Split, Croatia: Why We WON’T Live or Retire Here

Split, Croatia: Why We WON’T Live or Retire Here

[Music] We’ve been chasing the perfect retirement spot for 7 years now. From Mexico to Portugal and most likely Spain is next. Or Italy, Greece, maybe. Well, paradise is not easy to find. But when we heard about split Croatia, it looked pretty good on paper. Stunning Adriatic coastline, check. Great Mediterranean climate, check. Rich history and walkable old town, double check. We were curious to find out more, but then we discovered it has some surprising red flags that many may not be aware of. Those that can make you think twice about living here. Can the perks make up for the hidden challenges? We are Diane and Germo and today we finally explore Split Croatia. [Music] We’ll show you what makes this historic city so tempting, what daily life really costs, things to do, and most importantly, whether you can actually retire here long term. So, if Croatia is on your retirement radar, you need to watch this first. [Music] Split sits on Croatia’s beautiful Dalmatian coast where mountains meet the Adriatic Sea. It’s the second largest city behind the capital Zagreb. It’s home to 160,000 people and the official language is Croatian. Once known as Spalatum in Roman times, Split now draws over 20 million tourists a year, all coming for its stunning beaches, ancient history, and that easy Mediterranean vibe. We honestly didn’t know much about Croatia, but the more we looked into it, the more excited we got to finally see it for ourselves. [Music] So, we just arrived to Split, Croatia, and uh airport is nice. So, there are plenty of taxis, shuttle buses, and Ubers. A lot of ways to get out of here, but we are going to take the shuttle bus that should take us to the city center and uh we should be able to walk to our hotel from there, but it costs about €10. Uh, and now we got to go find it. Super easy. Just walk out of arrivals, look for the blue bus with their logo, and you’re off. There’s also local bus number 37, which is the cheapest at only €2 to3, but it takes a bit longer. We got dropped off at the bus station and then we walked for about 15 minutes to our accommodation. On the way there, walking the streets of Split’s old town was something else. Inside the ancient walls of Dialesian’s Palace, you’ll find narrow stone alleys twisting past Roman columns, hidden courtyards, and medieval arches. Now, when you hear palace, you might be picturing some ropedoff museum that you pay to walk through in 30 minutes. This is not that. The city is surrounded by the palace. This site covers about 31,000 square meters. And here’s the wild part. Around 3,000 people still live inside the palace walls, including a few Roman soldiers posing for selfies with you. It was built around the year 305 AD as Emperor Dialesian’s seaside retirement home. The palace slowly transformed over the ages. New buildings rose right out of the old palace walls. blending so seamlessly that it’s hard to tell where ancient Rome ends and everyday life begins. A reminder that this isn’t just a ruin. It’s a neighborhood that’s been alive for over 1,700 years. [Music] Right through the heart of the palace, we met our Airbnb host, Bruno. The room was perfect. It had all the amenities and much more. Bruno really thought of every detail, and he made sure we had everything we needed. We absolutely love the location and the view of the square. We have a link to his apartment in the description. Bruno was a local from Split. He was a very kind and downto-earth owner. The one who sits down with you over a glass of wine and tells you all the city secrets. Like the food fair at the green market nearby. A really lively open air farmers market. Tonight they had a food fair full of food stands, families, and music. The sights, smells, and flavors of the local food was the perfect spot to start our adventure. Talk about lucky timing. [Applause] [Music] The green market itself is what locals call bazar. It’s the usual place where farmers sell fresh produce, cheeses, and olive oils. It actually opens every day, usually from 6:00 in the morning until about 2:00 in the afternoon. [Music] The next day we had a packed day. We started with an early breakfast at this cute spot called City Bitty Bella. The atmosphere was great. We could see the kitchen working hard. The food was really good. Best part, our sweet tablemate. Our bill came to be €43. Not bad, but definitely not what we’re used to paying in Portugal or Spain. During our stay, we noticed Croatia was way more expensive than we anticipated. It was the end of September, so we couldn’t just blame it on the tourist season. Prices in general have gone way up. Yeah, we were genuinely surprised. An average entree was €18 to €25. Appetizers and cocktails were €15 and up, and a glass of wine or beer would set you back € 650 to €750. And this wasn’t just Split and Dubronic. The smaller islands were expensive, too. You see, Croatia moved from the Kuna to the euro in January of 2023 and also joined the Shingen area, which changed the currency dynamics with average costs going up about 50% almost overnight. Tourism is huge, but most jobs are seasonal and lower paid. Average wages in Croatia are still lower than in many Western European countries. This makes the cost of living challenging for locals with approximately 45 to 65% of Croatians reporting difficulty covering basic expenses. Salaries only increased a small amount and many places only accept cash to avoid fees. It was strange to see cafes, restaurants, and even souvenir shops all asking for cash. Even our accommodation in Cortula required cash payment at check-in and we’d booked through Booking.com. We’ve never spent so much cash anywhere we’ve traveled. [Music] We strolled the Reeba prominad. This gorgeous seafront boardwalk is lined with palm trees and cafes. It’s absolutely the heart of Split. There are a lot of restaurants and bars to select from with good ambiance and excellent views of the water. [Music] Just around the corner is the ACI Marina Split. One of the most beautiful marinas on the Dalmatian coast. It sits across the bay from the old town. So you can get the postcard perfect view of split skyline, the bell tower, the old stone buildings, and the sea all in one frame. [Music] It was a hot day, so we headed down towards the Cathedral of St. Dominus, located right inside the palace complex. It’s regarded as the oldest Catholic cathedral still in use in its original structure in the entire world. You can buy tickets to climb the bell tower for an unforgettable view of Split and the surrounding islands. It looked like a workout. The heat was on and it was way too crowded. We skipped it and went to the palace’s basement halls instead. These ancient stone chambers are basically the foundation of Emperor Dialesian’s 4th century palace. Back in those days, these halls weren’t meant for living. They were storage and support structures for the palace above. But because they were sealed and forgotten for centuries, they’ve survived in remarkably good condition. The cool thing about these basements, besides the cooler temperatures, they were used in Game of Thrones. They filmed scenes of Daenaris’s dragons chained right there. [Music] We’ll be talking about Game of Thrones a lot more in our next video when we visit King’s Landing itself in Dubravnik. [Music] to move around and split. Public transportation is pretty straightforward. You got buses running throughout the city and to the nearby beaches. There are taxis, Ubers, there’s a central bus station, a train station, and a ferry port all in one area, which makes it super convenient for traveling to other Croatian cities and island hopping that we’ll be discussing a little later. We took a bus to Kasjuni Beach and in 15 minutes we were drinking and relaxing at this peaceful Pebble Beach. The waters were crystal clear like you can see straight to the bottom. The salt is barely noticeable because the pebbles filter the water naturally. Joe’s Bar, the main one here, serves food and offers lounges for about €35 a day or a cabana for €100. We skipped all that. We grabbed a couple beers instead and sat on the pebbles and got access to the restroom. And remember, it’s cash only. [Music] If you want a sandy and more active beach, there is Bach Vita Beach, just 10 minutes from the city and the most famous spot. It’s one of the few sandy beaches in Croatia and the most populated. It’s super shallow, even 300 ft from shore, so it’s perfect for families with little kids. Honestly though, we were a little underwhelmed. Yeah, it was pretty crowded. We noticed quite a bit of debris and the water was murky. There are two main sections to this beach. One sandy and one concrete, but even on the sandy side, you’ll still want water shoes. A few cafes were open, but nothing that really drew us in. Maybe it was the time of the year, or maybe we just picked up the wrong section, but we didn’t stay long. We were told to avoid beach time June through August. They are the hottest and most crowded months. And forget about the winter months, not just because they’re the wetest, but because everyone leaves town. The split is a small town during the winter time. It is pretty that uh lots of people like myself travel during the winter time. In the winter time, if you get here like, “Oh, okay. Maybe uh around Christmas and New Year’s lots of people will come back. Lots of my friends that work in across Europe will come back for the holidays. But most of the blesses are are thoughts. Plus, let’s January pretty bad. We were sitting here. We were we would probably be the only ones in the bar. [Music] On day three, we did a get your guide tour to Kirka National Park. And this was one of the highlights of our entire Croatia trip. This park is the perfect day trip from Split. It follows the Kirka River through deep canyons, lush forests, and a chain of seven cascading waterfalls. Our guide, Giana, was fantastic, friendly, knowledgeable, and super organized. You can tell she’s been doing this a while and genuinely wants everyone to have a great time. She set expectations really clearly and shared so much history about the area during the 90-minute drive in this comfortable airond conditioned bus. And here’s a nice touch. She created a WhatsApp group for everyone so you could contact her anytime if you got separated from the group. We really appreciated that. Our first stop was this quaint little town called Scraading. Its origins date back to ancient times. From there, we took a 30-minute panoramic boat cruise through the park entrance. Absolutely fantastic. [Music] [Music] We had 3 hours to explore the park, which was the perfect amount of time. You can picnic, take photos, and simply relax. Just walk the wooden pathways to soak it all in. This is located in the middle of one of the sunniest areas of Croatia. We got lucky with the perfect weather that day. [Music] The Scadinski buck, the main waterfall, was simply stunning. You used to be able to swim under the waterfalls, but you cannot anymore. Ever since CO in 2020, it’s prohibited to swim in the park to protect the environment. We were told that during the lockdown, the park was greener than ever. The water was clearer and birds, fish, even otter, and turtles started appearing more often and closer to the boardwalk trails. We’re so glad to see ecological changes like these. Kirka looks refreshed, alive, and more beautiful than ever. [Music] After the park, the bus stopped in the picturesque town of Primos. Austin, where some of the Croatia’s finest beaches are located. We had 2 hours of free time. We walked, we ate, we drank, and we even took a dip. It was the perfect way to end the day. [Music] And here’s a fun fact that Giana shared. Zinfendel actually comes from the city of Castella in Croatia. In the early 20th century, the vineyards got hit by disease and a resident took rescued vines to Napa Valley where they became the famous Zenfendel we know today. [Music] A very popular activity out of Split are island hopping boat tours. There are a ton of them and to different locations. [Music] We took the ferry to Habar on our way to De Brvnik. It’s only an hour from Split. [Music] Although the stop was brief, Var was a beautiful harbor, historic Venetian architecture, and it’s a favorite stop for yacht lovers and day trips from Split. What you drinking with your life? What you drinking? What you drinking? [Music] We took a quick boat taxi to this quiet and relaxing cove called Molini Beach. It was a crystalclear pebble beach with a little restaurant right on the water. We sat with our toes in the Adriatic eating the best grilled squid we’ve ever had. No exaggeration. Perfectly charred. Simple olive oil and lemon and that view. Unreal. Seriously, it was a life-changing squid. We order it twice. If you only have time for one beach day from Split, this is the one. Ferry to Havar, water taxi to Melini Beach. Trust us, you’ll thank us later. On our last day in Split, few of our activities were cancelled because of the windy weather. So, we took a tactic tac tour to fill in the gap. We learned a lot more about Split and its neighborhoods and history, of course. [Music] It was a nice ride to the very top of Marian Hill. Here’s where you really captured the best views of the city. [Music] Life and Split seems pretty good overall. There’s solid infrastructure, healthc care is good, the city’s safe. There are some parts that need TLC, but overall life seems good, and it has a growing expat community. It’s estimated that over 70,000 Western expats now live in Croatia, mostly Germans, Brits, Italians, French, and Americans. Split is also part of Croatia’s digital nomad visa program, which attracts remote workers from all over the world. That visa lets you stay for up to a year as long as you can show you earn at least €2,300 a month from work done outside of Croatia. Now, here’s the deal breaker for a lot of folks watching from North America and the UK. Croatia does not have a retirement visa or an easy path to long-term residency if you’re not from the EU. If you’re from the US, Canada, or the UK, you can visit Croatia visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180day period since it’s part of the Shenhen area. But actually living here longterm, that’s where things get tricky. Unless you have EU citizenship, Croatian roots, or a work permit, it’s not easy to stay full-time. There’s no official retirement visa, but there are two temporary options that some retirees use. The prepaid rent option. You can get a 12-month temporary residence permit if you prepay an entire year’s rent on a residential property, not a short-term or tourist rental. and property ownership. If you buy a residential home and live in it, you can also get a 12-month temporary permit. But both come with some serious downsides. You can’t work. The stay is only temporary, and when that year is up, you have to leave Croatia for at least 90 days. Now, here’s where it gets even more complicated. If you used the prepaid rent option, you have to wait 6 months before you can reapply for the same permit. If you went the property ownership route, you can reapply as many times as you want, but you still have to leave the country for 90 days each time before renewing. So, yeah, that’s pretty disruptive if you’re retired and just want to settle down in your own home full-time. In short, while Croatia is absolutely beautiful and has so much potential for retirees, the visa situation makes it tough. By not offering a simple retirement visa, the country might be missing out on a lot of long-term residents who’d gladly spend their pensions and support the local economy without taking anyone’s job. nor is she. [Music] [Music] [Music] So, here’s our honest take on Split. It’s gorgeous, walkable, packed with history. It has the friendliest locals, and the day trips are incredible. The cost of living is much higher than we expected, much more than what we pay in Portugal. Split’s popularity comes with higher everyday cost and a large number of visitors throughout the year. Definitely not the budget friendly destination Croatia was 5 years ago. But that residency visa issue is a big one. For our viewers who don’t have EU citizenship like us yet, Split might be perfect for extended visits, but difficult as a permanent home base. This is a really lively port city. If you’re into boat life, this place is definitely for you. That’s not really our scene, but we can totally see the appeal. English is spoken pretty much everywhere, but if you’re thinking about living outside the city to find something more affordable, you’ll need to learn at least some basic Croatian. And smoking is still a nuance in Croatia. Everywhere we looked, someone was smoking. So, for all these reasons, Split would not be our choice for retirement. Still, we loved our time here. Bruno’s place was exceptional. Kirka National Park was breathtaking and we’d absolutely come back to explore more of the coast and the islands. Tell us in the comments if you would consider Split as a place to retire and why. We love to hear from you. If you enjoyed this video, hit the like button and subscribe to help the channel. And don’t forget to grab our free ultimate dream city and home checklist. We designed it to help you evaluate any city, neighborhood, and home so you’ll know if it’s truly the right fit for you. Download it from our website. The link is in the description or scan the QR code. Next up, we’re heading to Dubronic. So stay tuned because we’ll show you how that contrast with Split in terms of accessibility, cost, buys, and all that. Thanks for watching and we’ll see you in the next one. [Music] [Applause]

Thinking about living or retiring in Split, Croatia? You might want to pause before packing your bags… not everything is as dreamy as it looks on Instagram!

It’s a stunning coastal city with gorgeous Adriatic views, a walkable old town, and rich Mediterranean charm but we discovered some hidden challenges that make it not the right fit for us.

In this video, we share all the things we did and learned in Split and most importantly, the visa restrictions and residency hurdles that can make long-term living complicated for non-EU citizens.

Thinking about moving abroad? Grab our FREE Ultimate Dream City & Home Checklist, a simple guide to evaluate any city, neighborhood, and home, so you’ll know if it’s the right fit for you. Decide with clarity and confidence, knowing every detail is covered and nothing is overlooked.

🎁FREE Ultimate Dream City & Home Checklist — your guide to choosing the perfect city and ideal home to create your paradise abroad!
https://seekingparadisebugs.com/ultimate-dream-city-and-home-evaluation-checklist

🏨 WHERE WE STAYED:
►Luxury Rooms Lucija and Luka:
https://booking.tp.st/DtOszzYn

⭐TOP EXPERIENCE(S):
► Split: Krka Waterfalls Trip with Boat Cruise and Swimming:
https://getyourguide.tp.st/sPoyRu6Q

► Split: City Highlights Electric Tuk-Tuk Tour
https://getyourguide.tp.st/XBVYsnsH

🔗LINK(S) MENTIONED IN VIDEO:
►Bookaway for ferry tickets:
https://www.bookaway.com/

👍USEFUL FACEBOOK GROUP(S):
►Expats in Split
►Expats in Croatia
►Digital Nomads Split Croatia

👇RESOURCES WE USE TRAVELING & LIVING ABROAD 🌍
https://seekingparadisebugs.com/services-we-use-living-abroad

📑CHAPTER LIST:
00:00 Intro
01:29 Where is Split
02:21 Split Airport Transportation
03:31 Diocletian’s Palace
04:53 Split Accommodations
05:32 Local food Fair at the Green Market
06:32 Split Cost of Living
08:49 Split Things to Do
09:05 Riva Promenade
10:00 Cathedral of St. Dominus
10:24 Palace’s basement halls
11:36 Split Public transport
11:59 Split Beaches and Weather
14:35 Krka National Park Tour
19:00 Ferry to Hvar
20:26 Mlini Beach
21:20 Split Tuk Tuk Tour
22:04 Split Retirement Visa?
24:58 Final Thoughts

👇OUR VIDEO PRODUCTION TOOLS 📽️
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