A fascinating and beautiful country with a complex history, a culture drawn from ancient Rome, Byzantium, Central Europe, and the Mediterranean and diverse economic sectors, Croatia has much to offer British expats. The low cost of living in Croatia is another good reason for making a new home for yourself in this country.

Where to live in Croatia

 

Where you decide to live in Croatia depends on your reason for moving to the country. While many expats who immigrate to the country for work-related reasons base themselves in the capital of Zagreb, others who want to start a tourism-related business or retire move to one of the coastal towns, an island, or to villages in rural areas. Some areas in tourist hotspots such as Dubrovnik where much of the TV series Game of Thrones was filmed can be expensive by Western European standards, but you can generally enjoy the low cost of living in Croatia all over the country. The 2022 Mercer Cost of Living Survey rates Zagreb as the 159th most expensive city to live in, on a list of 227.

How much does accommodation cost in Croatia?

One of the biggest reasons for the low average cost of living in Croatia is the affordability of accommodation. Whether you’re looking to rent or buy an apartment or house, you should find that prices are much cheaper than what you would pay in the UK. All figures were taken from.

(All figures taken from Numbeo.com and exchange rates calculated on 8th February 2023 at 11:30am).

Split

Monthly rent for 1 bedroom apartment (city centre)	£411.56 (€462.68)
Monthly rent for 1 bedroom apartment (outside centre)	£304.74 (€342.59)
Monthly rent for 3 bedroom apartment (city centre)	£697.33 (€783.95)
Monthly rent for 3 bedroom apartment (outside centre)	£548.46 (€616.59)
Price per square meter to buy apartment (city centre)	£2,972.55 (€3,341.79)
Price per square meter to buy apartment (outside centre)	£2,366.60 (€2,660.57)

 

Dubrovnik

Monthly rent for 1 bedroom apartment (city centre)	£422.92 (€475.45)
Monthly rent for 1 bedroom apartment (outside centre)	£325.91 (€366.39)
Monthly rent for 3 bedroom apartment (city centre)	£592.44 (€666.03)
Monthly rent for 3 bedroom apartment (outside centre)	£422.60 (€475.09)
Price per square meter to buy apartment (city centre)	£3,216.87 (€3,616.45)
Price per square meter to buy apartment (outside centre)	£2,293.67 (€2,578.58)

 

Pula

Monthly rent for 1 bedroom apartment (city centre)	£392.81 (€441.60)
Monthly rent for 1 bedroom apartment (outside centre)	£330.53 (€371.59)
Monthly rent for 3 bedroom apartment (city centre)	£568.39 (€638.99)
Monthly rent for 3 bedroom apartment (outside centre)	£469.66 (€528.00)
Price per square meter to buy apartment (city centre)	£2,035.98 (€2,288.88)
Price per square meter to buy apartment (outside centre)	£1,976.54 (€2,222.06)

 

How much does transport cost in Croatia?

As can be expected, given the low cost of living in Croatia, the cost of transport is lower than in the UK. You will pay less for public transport and petrol in Croatia than you would in the UK, although the price of cars is slightly higher than in Britain.

Single bus ticket	£1.18 (€1.33)
Monthly public transport ticket	£39.37 (€44.26)
Petrol (1 litre)	£1.39 (€1.56)
Volkswagen Golf	£21,214.61 (€23,849.79)
Toyota Corolla	£19,938.28 (€23,849.79)

 

What is the cost of living in Croatia compared to the UK?

When it comes to food, groceries, and basic goods and services, the cost of living in Croatia compared to the UK is either similar or lower. For example, you might pay slightly more for bread and milk, and much less for a cappuccino and chicken fillets, in Croatia than you would in the UK.

Milk (1 litre)	£0.93 (€1.04)
Bread (500g loaf)	£0.94 (€1.06)
Eggs (12pk)	£2.27 (€2.55)
Water (1.5 litre bottle)	£0.88 (€0.99)
Chicken Breast (1kg)	£7.22 (€8.12)
Cappuccino (regular, in a restaurant)	£1.46 (€1.64)
Beer (500ml, in a restaurant/pub)	£2.13 (€2.39)
Cinema ticket	£5.09 (€5.72)
Gym membership (monthly)	£34.11 (€38.35)
Preschool/Kindergarten (monthly)	£111.47 (€125.32)
Primary School (yearly)	£4,606.40 (€5,178.59)

 

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