Is traveling to Croatia expensive, and how much will my trip to Split Croatia cost? That’s a fairly common question, and the truth is Croatia is becoming a more and more expensive destination every year.

Split RivaBy following my guide on Split travel costs you can ensure your budget can easily handle your preferences. Your budget is one of the most important factors when planning your trip to Split and Central Dalmatia region, because honestly speaking the time when Croatia was a dirt cheap destination is over.

Your main day-to-day expenses will be based on multiple factors including accommodation, food, sightseeing, transportation, and even phone communications.

Before you embark on your trip to Croatia it’s important to know how exactly much will your visit to Split Croatia cost. My Split Travel Costs guide and calculator will enable you to get a fairly good idea about your expenses.

In the last few years Croatia has witnessed a raise of accommodation prices, particularly in some top visited destinations such as Dubrovnik and Hvar town.

Nevertheless, Croatia’s tourist costs are still lower in comparison to other Mediterranean destinations like Spain, Italy or even Greece, especially if you keep away from traveling in July and August when prices are at their peak. See more on Split budget tips!

Croatia Travel Costs Calculator

We built this custom travel costs calculator which takes into account most important expenses: accommodation, food, drinks, transportation, communication, and sightseeing.

This Croatia travel costs calculation doesn’t include some other potential costs involved (more on that below), but it gives you an excellent overview of main expenses and helps you plan your budget. Try it!

It may not seem like it but we worked really hard to build this travel expense calculator, so feel free to thank us by sharing it on Facebook or Twitter. Thank you!

In case the calculator form doesn’t expand properly you can open it in a new window here.

My calculator should give you a rough idea on how much you can expect to spend during your trip to Croatia, and it accounts for different budgets, lifestyles, and even seasonal pricing differentials. All prices displayed are in Euros (€).

It does not however calculate expenses for getting to Croatia (plane or ferry tickets, or gas and tolls) since the pricing of this greatly depends on the country of origin. Calculator also does not include other potential costs within Croatia, including but not limited to ferry tickets (if traveling to islands), museum tickets, boat rentals, or similar expenses.

Also worth noting is that all prices mentioned or referenced are for Split area, which is considered average to slightly above average in prices. Traveling to a different part of Croatia may raise or lower your expenses, but it’s still a fairly accurate representation of travel costs involved.

Below you can find out a lot more about prices and costs of traveling to Croatia, so if you want to plan for every penny I’m sure you’ll find my detailed cost breakdowns helpful.

Split Travel Costs for all budgets

Below I have presented some average daily expenses (per person) based on category and travel style (low budget, mid range and luxury), accounting for typical costs of accommodation, food, water, transportation, entertainment, alcohol beverages, souvenirs, tips and brochures.

Only communication costs are equal for all travel styles. I should also mention that these costs are referring to Split Riviera, Trogir and Makarska Rivieras and Central Dalmatian islands. Some more exclusive destinations like Dubrovnik and Hvar are more expensive, and on the other hand certain small counties or villages can be much cheaper.

Split travel costs also vary up and down depending on tourist season you are traveling in. In the period of the highest season and the biggest crowds (last week of July to mid August), travel costs are notably high. But things go better in the rest of the year.

Travel costs drop down significantly from October to May.  While the winter months in Split (November to March) might be the cheapest months to travel in Croatia, keep in mind that many activities, hotels, restaurants, and other facilities are open only seasonally from May to October.

Tips for cutting travel costs

  • If you can, don’t travel in July and August, instead chose June or September up to mid October.
  • Costs are lower if you you stay in fully featured apartments.
  • Book your accommodation as early as possible to get the best deals.
  • Use Hotelscombined or Booking to compare prices of accommodation in Split and Central Dalmatia, including islands.
  • Book your accommodation in Split’s neighboring districts like Podstrana.

Split travel costs breakdown by budget

Tables below will show you my estimated daily expenses for low, mid-range, and luxury budgets.

As you’ll notice accommodation takes the largest chunk of your travel budget, but all other expenses can also add up.

Luxury Budgets:

My luxury budget is for those who don’t really care about how much money they spend on holidays, but still stays reasonable. Basically it means no villas with private pools, but if you can afford those then you don’t need my budget tips anyway.

This luxury budget assumes you don’t mind spending an extra €1,000 during a two-week vacation, and I know for a fact many travelers like to enjoy themselves and experience Croatia without worrying about money.

 Average Daily Travel Cost (per person)
€ 230
Accommodation € 100
Food € 60
Water € 1
Local Transportation € 30
Entertainment € 5
Alcohol € 30
Souvenirs € 2
Tips and Broshures € 2

Accommodation considered in luxury category are small boutique and four-star hotels. There’s plenty of elegant and even recently opened hotels in Split which can accommodate you if you’re willing and able to afford it. Many will even offer complimentary free breakfast for a €100 price tag.

I was fairly generous in determining these prices, so unless you’re eating or drinking in the most expensive restaurants the total expense of €230 per day should be more than sufficient to suit a more luxurious lifestyle. Spending €90 a day for food and drinks means you can have 3 pretty fancy meals in above-average restaurants (price-wise), along with 10 beers or soft drinks.

Local transportation assumes you can take 2 taxi rides every day, though I’d still definitely recommend a slow paced stroll where you can glance at the local life.

Mid Range Budget

Average Daily Travel Cost (per person)
€ 121
Accommodation € 65
Food € 25
Water € 1
Local Transportation € 12
Entertainment € 3
Alcohol € 11
Souvenirs € 2
Tips and Brochures € 2

Mid range budget will easily permit you to sleep in some 3-star hotels and new trendy opened hostels, and pretty much any reasonably priced private apartment, while also allowing you to eat in mid-range restaurants.

€25 a day is enough for two cheap meals in local konobas (taverns), which are great places to eat at not only because of low prices but also for authentic and traditional food. You can easily squeeze in a cheap breakfast with bread, eggs, Nutella or something similar for less than €2 a day. Buy your groceries at cheaper local shops or supermarkets!

You can tighten your food budget even further with fast food and pizza places, but I left this for low-budget vacations. If you can afford it, I strongly recommend trying local cuisine, it’s really not that expensive and you’ll definitely feel better about yourself, your health, and you’ll experience something new which should after all be the point of a vacation.

€11 for alcohol (or soft drinks if you prefer, pretty much the same price) can afford you about 5 beers and a coffee at a bar, which is a reasonable amount for an average traveler. Needless to say prices are way lower if you buy drinks at shops and enjoy them at home.

There’s plenty of things to discover in Split by walking, but €12 for local transportation budget should easily include a taxi ride to the other part of town in those moments where you just don’t feel like walking. Alternatively you easily buy 3-4 bus tickets for this price.

Low Budget:

Low budget assumes you’re looking to save money whenever possible. Unfortunately you can’t get most stuff for free, but there are still places that cater to those who’s budgets don’t allow for extra expenditure, and ways to save money on things you don’t need.

Average Daily Travel Cost (per person)
€ 57
Accommodation € 30
Food € 12
Water € 0
Local Transportation € 5
Entertainment € 2
Alcohol € 6
Souvenirs € 1
Tips and Broshures € 1

When traveling on a low budget you can count on private accommodation (renting rooms) and on large number of cheap and low budget hostels, while fast food or pizza restaurants will be the most economic places to eat.

Don’t miss reading my Split accommodation tips article for more ideas how to save money during your trip!

For €30 a day you can book a decent hostel or a small room, and in most cases it shouldn’t really matter where you sleep. Most people with low budgets are backpackers and young travelers who are looking to have a good time, and that typically involves staying on the move rather than chilling in accommodation.

12 € food budget allows for fast food 2-3 times a day, some snacks, and a cheap breakfast. You won’t go hungry with this amount, but don’t expect to feast either! Jam and bread for breakfast, cheap Dalmatian dish at a konoba for lunch, and a couple of slices of pizza or a hamburger for dinner can fit in this budget.

If you’re traveling with friends or family, it can be very beneficial to rent accommodation with a small kitchen, allowing everyone to save a ton of money. Groceries are really cheap in supermarkets, and a decent cook can make a 4-people meal for 7-8 euros quite easily.

This budget is all about saving money, so it’s not very generous in the alcohol department, but €6 can afford you five beers or soft drinks in supermarkets. When going outside or to the beach, bring bottled water, and fill it at home! Tap water in Croatia (excluding some remote islands) is perfectly safe to drink, so don’t waste money on bottled water.

Split Travel Costs – Accommodation

Below are average costs of various accommodation types for 7 days for 2 people.

Booking.com

High season (end of July to mid August):

  • Camping site – 500 €
  • Apartment rental (up to 4 persons) – € 750
  • 2 stars hotel –   700 €
  • 3 stars hotel – 1000 €
  • 4 stars hotel – 1400 €
  • 5 stars hotel – 3500 €

Low season (June and September):

  • Camping site – € 190
  • Apartment rental (up to 4 persons) – 350 €
  • 2 stars hotel – 450 €
  • 3 stars hotel – 700 €
  • 4 stars hotel – 900 €
  • 5 stars hotel – 2500 €

Accommodation costs are only included as a rough estimate: prices can vary greatly depending on destination, location, amenities, distance to landmarks or beaches, or a number of other factors.

Bigger online booking engines like Booking.com (hotels & private apartments) or HostelWorld (hostels) often have promotional discounts ranging from 10% to 30% even in high season, so make sure you check them before you book your accommodation. Some last-minute deals can also save you hundreds of euros.

Just because your private accommodation has TV, Wifi, or air conditioning included, does not necessarily mean it’s free. Some owners will charge you extra for those and other features, so read or listen carefully while booking! More accommodation tips »

Split Travel Costs – Transportation

Getting around Split County by bus is the cheapest and most economic way of transportation. Prices are low and there are a lot of buses connecting Split with Trogir or Makarska Riviera. For example Makarska is connected with over 40 daily buses to Split and one way ticket is only 52 Kuna (Euro 6.80) for 80 km distance.

Ferries from Split to central Dalmatian islands are cheap for passengers, but if traveling with a car you can expect to pay up 6 times more in high season. For example Split to Supetar (Brac island) ferry running 50 minutes (in high season 6 to 8 times daily) will cost you 23 Kuna (Euro 3.00) for passengers, but for vehicles not exceeding 1,80 m in height you will pay Kuna 106 (Euro 13.87).

My budget tips:

Consider traveling by bus to coastal destinations as it is a cheaper and most frequent way of getting around. If you decide to visit one of the larger islands like Hvar or Brac, consider renting a car as buses are rather inconvenient.

Split Travel Costs – Food

Budgeting travel costs for food is often really hard for travelers because there isn’t any way to know how much food is actually going to cost. Food can get really expensive if you eat at restaurants, or can be fairly cheap if you shop at grocery stores.

Meals in Split and nearby islands are good quality and prices are reasonable. Depending on what you want to eat, international or local Dalmatian cuisine, average meal costs from 40 to 80 Kuna (Euro 5 to 11).

I wouldn’t recommend going to expensive restaurants or hotels for a good meal: local konobas (taverns) often have fantastic food for a fraction of the price. An infallible way to discover affordable places with great food is to see where locals go for their marenda, and guess what: I’m a local and I wrote a guide for that too!

In cheapest restaurants in Split you can get a pizza from Kuna 38 (€5), while a plate of pasta or fish risotto starts at 50 Kuna (€6.50).

As I already mentioned above, cooking by yourself is also an excellent way to save a potentially significant amount of your budget for other things. Ingredients and groceries are cheap in markets or shops, and you should be able to feed six people for €10.

Split Travel Costs – Drinks

Croats really do love spending time in bars! It may seem unusual to many travelers at first, but prices in our bars and coffee shops are significantly lower than in most of Europe, such as Germany or Scandinavian countries.

Assuming you avoid bars located right next to popular tourist attractions or town squares, prices are reasonably low and allowing everyone to experience this Croatian tradition. Average price for a coffee is about €1,50, while a beer (0,5 L) or a soft drink (0,33 L) will cost about €2.

Still the cost of making coffee at home is insignificant compared to bars, so take that into consideration if you want to save as much as possible. Buying beer in supermarkets is twice as cheap, with 0,5 liter going for around €1.

I don’t recommend drinking alcohol on the beach, so take some soft drinks or water with you. Tap water is safe to drink in Croatia, so fill your bottles at home and bring them with you. Purchasing bottled water (€1 for 0,5L) every day is a significant and needless expense!

Tap water is free!

  • Water = voda (of water = vode)
  • Glass = čaša (pronounced as “chasha“)
  • Glass of water = čaša vode
  • Pint / pitcher = krigla
  • Coffee = kava
  • Beer = pivo
  • And = i (pron. “ee“, like in bEEr)
  • Beer/coffee and a pint of water = pivo/kava i čaša vode

Learn more about:

When ordering coffee it’s customary in Croatia to get a (free) glass of tap water. You won’t get it in some tourist places as foreigners usually don’t request it, but you should never feel embarrassed to ask for it. Most Croats are surprised when they don’t get it by default.

Learn how to say “čaša vode” and you can easily save a few euros! Just make sure you specify you want a glass of water — otherwise some waiters will bring you bottled water which costs about €1 – €1.50.

If you’re feeling especially thirsty in our summer heat you can also order a glass of water with your beer. This way you can quench your thirst without spending as much or consuming too much alcohol.

Please don’t walk alone into a bar and only order tap water. It’s considered impolite not to pay for anything, and some establishments may even decline service unless you order something you have to pay for.

And one last tip about bars: nowadays most bars and restaurants offer free wifi for their customers, check your receipt for the password.

Split Travel Costs – Communication

Communication expenses is something that many travelers don’t consider when planning their trip. Roaming charges can cost a fortune, but using your phone or internet in Croatia doesn’t have to be overly difficult nor expensive.

If you want to call or text to your family or friends abroad, the cheapest option will always be applications like Skype, Viber or WhatsApp.

Alternatively if you need to call landlines or mobile phones without internet access, you can consider purchasing a local prepaid SIM card. You can buy it for €8 – €10, and unless you require extensive mobile data (internet) usage the calls included should be sufficient to stay in touch with your loved ones.

Younger travelers probably don’t care about phone calls, and mobile internet is where all of their communication happens. Prepaid SIM cards can be enough for basic usage, but if you plan on staying online 24/7 you’ll probably burn your available bandwidth within a few days.

An excellent alternative I discovered for this is RoamFreeNinja, which is basically a very small wireless modem you can carry with you. Daily rental costs about €7, but the upside is that you can connect up to 10 devices through it. If you split the costs with your friends or family it can be an extremely affordable option considering what you’re getting.

Another upside to RoamFreeNinja is that you will have unlimited bandwidth, which is a must have if you plan extensive Facebook, Youtube or Netflix usage.

Split prices by season

Many costs associated with traveling to Croatia and Split greatly depend on the season. The main difference is in accommodation, where pricing is easily 50% lower in off (low) season.

High season (July and August)

The climate is perfect. The island of Hvar is the sunniest, followed by Split. The prices are skyrocketing and coastal resorts are packed with tourists. Don’t expect any discounts on accommodation!

Mid Season (June and September)

The coast is lovely, the sea warm enough, tourists are few and prices are affordable. The spring and end of summer are ideal for boating and sailing. Hotels and private apartments are not fully booked, so it’s easy to find excellent places to stay in.

Low season (October to April)

In April and October weather is still warm enough. Accommodation prices are significantly lowered, often 50% to 70% compared to high season. The winter period is a real bargain for spa offers. Temperature rarely goes below zero (°C) in winter, but strong bura wind can make staying outside unpleasant.

If you’re unsure about traveling in low or off-season, my articles about Split weather or Split Seasonal To-Do series can help!

Consider Cruises

You’re wrong if you think cruises are only for the rich. Even in high season you can find 7-day cruises for less than € 1,000 per person, and considering what some of these cruises include those offers can be significantly cheaper than planning a vacation by yourself.

Here’s an example from one of Croatia’s leading cruise companies: by booking their Southern Explorer cruise you get a place to sleep, free breakfast and lunch, water, and guided sightseeing of Split, Makarska, Mljet island, Dubrovnik, Trstenik, Korčula island, and Hvar island.

Totaling to only €142 per day you get accommodation and food included, which are two of the biggest expenses you’ll have during any vacation. Furthermore this cruise will take you to all 7 destinations, making it an excellent and convenient way to explore different places without paying extra for transportation or guided tours.

If you wish to see more for less, booking a cruise is definitely worth considering.

Conclusion

If you want to save about 30% on accommodation while still enjoying great weather, mid-season is perfect for you. Streets and beaches aren’t packed with tourists, prices are more reasonable, accommodation is easier to find, and the sea is enjoyably warm.

And if you somehow managed to read this entire awfully long guide I’m certain you’ll find a few easy tips you can apply during your next vacation which will easily reduce your final expenses by 10-20%.

While Croatia and Split can be expensive, there’s always ways to save money. It’s not only about spending less, the point is to spend money on things that matter most and be able to see and do more for the same amount of money.

Even saving €15 a day in a week-long vacation means you can book a day trip to Plitvice Lakes or see Dubrovnik’s walls, which are both undoubtedly more memorable experiences than eating in expensive restaurants or sleeping in air-conditioned rooms.

Optimize your expenses and use the extra budget to discover more of Croatia, as these memories will last a lifetime.

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Compare deals:MY PARTNERED SITES

Compare deals from multiple websites to find your hotel, hostel, or private apartment for the best price! You can also check for flights and ferries to Croatia, book airport transfers in advance, or find most popular tours and cruises, all thanks to my partners!

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Use the following search to book and purchase ferry tickets to and in Croatia. Find info about times, prices, tickets, routes, ports and availability for all companies operating ferries between Italy and Croatia.

If the form above is not loading you can search directly on DirectFerries.

Below are my recommended sailing trips in Croatia from trusted companies and tour operators. Feel free to check the offers and links to find additional information and more related cruises!

From Split:

Top rated: Southern Explorer

Split Cruises

Starting and ending in Split, this cruise will take you to Makarska, Mljet, Dubrovnik, Trstenik, Korcula, Hvar and Brac!

Dates & pricing »

From Dubrovnik:

Top rated: Dubrovnik Discovery

 Dubrovnik Cruises

Depart from Dubrovnik on a week long cruise and explore Mljet, Hvar, Korcula, Trstenik, and Sipan.

Dates & pricing »

More departure ports:

Organized tours are excellent ways to explore my beautiful country, and I highly recommend taking at least one trip during your visit. There are limitless fascinating places to see, and you can easily book a tour or day trip from my trusted partners below.

Below are five top rated tours from Split!

from 212h30m
Join a top-rated walking tour of Split's famous monuments and landmarks with a professional tour guide and learn more about our history and heritage.
from 11012h
Visit Komiza village, Blue cave on Bisevo island, Stiniva bay on island Vis, Green cave, Budikovac island, Pakleni islands, and Hvar island and town.
from 373h
Paddle around Split and Marjan Hill, discover and snorkel in secluded beaches and enjoy magnificent views.
from 5410h
Take a break from Split enjoy your coastline drive to Krka National Park and see what it's like to swim in pristine nature, with a visit to old town of Sibenik.
from 554h
Swim and snorkel in breathtaking blue lagoon, see small but beautiful Ciovo island, and grab a free lunch in memorable Trogir town.

Discover more trip ideas:

Find transfers and compare prices on:

From Dubrovnik:

From Any Location:

More options:


Consider cruise holidays!

Cruises are fantastic and inexpensive way to discover multiple destinations in Croatia.

Split to Dubrovnik Luxury Cruise

8 days, 9 destinations

From Split to Bol (Brač island), Hvar, Vis, Korčula, Mljet, Slano and Ston, Dubrovnik

€ 1260 - 1360

(€ 157 - 170 per day)

Learn more »

Young & Fun Party Cruise

8 days, 8 destinations

From Split to Makarska, Korcula, Dubrovnik, Mljet, Hvar, Brac (Bol), Omis

€ 370 - 700

(€ 46 - 87 per day)

Learn more »

Split to Dubrovnik Cruise

8 days, 9 destinations

From Split to Omis and Makarska, Bol (Brac island), Stari Grad (Hvar island), Vis, Korcula, Mljet, Sipan or Slano, Dubrovnik

€ 480 - 890

(€ 60 - 111 per day)

Learn more »
About me:

Nik

Nik is Split.gg's manager and technical contact, who also occasionally writes an article or guide about traveling to Croatia. More about our authors »

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