Is Croatia Costly To Go to? Plan Your Croatia Journey Funds With 2024 Costs

You’re attempting to find out whether or not Croatia is dear. The reply is that it may be. 

What was as soon as thought-about a comparatively low cost Mediterranean vacation spot has change into dearer during the last 20 years, dropping its value-for-money tag. 

I’ve been residing in Croatia since 2012, and it has positively change into dearer since Croatia joined the eurozone. With the forex changeover from the Croatian Kuna to the euro in the beginning of 2023, I’ve observed my grocery invoice is up 30% for a similar manufacturers and gadgets.

However if you wish to journey to Croatia on a price range, it’s doable irrespective of your journey fashion. I’ve lived right here for over a decade and have some insider information and tips about how one can price range and save in your journey.

Learn on to find how one can have a incredible journey in Croatia with out breaking the financial institution. This information consists of data on what to anticipate to pay for the whole lot from transport to groceries and lodging.

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Planning Your Journey To Croatia – So, Is Croatia Costly To Go to

Sure and no. It’s good to keep in mind that, like many international locations, Croatia has variations in costs between rural and concrete areas. Dubrovnik, for instance, is a well-liked city-break vacation spot, which is mirrored within the costs there—in actual fact, it’s one of the crucial costly locations in Croatia, with polished inns and high-end eating to match.

That doesn’t imply you possibly can’t expertise locations like Cut up or Dubrovnik on a price range. In comparison with different European cities reminiscent of London or Paris, Croatia’s huge cities are comparatively reasonably priced.

Fast Prices Overview (Extra Particulars Under)

For Your Journey Funds The Euro Is The Foreign money In Croatia

As I already talked about, the brand new forex in Croatia is the euro, so I’ll listing costs with the €. Proper now, the euro to USD alternate is 1.09, and for AUD, it’s 1.66.

Croatia Journey Value Information

Earlier than we dig down into whether or not or not Croatia is, in actual fact, a budget-friendly vacation spot, I’ll first cowl the typical prices and common bills of touring to this Mediterranean vacation spot.

Prices Of Meals And Drink In Croatia

Visiting Croatia gives the prospect to dive into all the scrumptious delicacies that the nation has to supply. Let’s take a better have a look at what you possibly can anticipate to pay for meals in Croatia, from a meal at a restaurant in Dubrovnik to selecting up some groceries at a countryside retailer.

Restaurant Costs

Restaurant costs can range massively. If you wish to, you could possibly splash out on a lavish meal in a metropolis for €120, or you could possibly take pleasure in a meal in a low-key countryside eatery for €10.

For these on a price range, it’s possible you’ll wish to think about a konoba. These conventional, normally family-run eateries are an ideal place to not solely strive native delicacies but in addition get a taste of native life and in addition eat comparatively cheaply.

The price of a meal at a konoba runs from round €6 on the least expensive finish, however close to main cities and cities, it’s normally round €25. It’s not all the time the most cost effective, however it’s a great expertise on a price range.

Quick Meals Costs

Based on the Massive Mac Index, they’re printed yearly by the Economist, a Massive Mac from McDonald’s prices $3.68 (€3.39), which is round 28% lower than the worth of a Massive Mac within the USA.

In locations reminiscent of Dubrovnik, a meal at a Burger King, McDonald’s, or related institution will value you between €6.60 and €10.50.

Grocery Costs

For these touring on a price range, self-catering lodging is essential for protecting prices low. Fortunately, Croatia is a good place to do that. The nation is awash with markets promoting recent, regionally grown produce at low cost costs.

There’s additionally a collection of reasonably priced grocery shops that make life even simpler. Konzum is the most important of those, with round 700 shops nationwide, whereas one other low cost grocery store, Plodine, has round 100 areas throughout the nation.

Here’s a listing of the approximate costs for fruit and greens per kilo from grocery shops in Croatia:

• A kilo of apples for €1.20 — 2.50
• A kilo of bananas for €1.40 — 2.50
• A kilo of oranges for €1.50 — 3
• A kilo of tomatoes for €0.80 — 4
• A kilo of potatoes for €0.50 — 2
• A kilo of onions for €0.40 — 1.60
• A head of lettuce for €0.20 — 2
• 12 eggs for €3 — 6
• A kilo of native cheese can value something from €6 to €30

Alcohol Costs

For these of you who wish to have a drink or two, you’ll be happy to know that alcohol costs are comparatively reasonably priced in Croatia. Issues have change into barely dearer through the years, and the typical value of a pint of draught beer is €2.80. A bottle of imported beer might be round €3-5.

After all, this fluctuates relying on the kind of bar you’re ingesting at and the place it’s positioned. For instance, Dubrovnik might be dearer.

In the event you go to a mid-range restaurant, the worth of a glass of wine might be round €6, whereas a bottle of home wine will value you upwards of €20. Once more, this depends upon the restaurant, as some could be cheaper than others.

Alcohol is decidedly cheaper in supermarkets. Right here, you possibly can decide up a low-cost bottle of wine for round €5-10.

Transport Prices In Croatia

Fortunately, Croatia boasts some fairly dependable public transport for vacationers on a price range to make use of. Whether or not you wish to get the prepare alongside the coast or hop on a bus from one coastal resort to the subsequent, there are many choices so that you can select between.

Bus Journey  – The Finest Approach To Save Cash On Transportation

Croatia has a well-connected bus community that’s comparatively low cost to make use of. This implies for those who don’t have the price range to rent a automotive, you possibly can see many of the nation simply by taking the bus.

Bus corporations run between cities and in addition function public transport inside cities and metropolis areas.

Costs can range relying on the route and the corporate you utilize, with numerous totally different corporations working alongside the identical route. However typically talking, they’re reasonably priced, with the journey between Cut up and Dubrovnik by bus costing round €12.

I actually suggest reserving forward, particularly in excessive season. Massive corporations reminiscent of FlixBus, Ariva, and Getbybus can all be booked on-line prematurely — and sometimes at a decrease value than for those who purchased the ticket in individual on the ticket workplace the identical day.

In the event you’re touring with baggage, you’ll have to pay further to stow it within the baggage compartment beneath the bus. The payment is round €1.50 per merchandise.

Boat & Ferry Prices In Croatia

Don’t overlook touring by boat in Croatia. In truth, with tons of of islands and coastal locations to its title, getting round Croatia by boat is usually a necessity.

Extra boats and ferries run within the excessive season (i.e., summer season) than at different instances of the yr. Ferries are normally automotive ferries, however you can too use them as foot passengers, whereas catamarans are normally only for foot passengers.

Tickets could be purchased on-line prematurely, which might make issues cheaper. However in peak season, attending to the dock early remains to be a good suggestion.

Typically, ferries are reasonably priced. For instance, the journey between Zadar and the island of Ilovik takes 1.5 hours and prices €10-12, whereas to Unije, the journey is 2.5 hours and prices €12-15.

The bottom costs are within the winter months and the best within the peak season.

Value Of Journey In Croatia By way of Taxi

When the general public transport community doesn’t go someplace you wish to go, or if you wish to get someplace rapidly, you will have taxis to depend on. Taxis in Croatia are available all sizes and styles, with numerous totally different corporations.

You may decide up a taxi pretty simply in cities and cities, whereas for those who’re on an island or a extra rural vacation spot, it’s finest to rearrange one prematurely.

You may even use apps like Uber, however that is restricted to Zagreb, Cut up, Rijeka, and Dubrovnik.

Other than Uber, taxi fares in Croatia are primarily based on the meter. This differs from metropolis to metropolis. In Cut up, it’s round €1 per kilometer, whereas in Dubrovnik, it’s €0.66. Don’t overlook that there’s an ordinary tariff for taxis too, which ranges from round €2 to €5.

Airport Shuttles

Airport shuttles can assist to maintain prices low for those who use them correctly. Some inns and different lodging sorts in Croatia might supply a complimentary shuttle service, which can not simply cowl the airport but in addition bus and prepare stations and even vacationer websites such because the seaside and Previous City.

Rental Automobile Costs

Automobile rent is an effective way to get round if you wish to see lesser-known locations in Croatia. It’s additionally a good suggestion to rent a automotive for those who’re touring in a bunch, because it helps to maintain prices low.

Fortunately, highway journeys in Croatia don’t normally take very lengthy. For instance, between Zagreb and Dubrovnik, it’s round a 6-hour drive.

You may hire a rent automotive from each native corporations and worldwide manufacturers in cities and cities and round transport hubs.

Automobile rent costs in Croatia aren’t the identical all yr spherical. Costs range. Native corporations could be cheaper, some as little as €10 per day within the off-season (the place it’s all the time nice worth for cash), and you’ll add a 0 on the finish of that for the height summer season season.

That mentioned, there are some reasonably priced offers on worldwide manufacturers, reminiscent of reserving on-line or as a part of a bundle along with your lodging or flight.

Don’t overlook that you’ll have to pay tolls on all highways in Croatia. An instance cost is from Cut up to Dubrovnik, which prices €6.60, whereas Zagreb to Dubrovnik (480 kilometers) prices €30 alongside the freeway.

Then you must issue within the worth of gasoline, too. In the mean time, petrol prices €1.50 per liter in Croatia. You must also price range for parking.

Trains

The prepare community in Croatia is far slower than hopping on a bus. However for those who’ve obtained the time, desire a slice of the Croatian countryside, and like the concept of gradual journey, then it’s an effective way to get round.

Costs for prepare journey in Croatia range relying on the prepare sort you e-book. There are three sorts: ICN trains, which run intercity providers (the quickest choice), the quick brzi trains, and the putnicki common passenger trains.

An instance journey is from Zagreb to Cut up, which might value between €15 and €27 and take between 6.5 and eight.5 hours.

However typically, for those who’re questioning if trains have been low cost in Croatia, you’ll be completely happy to know that taking the prepare is reasonably priced and received’t eat into your price range an excessive amount of.

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Lodging Prices In Croatia

One of many prices that varies essentially the most in relation to journey in Croatia is lodging. Locations to remain vary throughout the nation from fundamental backpacker lodging, which might value as little as €20 per evening, all the best way to high-end resorts that cost effectively over €200 per evening.

Hostels in Croatia can work for price range vacationers not solely due to the low beginning worth but in addition as a result of typically they characteristic kitchens the place you possibly can cook dinner your personal meals. A few of these are stocked with important gadgets which might be free to make use of. Some hostels may also present meals for friends freed from cost.

That mentioned, self-catering lodging may also be very reasonably priced, costing between €20 and €40 per evening. By way of reasonably priced inns, you possibly can anticipate to pay round €60-100 per evening for a mid-range choice in Croatia.

Points of interest & Exercise Costs In Croatia

Now that you’ve got a greater concept of how a lot it prices to journey round Croatia, how a lot lodging prices in Croatia, and the way a lot it prices to eat in Croatia, it’s time to have a look at the price of actions in Croatia.

There’s loads to do all through the nation, from lounging round on the seaside and exploring jewel-like islands within the Adriatic Sea to strolling the medieval partitions of outdated cities and seeing Roman ruins.

One of the crucial in style issues to do in Croatia is exploring Dubrovnik. Strolling by the outdated partitions of town prices €35 per individual.

Nonetheless, in Cut up, the well-known Diocletian’s Palace is free to enter, because it makes up a big a part of the outdated city. But it surely does value €5.50 to go to the basement of the palace.

For these occupied with pure websites, there are locations like Plitvice Lakes Nationwide Park, which prices an entrance payment. This payment modifications relying on the time of yr—within the off-season, you possibly can anticipate to pay €10, however it’s rather more costly €40 throughout the excessive season.

The price of excursions in Croatia varies relying on the exercise. A kayaking tour from Cut up to discover the 5 Islands, for instance, prices round €80 per individual, whereas a day tour to Mostar and its well-known bridge from Dubrovnik can value upwards of €90.

How To Save Cash In Croatia – Funds Ideas

• Lodging. Go for self-catering choices the place potential; this implies something from Airbnb and Vrbos to hostels and self-catering residences on Reserving.com
• Use public transport. Having your personal wheels may be enjoyable, or hopping on a tour may make issues simpler, however for those who’re on a price range, do because the locals do and hop on a bus, prepare, or ferry
• Consuming on a price range. Head to native eateries like konoba; it’s right here that you simply’ll discover one of the best worth for cash, and store at supermarkets for native produce you possibly can cook dinner your self
• Guide prematurely. Whether or not it’s lodging, a rent automotive, or public transport, reserving prematurely normally means a greater deal
• Monetary suggestions. Use cost providers like Revolut for higher alternate charges, and all the time pay in native forex – euros

Consuming Out In Croatia On A Funds

Whether or not you’re in a metropolis or the countryside, it’s potential to eat on a price range in Croatia. There are many meals choices on the market, from conventional Croatian meals to trendy and quick meals.

As I mentioned earlier than, you must hunt down a konoba for a neighborhood, less-touristy expertise that can be comparatively straightforward on the pockets — round €10-15 for a meal.

Some eating places it’s possible you’ll wish to hunt down throughout your journey to Croatia embody:

However if you wish to stick with the very minimal when it comes to price range, head to native supermarkets. Right here, you should buy meals like cheese, bread, salad, and drinks at a fraction of the worth it could value to eat out.

Making your personal sandwiches for lunch will assist you to save in your journey price range whereas nonetheless permitting you to eat out within the evenings if you wish to—but when your lodging has a kitchen, you possibly can cook dinner one thing for dinner.

Lodging In Croatia On A Funds

In the event you’re touring on a price range, you received’t want to fret about lodging in Croatia. There are many budget-friendly choices all through the nation, even within the main cities and cities.

Though lodging in in style vacationer locations is dearer than in lesser-known cities and cities, there’s a good vary of reasonably priced choices.

A superb tip for locating low cost lodging is to look on Reserving.com, Google Maps, and TripAdvisor. Attempt to be versatile along with your dates, too, as peak season and weekends are normally dearer.

Based on on-line critiques, essentially the most reasonably priced locations to remain in Croatia are:

You may click on the title of the resort and lookup your dates to see:

1. Resort A’mare
2. Resort Elu Iris
3. Mattress & Breakfast Donji Grad
4. Resort Saint Hildegard
5. Resort Miramare
6. Elena’s Rooms & House
7. Zrinka Home
8. Keep Swanky Hostel
9. Valamar Tirena Resort
10. Resort Splendid

Resort costs in Croatia range relying on the time of yr you journey and the place within the nation you’re positioned.

You will discover low-cost hostels and family-run inns for as little as €20 per evening, however costs can soar to effectively over €500 if you wish to splurge and keep in a luxurious resort resort.

Even essentially the most fundamental locations can hike their costs in peak season, particularly Airbnb’s in in style cities like Dubrovnik. Costs can fluctuate wildly in the identical space, from €50 to €1000 per evening!

Parking In Croatia On A Funds

In the event you’re driving a rental automotive in Croatia, then factoring within the worth of parking is essential. In cities, particularly, you must word that parking cannot solely be difficult to search out (particularly in excessive season) but in addition fairly costly.

Dubrovnik is pretty costly for parking your automobile. Parking within the Previous City can value as much as €11, however Dubrovnik Metropolis Parking (close to the Previous City) has charges of €30 per day or €3 per hour.

It’s an analogous scenario in Cut up, which has numerous choices for parking together with Cut up Metropolis Parking, which prices €25 per day or €2 per hour.

Within the capital metropolis of Zagreb, parking is kind of restricted, with a most keep of two hours. As an example, to park within the metropolis middle (Zone 1), it’s €1.60 per hour, and the utmost keep is 2 hours solely.

Parking is cheaper in nationwide parks. At Plitvice Lakes Nationwide Park, for instance, it prices €1 per hour to park a automotive; for a bike, it’s free!

A good suggestion is to verify Google Maps forward of any journey you make for parking choices and skim critiques to see in the event that they suit your price range — some will even be free. Planning forward could make all of the distinction.

What To Funds For A Month In Croatia

Your supreme price range for a month in Croatia will very a lot rely upon the kind of journey you wish to take and the best way you journey. Based mostly on the typical prices on this Croatia journey value information, a price range of €100 – €150 a day needs to be sufficient for a budget-conscious journey.

In the event you actually wish to journey on a shoestring price range, you could possibly make your cash go even additional. Staying in hostel dorms, opting to journey out of peak season, reserving forward, and cooking meals for your self means you could possibly price range €50 a day.

However, for those who’re planning on touring to Croatia however wish to take pleasure in consuming out on a regular basis, visiting all the highest points of interest, and staying in additional fancy lodging, you must price range round €150-200 per day.

In the event you’re planning on touring across the nation and never simply staying in a single place, keep in mind to place cash apart in your day by day price range for the price of public transport or a rent automotive.

Common Complete Croatia Journey Value

On common, a seven-day journey to Croatia can value between €700 and €1,400. There are all the time going to be some shock prices alongside the best way, like an unplanned journey to an island, shopping for souvenirs, or including new locations to your itinerary.

Is Croatia Journey Costly FAQs

Issues To Do In Croatia

Oh man, there are such a lot of in style vacationer locations in Croatia, and I’ve tons of of guides on how one can spend your time in Croatia. That mentioned, here’s a snapshot for first-time vacationers:

Go to Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik has a wealth of sights and historical past to discover. There’s the Previous City, Mount Srd and its cable automotive, Lokrum Island, and people well-known partitions (to not point out all of the Sport of Thrones areas scattered round).

Head To Nationwide Parks

Croatia has no scarcity of pure magnificence, as you possibly can see by visiting one in every of its a number of nationwide parks. Plitvice Lakes Nationwide Park, a UNESCO-recognized nature reserve, covers 30,000 hectares and is the oldest within the nation. There’s additionally Krka Nationwide Park, which is legendary for its waterfalls, conventional water mills, and outdated monasteries.

Hit The Seashore

Lots of Croatia’s public seashores are free to go to and are completely dreamy. Cut up’s Golden Horn Seashore, for instance, also referred to as Zlatni Rat, is likely one of the nation’s most iconic stretches of sand and sea.

See Cut up

Hugging the Adriatic Sea, Croatia’s second-largest metropolis boasts a complete host of historical past to discover — don’t miss its historical Roman ruins like Diocletian’s Palace and the Temple of Jupiter or Cut up’s stunning cathedral.

Dwelling In Croatia

In the event you’re desirous about transferring to Croatia, you should learn my guides! After greater than ten years of residing as an expat in Croatia, I’ve shared what I’ve have realized through the years.

It’s not onerous to fall in love with Croatia, particularly in case you are like me and reside on the gorgeous Adriatic Sea. However this execs and cons listing, in addition to different detailed data, will assist you resolve if residing in Croatia might be best for you.

Earlier than you select to reside in Croatia, please learn them right here.

Remaining Phrase On Is Croatia Low cost

Alright, so let’s wrap up the massive query: Is Croatia low cost? In the event you’ve been following my information to Croatia, you already know I’ve been diving into all the prices right here since I reside on this completely gorgeous nation. And let me inform you, planning to go to Croatia brings up that age-old query: Is it going to make my pockets cry or not? Nicely, it’s form of like asking if pizza is best than pasta—it actually relies upon, proper?

Croatia is that this stunning mixture of experiences. You will discover spots which might be tremendous variety to your price range, after which there are locations the place you may really feel such as you’re spending greater than anticipated. Dwelling right here, I’ve seen each side of the coin.

I hope that you’ve got now obtained a greater understanding of what to anticipate when it comes to prices to your journey to Croatia. Total, I consider that the reply to the query “Is Croatia costly?” – isn’t any. It’s a incredible place to take pleasure in for a complete host of various vacationers with all several types of budgets.

From breathtaking seashores to these cozy little cafes that make you wish to keep ceaselessly, Croatia’s obtained all of it. So, is Croatia costly? It may be, however with a little bit of insider know-how, you possibly can completely benefit from this attractive nation with out breaking the financial institution. Belief me, it’s price each euro!