Is Croatia expensive? A traveller's budget guide

The honest answer: Croatia is no longer the bargain it was a decade ago, but it's still cheaper than Italy or France — and how much you spend depends hugely on when and where you go.

What drives the price

Two things: the season and the coast. Prices on the Adriatic in July and August can double, and Dubrovnik is in a league of its own. Travel in the shoulder months or head slightly inland and costs drop fast.

Rough daily budgets

As a guide, a careful traveller staying in guesthouses, eating in konobas and using buses can keep things modest; a mid-range trip with boutique hotels and restaurant dinners sits comfortably in the middle; and peak-season Dubrovnik or Hvar with sea-view rooms and boat trips climbs quickly. Ferries and buses are cheap; the big costs are summer accommodation and tourist-trap waterfront dining.

How to spend less

Go in shoulder season, eat where locals eat (konobas, not the main square), drink the house wine, and base yourself in a quieter town. See our Dubrovnik on a budget guide and the under €70 stays.