Moving to Croatia from France

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from France to Croatia — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from France to Croatia, you would find that Croatia is 20.0% cheaper than France overall. A €65,577 salary in France would need to be roughly HRK415,170 in Croatia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Croatian.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from France to Croatia.

What does your salary buy?

€65,577 HRK415,170

To maintain the same standard of living in Croatia

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 5.5% less

Groceries

pay 32.4% less

Transportation

pay 14.5% less

Housing

pay 15.0% less

Childcare

pay 38.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 26.0% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 7.53 HRK (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 Croatia cost about 5% less than cities in France.

France

Paris 69%
Antibes 66%
Annecy 61%
Nantes 56%

Croatia

Dubrovnik 56%
Zadar 51%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from France to Croatia, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
1,655 ↓ 6% vs 2015

people born in France live in Croatia · UN DESA

Who's moving to Croatia?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How France and Croatia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

FR
1.6
HR
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

FR
4.7
HR
8.1

France generally does better on safety, though Croatia leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

FR
$6,868
HR
$3,229
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

FR
33.4
HR
36.1

France 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

FR
10.0
HR
31.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

FR
4.0t
HR
4.8t

France performs better than Croatia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

FR
49.4
HR
27.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

FR
21.6%
HR
1.5%

France 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

FR
7.3%
HR
6.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

FR
$55,200
HR
$41,300

France generally does better on employment & economy, though Croatia leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

FR
82.6 yrs
HR
77.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

FR
3.1
HR
8.7

France performs better than Croatia across all family life metrics.

Data: Direction Générale des Finances Publiques, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Paris Rain: 25.6 in/yr (650 mm)
60° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Paris Zagreb
Jan–Mar 48°/38°F (9°/3°C) 44°/29°F (7°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) 69°/48°F (21°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 74°/58°F (23°/14°C) 77°/55°F (25°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 52°/43°F (11°/6°C) 50°/35°F (10°/2°C)
View all months
Month Paris Zagreb
Jan 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C) 38°/25°F (3.1°/-4.0°C)
Feb 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C) 43°/28°F (6.1°/-2.5°C)
Mar 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C) 52°/34°F (11.3°/0.9°C)
Apr 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C) 62°/41°F (16.4°/4.9°C)
May 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C) 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.2°C)
Jun 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C) 76°/55°F (24.6°/12.7°C)
Jul 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C) 80°/58°F (26.7°/14.2°C)
Aug 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C) 79°/57°F (26.2°/13.7°C)
Sep 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C) 72°/51°F (22.3°/10.4°C)
Oct 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C) 61°/42°F (16.2°/5.8°C)
Nov 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C) 49°/35°F (9.3°/1.8°C)
Dec 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C) 40°/29°F (4.4°/-1.9°C)

Data: Météo-France Météo-France, Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

France passport

France passport holder visiting Croatia

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

Croatia passport holder visiting France

Visa Free
Croatia passport holders can enter France 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 Croatia than France?

Generally yes: Croatia runs about 16% cheaper than France on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Croatia?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €65,577 comparable salary, that's around HRK103,792 in Croatia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Croatia?

With 27.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Croatia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in France and Croatia.

Is Croatia safe for expats?

France generally does better on safety, though Croatia leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Croatia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.6 in France.

How is healthcare in Croatia compared to France?

France generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Croatia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Croatia, compared to 33.4 in France. Croatia scores 80 on the WHO universal health coverage index (France: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Zagreb is 60°F, compared to 60°F in Paris. Zagreb receives around 33.7 in of rainfall per year, while Paris gets 25.6 in.

What language do they speak in Croatia?

The official language in Croatia is Croatian. In France, the official language is French.

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At a Glance

FR HR
Population 68,305,148 4,188,853
Currency Euro (€) Croatian Kuna (HRK)
Languages French Croatian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +33 +385
Time zones 14 1
Emergency number 112 112