Moving to Greece from Croatia

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Croatia to Greece — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Croatia to Greece, you would find that Greece is 4.1% more expensive than Croatia overall. A HRK495,042 salary in Croatia would need to be roughly €63,074 in Greece to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Greek. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Athens averages 72°F vs 60°F in Zagreb, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Croatia to Greece.

What does your salary buy?

HRK495,042 €63,074

To maintain the same standard of living in Greece

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 18.4% less

Groceries

pay 10.8% more

Transportation

pay 0.4% more

Housing

pay 1.3% less

Childcare

pay 20.9% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 16.3% 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.

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in Greece cost about 14% less than cities in Croatia.

Croatia

Dubrovnik 56%
Zadar 51%

Greece

Corfu 46%
Kavala 40%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Croatia to Greece, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
435 ↑ 2% vs 2015

people born in Croatia live in Greece · UN DESA

Who's moving to Greece?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Croatia to Greece.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

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

per 100,000 people per year

HR
8.1
GR
7.3

Croatia generally does better on safety, though Greece 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
GR
$3,454
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

HR
36.1
GR
63.7

Croatia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Greece leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

HR
31.0
GR
23.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

HR
4.8t
GR
5.0t

Croatia generally does better on environment, though Greece 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
GR
43.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

HR
1.5%
GR
20.7%

Croatia generally does better on infrastructure, though Greece leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

HR
6.1%
GR
11.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

HR
$41,300
GR
$36,300

Croatia performs better than Greece across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

HR
77.2 yrs
GR
81.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

HR
8.7
GR
3.5

Croatia generally does better on family life, though Greece leads in life expectancy.

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

Athens Rain: 16.3 in/yr (414 mm)
72° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Zagreb Athens
Jan–Mar 44°/29°F (7°/-2°C) 57°/42°F (14°/6°C)
Apr–Jun 69°/48°F (21°/9°C) 78°/57°F (26°/14°C)
Jul–Sep 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) 90°/67°F (32°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/35°F (10°/2°C) 65°/50°F (18°/10°C)
View all months
Month Zagreb Athens
Jan 38°/25°F (3.1°/-4.0°C) 54°/41°F (12.5°/5.2°C)
Feb 43°/28°F (6.1°/-2.5°C) 56°/42°F (13.5°/5.4°C)
Mar 52°/34°F (11.3°/0.9°C) 60°/44°F (15.7°/6.7°C)
Apr 62°/41°F (16.4°/4.9°C) 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.6°C)
May 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.2°C) 79°/57°F (26.0°/13.9°C)
Jun 76°/55°F (24.6°/12.7°C) 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.2°C)
Jul 80°/58°F (26.7°/14.2°C) 92°/69°F (33.5°/20.8°C)
Aug 79°/57°F (26.2°/13.7°C) 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C)
Sep 72°/51°F (22.3°/10.4°C) 85°/63°F (29.2°/17.3°C)
Oct 61°/42°F (16.2°/5.8°C) 74°/56°F (23.3°/13.4°C)
Nov 49°/35°F (9.3°/1.8°C) 65°/50°F (18.1°/9.8°C)
Dec 40°/29°F (4.4°/-1.9°C) 57°/44°F (14.1°/6.8°C)

Data: Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service, Hellenic National Meteorological Service Hellenic National Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Croatia passport

Croatia passport holder visiting Greece

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

Greece passport holder visiting Croatia

Visa Free
Greece 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 Greece than Croatia?

Yes — Greece is on average about 4% cheaper than Croatia. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Greece?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €15,768 in Greece on a HRK495,042 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Greece?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Greece has 43.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Greece safe for expats?

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

How is healthcare in Greece compared to Croatia?

Croatia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Greece leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 63.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Greece, compared to 36.1 in Croatia. Greece scores 77 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Croatia: 80).

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

The average high temperature in Athens is 72°F, compared to 60°F in Zagreb. Athens receives around 16.3 in of rainfall per year, while Zagreb gets 33.7 in.

What language do they speak in Greece?

The official language in Greece is Greek. In Croatia, the official language is Croatian.

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At a Glance

HR GR
Population 4,188,853 10,533,871
Currency Croatian Kuna (HRK) Euro (€)
Languages Croatian Greek
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +385 +30
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112