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Croatia: visas, tax & cost of living

Croatia digital nomad visa guide: income test, foreign-income tax exemption for permit holders, and a mid-range cost of living around EUR 1,600 to 1,900/mo.

Croatia: visas, tax & cost of living
Your passport

United KingdomCroatia

Your move to Croatia on a United Kingdom passport

  • VisitEasyVisa-free entry
  • NomadEasyNomad visa, likely eligible
  • RelocateFairly easyClear residence route

Visiting

Visa-free for up to 90 days. Travel on a passport valid for your whole stay, with a return or onward ticket and proof you can support yourself.

Passport validity: Valid at least 3 months beyond planned departure from the Schengen area, and issued within the last 10 years (Schengen visa applicants also need at least 2 blank pages).

Heads-up: EU Entry/Exit System (EES) live from 12 October 2025 registering fingerprints and photo at no cost; ETIAS pre-authorisation expected from late 2026 at around 20 euros.

At the border: Border may ask for proof of accommodation, a return or onward ticket, travel insurance and enough money for the stay, and your accommodation host must register your arrival with the police (usually within 48 hours).

Working remotely

Digital nomad temporary stay permit.

Income needed: ~EUR 3,622.50/mo (Digital Nomad Residence Permit, indexed annually; savings alt ~EUR 43,470/yr) (estimate)

Savings option: Instead of monthly income, savings of around 43,470 EUR for a 12-month stay or 65,205 EUR for 18 months, plus roughly 10% of the average net monthly salary per accompanying family member.

Duration: 18 months

Fee: ~88 EUR at a police station, up to ~190 EUR through a consulate (estimate)

Who qualifies: Third-country nationals working remotely via technology for a company or own company not registered in Croatia (not a Croatian employer), showing income about 3,622.50 EUR per month, health insurance, a clean criminal-record certificate and a Croatian address; granted for up to 18 months in total; a grant shorter than 18 months can be extended once by up to 6 months, and a new application is only possible 6 months after the previous stay expires.

Tax and residency

Croatian residence turns on a home or a habitual abode of at least 183 days across one or two calendar years (General Tax Act, Art. 43), so a stay straddling New Year still counts. Income from a foreign employer or your own non-Croatian company is exempt from Croatian income tax while you hold digital-nomad status (Personal Income Tax Act, Art. 9(1)(26)). That is a Croatian exemption on that income, not a ruling on which country you are resident in under a tax treaty, so confirm your own position before relying on it. (estimate)

The UK decides residence with its Statutory Residence Test (days in the UK plus your ties). As a non-resident you are usually taxed only on UK income; where one exists, a double-tax treaty with the destination decides who taxes what.

Double-tax treaty: yes, in force since 2015

Practical

Currency: EUR. Cost of living: mid.

Healthcare: Visitors are not covered by Croatia's public system, so travel or private health insurance is needed, and residence permits require qualifying health insurance for the whole stay.

Healthcare agreement: A UK GHIC or valid EHIC gives state-provided medically necessary care on the same terms as locals.

Driving: A home licence works for short visits, but an International Driving Permit is recommended for non-EU drivers and is sometimes required by police or rental firms.

Sources: Croatia, Ministry of the Interior (MUP): temporary stay of digital nomads, income thresholds, fees, extension and re-application rules · Personal Income Tax Act (Zakon o porezu na dohodak), Art. 9(1)(26): the digital-nomad income exemption · General Tax Act (Opci porezni zakon), Art. 43: domicile and habitual abode, the 183-day tax-residence test · GOV.UK: tax on foreign income · HMRC: double-taxation treaties

Estimates, not advice. Confirm with the official sources before you act.

Should you move to Croatia?

Croatia is a comfortable landing spot if you want EU-edge living, a long coastline, walkable old towns, and a real remote-work crowd to plug into. Zagreb is the sensible year-round base, with a growing tech and coworking scene and rents that stay reasonable. Split and the islands are gorgeous, but they get pricey and packed from June to September. For a solo nomad in a city, budget roughly EUR 1,600 to 1,900 a month. That puts Croatia in the mid range for Europe.

Croatia digital nomad visa and entry

Yes, Croatia runs a dedicated digital nomad residence permit, aimed at people working remotely for non-Croatian companies or clients. You generally need to show steady monthly income of around EUR 3,622.50. That number is reset every year against the average net salary, so check the current figure before you apply. You also need health insurance and a clean record, and you cannot take a local job on this permit. The permit runs up to 18 months, and if you are granted less than that you can extend once by up to 6 months inside the same ceiling, as long as you apply at least 60 days before it expires. A fresh application is only possible 6 months after the previous stay ends. Non-EU nationals are the main audience here. If you hold an EU passport, you have free movement and follow a much simpler registration path instead.

Tax residency and what to check

The usual trigger is a home or a habitual abode in Croatia for at least 183 days, counted across one or two calendar years, so a stay that straddles New Year still adds up. The digital nomad permit comes with a real perk, though. Income from a foreign employer or your own non-Croatian company is generally exempt from Croatian income tax while you hold the status. The catch is that this does not erase what you owe back home or wherever your employer sits. It is a Croatian exemption on that income, not a ruling on which country counts you as resident under a tax treaty, so treat it as an estimate and confirm your own position before you lean on it.

Figures are estimates. Always check the official source linked below.

At a glance

Currency
EUR
Cost of living
Moderate
Digital-nomad visa
Yes

Frequently asked questions

Croatia: is there a digital nomad visa?
Digital nomad temporary stay permit. Third-country nationals working remotely via technology for a company or own company not registered in Croatia (not a Croatian employer), showing income about 3,622.50 EUR per month, health insurance, a clean criminal-record certificate and a Croatian address; granted for up to 18 months in total; a grant shorter than 18 months can be extended once by up to 6 months, and a new application is only possible 6 months after the previous stay expires.
Croatia: when do you become a tax resident?
Croatian residence turns on a home or a habitual abode of at least 183 days across one or two calendar years (General Tax Act, Art. 43), so a stay straddling New Year still counts. Income from a foreign employer or your own non-Croatian company is exempt from Croatian income tax while you hold digital-nomad status (Personal Income Tax Act, Art. 9(1)(26)). That is a Croatian exemption on that income, not a ruling on which country you are resident in under a tax treaty, so confirm your own position before relying on it.
Croatia: what is the cost of living?
The cost of living is moderate and the local currency is the EUR. Treat any figures as estimates.
Croatia: do you need health insurance?
Visitors are not covered by Croatia's public system, so travel or private health insurance is needed, and residence permits require qualifying health insurance for the whole stay.
Croatia: can you drive on a foreign licence?
A home licence works for short visits, but an International Driving Permit is recommended for non-EU drivers and is sometimes required by police or rental firms.

Guides for this country

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Last verified: 2026-09-05

Sources: Croatia, Ministry of the Interior (MUP)

Voymo gives general information to help you organise your move. It is not legal, tax, or immigration advice, always confirm with an official source or a qualified professional before you act.

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