-range level: 50 to 80 EUR per person per day.
Activities and entry fees
The Museum of Broken Relationships costs about 8 EUR per person and is worth every cent -- allow 1.5 to 2 hours. The Zagreb Card (available for 24 or 72 hours, roughly 15 to 30 EUR) includes public transport and discounts to several museums -- worth it if you plan to visit multiple museums in a short stay. The Lotrscak Tower viewpoint costs about 2 EUR. The funicular between upper and lower town is 0.66 EUR per ride.
Most of what makes Zagreb enjoyable -- walking the upper town, the Dolac market, the Tkalciceva street scene -- is free.
Total weekend budget
For two people sharing a mid-range hotel for two nights, eating well, visiting one or two paid attractions, and having drinks in the evening: budget roughly 500 to 700 EUR total for the weekend (excluding flights). That breaks down to approximately 250 to 350 EUR per person for two nights.
Budget travelers staying in hostels or budget hotels and eating more casually can do the same weekend for around 150 to 200 EUR per person. Comfort travelers with boutique hotels and better restaurants should budget 400 to 500 EUR per person.
Is it worth the cost?
Zagreb consistently delivers value relative to its price. The quality of food, the museum scene, and the overall atmosphere of the city compare favorably with cities that cost significantly more. For travelers who have found Belgrade or Sarajevo almost too cheap and want a slightly more polished experience at a still-reasonable price, Zagreb hits the right level.