Moving to Belgium from Croatia

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Croatia to Belgium? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Croatia to Belgium, you would find that Belgium is 47.2% more expensive than Croatia overall. A HRK494,038 salary in Croatia would need to be roughly €81,989 in Belgium to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch, French and German.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Croatia and Belgium.

What does your salary buy?

HRK494,038 €81,989

To maintain the same standard of living in Belgium

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 29.9% more

Groceries

pay 40.0% more

Transportation

pay 22.3% more

Housing

pay 43.4% more

Childcare

pay 2.2 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 50.0% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 HRK = 0.1327 EUR (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Croatia to Belgium.

Moved in 2023
348 ↓ 3% vs 2022

people moved from Croatia to Belgium · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Belgium?

Top countries of origin for Belgium's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Belgium compared to Croatia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

HR
0.8
BE
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

HR
8.1
BE
4.6

Croatia generally does better on safety, though Belgium leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

HR
$3,229
BE
$7,489
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

HR
36.1
BE
63.9

Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Croatia leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

HR
31.0
BE
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

HR
4.8t
BE
7.3t

Croatia generally does better on environment, though Belgium leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

HR
27.0
BE
43.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

HR
1.5%
BE
51.9%

Belgium generally does better on infrastructure, though Croatia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

HR
6.1%
BE
5.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

HR
$41,300
BE
$63,600

Belgium generally does better on employment & economy, though Croatia leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

HR
77.2 yrs
BE
81.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

HR
8.7
BE
3.2

Belgium performs significantly better than Croatia across all family life metrics.

Data: Croatia Tax Administration, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Zagreb Rain: 33.7 in/yr (856 mm)
60° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Brussels Rain: 32.3 in/yr (820 mm)
57° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Zagreb Brussels
Jan–Mar 44°/29°F (7°/-2°C) 45°/34°F (7°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 69°/48°F (21°/9°C) 63°/47°F (17°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) 70°/54°F (21°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/35°F (10°/2°C) 50°/40°F (10°/4°C)
View all months
Month Zagreb Brussels
Jan 38°/25°F (3.1°/-4.0°C) 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C)
Feb 43°/28°F (6.1°/-2.5°C) 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C)
Mar 52°/34°F (11.3°/0.9°C) 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C)
Apr 62°/41°F (16.4°/4.9°C) 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C)
May 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.2°C) 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C)
Jun 76°/55°F (24.6°/12.7°C) 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C)
Jul 80°/58°F (26.7°/14.2°C) 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C)
Aug 79°/57°F (26.2°/13.7°C) 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C)
Sep 72°/51°F (22.3°/10.4°C) 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C)
Oct 61°/42°F (16.2°/5.8°C) 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C)
Nov 49°/35°F (9.3°/1.8°C) 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C)
Dec 40°/29°F (4.4°/-1.9°C) 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C)

Data: Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service, Institut Royal Météorologique Institut Royal Météorologique

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Croatia and Belgium. To live, work, or study long-term in Belgium, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Belgium's immigration authority.

Croatia passport

Croatia passport holder visiting Belgium

Visa Free
Croatia passport holders can enter Belgium without a visa.
Belgium passport

Belgium passport holder visiting Croatia

Visa Free
Belgium passport holders can enter Croatia without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Belgium than Croatia?

On average Belgium is around 25% pricier than Croatia, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Belgium?

Budget about €20,497 for 3 months in Belgium (based on a HRK494,038 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Belgium?

Connectivity is usually fine (Belgium: 43.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Belgium offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Belgium safe for expats?

Croatia generally does better on safety, though Belgium leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Belgium is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Croatia.

How is healthcare in Belgium compared to Croatia?

Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Croatia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 63.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Belgium, compared to 36.1 in Croatia. Belgium scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Croatia: 80).

What's the weather like in Belgium compared to Croatia?

The average high temperature in Brussels is 57°F, compared to 60°F in Zagreb. Brussels receives around 32.3 in of rainfall per year, while Zagreb gets 33.7 in.

What language do they speak in Belgium?

The official languages in Belgium are Dutch, French and German. In Croatia, the official language is Croatian.

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At a Glance

HR BE
Population 4,188,853 11,847,338
Currency Croatian Kuna (HRK) Euro (€)
Languages Croatian Dutch, French, German
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +385 +32
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112