Small Croatian city ranks second in Europe for quality of life and affordability

A small Croatian city has emerged as one of Europe’s best-value cities to live in, combining a high quality of life with relatively low living costs, according to a new analysis covering 125 cities.

Osijek, which has a population of around 97,000 people, ranks second in Europe for quality of life relative to living costs in an analysis published by Visual Capitalist.

The study, based on August 2026 data from Numbeo, compares 125 European and CIS cities according to their quality of life and the cost of living.

Osijek stands out for its combination of a high quality of life score and comparatively affordable everyday expenses, placing it ahead of many better-known European destinations.

The city recorded a quality of life index of 195.5, with its quality of life percentile reaching 98.8. Only The Hague in the Netherlands scored higher on this measure, at 99.6.

Meanwhile, Osijek’s cost of living was placed at the 27.6th percentile, indicating lower costs than in many of the cities included in the comparison.

The analysis, created by Valerii Emelianov, removes price-related components from the quality of life measure to avoid counting affordability twice.

The figures also put Osijek ahead of Zagreb, Split and Rijeka in the quality of life index.

Zagreb recorded a score of 178.1, followed by Rijeka at 181.7 and Split at 175.4.

Living costs were also relatively lower in Osijek. The city recorded a cost of living percentile of 27.6, compared with 39.6 for Rijeka, 41.2 for Zagreb and 45.2 for Split.

The comparison suggests Osijek offers a combination of quality of life and affordability that is less common in larger urban centres.

Osijek is known for its green spaces, relaxed pace of life, cultural amenities and access to the River Drava.

Residents interviewed by daily Večernji list broadly agreed with the positive assessment, highlighting safety, accessibility and the ease of getting around the city.

However, housing affordability and the relationship between wages and property prices remain concerns.

One resident said her employment situation had made it difficult to qualify for a housing loan, despite working in education.

Osijek Mayor Ivan Radić described the ranking as recognition of the city’s quality of life, pointing to its university, healthcare and education infrastructure, cultural and sporting facilities, parks and green spaces.

The analysis also highlights the trade-off between living standards and expenses in other European cities.

The Hague recorded a quality of life index of 225.4, followed by Eindhoven at 216.3 and Utrecht at 211. However, these Dutch cities have substantially higher living costs.

The ranking is based on Numbeo data and should be understood as a comparative index rather than an official assessment of every aspect of residents’ lives.