11 ways to save money in Croatia

There’s no denying that as wonderful as travelling is, it’s a fairly expensive activity – once you add in the cost of transport (flights, usually!), accommodation and spending money, it can really add up! But what you gain in experiences can’t be beaten so travelling is well worth it, that’s for sure – so, go for it anyway! Here are some tips for how to save money in Croatia during your travels to try and help reduce the cost of visiting the country.

1. Save money in Croatia – travel out of season

I’ll start with the most obvious tip first, but something that really bears repeating as it’s often the way you can save the most money!

There’s no denying that the most expensive time to visit Croatia is during the peak season months of July and August, traditionally the “summer holidays” when everyone in the entire continent likes to head to the beach. June and September will be slightly cheaper, and then April/May and October/early November are cheaper still. Why wouldn’t you make savings by travelling during these out-of-season months to Croatia and away from the crowds? It’s a win-win situation!

As well as cheaper flights an accommodation, you will also find that other elements in off-season are cheaper – some ferry tickets, entrance tickets to sights and similar.

But why not go for a month that’s completely out of season to do a little exploring? Sure, you won’t be sunbathing on a beach or diving into the Adriatic, but you’ll get to experience a different side of Croatia. You could visit in February, carnival month – head to Rijeka to join the party of the largest carnival in the country. Why not explore in March, the start of Spring, and visit the gorgeous natural habitats that are the Plitvice Lakes or Krka National Parks, or other national or nature parks, just as greenery and blooms returns? Head to Istria in October for one of the many gastro events, or see Dubrovnik in a different light – literally! – in November at the Lumiart Light Festival.

2. Save money in Croatia – Stay in “off-the-beaten-track” locations

What could be cheaper than staying on a completely deserted Croatian island – having swum there in the first place from the mainland – surviving only on foraged berries and fish caught with your bare hands, sheltering under pine trees and sleeping in a hammock? (There’s a reality TV show somewhere in there, isn’t there…?)

No, of course not! What I mean is that instead of staying in places such as Dubrovnik, Hvar or Istria, consider somewhere completely different. The somewhat remote island of Lastovo, for example? One of the lesser-known resorts in the Kvarner Riviera, or islands such as Cres or Krk? In central Dalmatia choose Solta, close to Split, instead of Hvar?

These aren’t of course direct comparisons in any way – there’s no way that Lastovo is anything like Dubrovnik if the delights of that city and everything it has to offer are the specific holiday you’re after. But it’s certainly worth reframing your holiday preferences if you’re trying to save money in Croatia. And you may just come across a destination that you come to love.

Or…why not choose now to make the leap to exploring parts of the Croatian interior? Head to the gorgeous nature of Gorski Kotar to take in its rivers, lakes, mountains and even caves. Discover what else is in Lika besides the Plitvice Lakes. Head west of Zagreb to the Samobor Highlands for a true cycling adventure. Or head to the fourth largest city in the country, Osijek, for an eastern Croatia culture fix alongside some excellent winery options.

3. Save money in Croatia – Time to go shopping

How does shopping save money??

Well, it does if it’s food shopping, and you’re shopping at local markets and supermarkets instead of heading to a fancy restaurant! Local markets such as Zagreb’s famous Dolac Market or Pazar Green Market in Split offer excellent quality and fresh fruit and veg, but also items such as cheese and other dairy products, bakery goods, plus meat (salamis) and more. Put together a few simple items and suddenly you’ve got the ingredients for a sandwich of champions with some amazing Croatian tomatoes on the side (you have to try the tomatoes) and delicious fruit for dessert.

Or pop to a local supermarket and stock up on some not especially healthy but oh-so-tasty snacks. What is even a supermarket cheap meal if it doesn’t contain Kviki stapici (pretzel sticks) and vanilin kiflice (vanilla biscuits) – just grab whatever you fancy. Even a bottle of local Croatian wine or some beers (Ozujsko or Karlovacko would be best) from a supermarket won’t set you back all that much.

If you’re not in the market (excuse the pun) to put together your own meal, markets normally have food stalls or “hole-in-wall” type affairs selling items that would be perfect for a great, cheap meal. Think burek (pastry filled with cheese/meat/spinach/similar) or a slice of pizza.

4. Save money on transport – Don’t take catamarans

Sorry, catamarans, all my love to you, but you’re sometimes just too darn expensive.

A catamaran from Split to Dubrovnik (or vice versa) costs a rather jaw-dropping €48 or €50 one-way (2025 price for peak summer travel).

Meanwhile, the bus from Split to Dubrovnik costs from €14 to €30 depending on the different bus companies, although most one-way ticket prices are somewhere in the region of €23. So a return trip will be even cheaper than one-way on the catamaran! And the bus journey is actually shorter than the catamaran journey…although yes, summer traffic can sometimes increase journey times on the road.

This is of course a popular, long-range catamaran service hence the high price. In fact, other, more local catamaran routes aren’t so expensive so perhaps save your pennies for one of these.

5. Put together your own day trip

Sure, organised excursions are easy and convenient and can get you to some places that would otherwise necessitate hiring a private speedboat (which definitely doesn’t come under the “save money” column). But putting together your own day trip by using ferries or local buses will undoubtedly be cheaper. If you’re stuck on what excursions you can do yourself, take a look at some of our ideas:

• Day Trips from Zadar
• Day Trips from Dubrovnik
• Day Trips from Split
• Day Trips from Istria
• Day Trips in Istria
• Day Trips in Zagreb
• Day Trips from Zagreb

6. Get your walking shoes on

Most cities in Zagreb have excellent public transport – almost always buses but also trams in places such as Zagreb and Osijek. Now, public transport in Croatia is generally not all that expensive compared to other cities. But, really, most cities in Croatia are extremely walkable! Zagreb and Split, definitely, Dubrovnik Old Town can only be walked… Pula, Rovinj, Zadar, Sibenik, this list goes on! Just get your sneakers or walking boots on and spend the day walking around to really get a feel for where you are. You never know, you might stumble across a hidden gem or two.

Of course, I won’t begrudge you at least one ride on a Zagreb tram. It is super fun, after all!

7. Go to one of the lesser-known festivals (or just go for a day)

Yep, I get it, if you’re of a certain age a festival in Croatia is a big draw. (I am definitely still of this age. Definitely.)

Whilst festivals in Croatia may be slightly cheaper than some of these in Western Europe/the UK, a full ticket for a 4-day or even 7-day ticket event can cost a pretty penny. Some festivals allow you to make a slight saving if you book as a larger group. For example, Defected Croatia (Tisno 30th July to 3rd August 2025) offers a saving of £100 if there are 5 of you booking tickets together, or a saving of £150 if six tickets are bought together.

But why not go for one of the lesser-known music festivals? Skip the big-name DJs for one year and head to Membrain (Sibenik, 31st July to 3rd August 2025) for bass culture, to psychedelic rock at the Bear Stone Festival (Donje Primislje, 3rd – 6th July 2025) or end the summer with laid-back vibes at Goulash Disko (island of Vis).

Other options for saving-but-still-festival-going include buying just a day ticket, available at some festivals, or opting for a ticket for the nightclub portion of the event.

8. The local tourist office is your friend

What do you mean you haven’t downloaded and saved and highlighted and circled various bits of the Visit Croatia website for your sightseeing expeditions??

Wherever you find yourself in Croatia, make sure to pop into the local tourist office. They almost always have a plethora of brochures on both the town/city you’re in, as well as the surrounding region, plus leaflets advertising local activities, tours and similar. The city of Zagreb, certainly, produces some really excellent and very informative maps, leaflets and brochures. One of my absolute favourite free publications to pick up is the In Your Pocket guides which exist for Dubrovnik, Split, Zagreb, Sibenik, Zadar, Rijeka and Hvar. They are very entertainingly written and informative, providing so much information about what to see and do in these places! (Note: you can also download PDF versions of these guides from the In Your Pocket website.)

Now you’re armed with all this literature, you can undertake your own sightseeing tour, with tips for cheap eats too.

But when you’re in the tourist office, do also talk to the (usually!) helpful people that work there. They may be able to suggest some free or cheap activities for you to do.

9. Get a sightseeing card

Some of Croatia’s cities offer a sightseeing card that usually includes entry into multiple top sights as well as some other useful extras such as transport.

The Dubrovnik Pass is certainly a great one to get, particularly as it includes entry onto the Old Town Walls. The card varies in price depending on the time of year and the duration (a 1-day card in winter costs €15, whilst in summer it is €40). By comparison, tickets for the Old Town Walls cost €15 in winter and €40. The same! So, why wouldn’t you get a Dubrovnik Pass which allows you entry into other museums and transport on Dubrovnik’s local bus network? Additionally, a pass lasts for 24 hours from first activation, so you could potentially use it over two days.

The Split Card can be obtained for free (providing you stay a certain number of nights in Split – 5 during summer or 2 during winter). It then allows you free entry into a small number of museums, but discounts at plenty of other venues as well as discounts on excursions, at some restaurants and even in some shops. (Take a look at the Split Card website to see the full list of where discounts can be obtained.)

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10. Travel with your discount card

“My discount card”, you’re probably thinking…what’s that?

By this, I mean whatever card you may have that would allow you discounted entry or prices in places such as museums. The most common of these would be students and senior travellers over the age of 65. If you’re in one of these groups, do make sure you bring along a suitable ID to show – your student card or something that proves you’re a senior.

Your current student card from your place of learning, such as your university, should be fine to show as proof you’re a student. But to go one better, one not apply for an International Student Card (ISIC) which is very widely recognised? That also means you can leave your precious student ID at home…so you don’t lose it an get into trouble!

Right now, I’m reminiscing about the very long ago days (cries) when I had an ISIC card…

Then, make sure you use your student or senior ID every time you visit an attraction to get a discounted price. Croatian Railways also offer discounted tickets for seniors and students.

11. Visit the free attractions and sights

Generally, most museums and galleries in Croatia charge an entry price. If you want to save even more than the above ideas give you, not going to them is the ultimate saving…seeing as it’s free!

But that’s a bit boring, right? Well, arm yourself with a map (from the local tourist office…of course) and simply walk around the main sights of where you are, taking in all the beautiful architecture, ancient sights, peaceful nature and more for free.

It is also possible to join a free walking tour in some of the main cities in Croatia with GuruWalk. Take a look at some examples of tours of Zagreb below:

Here are some tours of Split:

And finally, some tours of Dubrovnik:

I hope this helps you save money in Croatia when you visit. Do you have any further tips? Let me know!