Money saving tips for the Croatian coast
Before visiting, we knew places along the Croatian coast like Dubrovnik would be expensive! It still came as a bit of a shock (especially after visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina) just how much things cost. It’s absolutely worth visiting this beautiful part of the world, however here are some tips to make your money go further:
Food and drink
Consider self-catering for some meals. We stayed in apartments with kitchen facilities so made our own breakfasts and some dinners using ingredients from the supermarket.
Use the supermarkets! We found even smaller supermarkets within the Old Town of Dubrovnik were well priced and had a good range of food and drinks.
Bakeries and take-away food places can be a cheaper option for food on the go.
Some restaurants do lunch specials which are cheaper than their dinner menus.
Plan in advance (and before you get hungry!) so you can make intentional decisions about where to eat.
An obvious one, but the further away from touristy places generally the cheaper the food and drinking options. We also found the islands we visited to have slightly cheaper prices than Dubrovnik, especially away from the main towns.
Take a refillable water bottle – the tap water is of excellent quality and this will save you buying new bottles constantly.
Transport
Consider using public transport instead of taxis. In places like Dubrovnik, we found the local bus network to be quick, reliable, easy to use and cheap.
Consider walking! In Korcula we opted to walk 5km to visit some wineries instead of hiring bikes at a cost of 30 Euros.
Use public ferries to get between the islands.
If hiring a car, consider if this is essential. We found the places we visited (Dubrovnik, Korcula, Hvar and Split) to be very walkable with public transport able to take us any larger distances.
Attractions
If visiting attractions, look for deals to save money on entrance fees. For example, buying a one-day Dubrovnik card (which includes entrance to the city walls along with entry to a bunch of other attractions and public transport) is the same price as buying entry to the walls alone!
Make the most of free activities. Croatia has some of the most beautiful coastline I’ve visited and is perfect for swimming, walking and relaxing by the water. Beaches are free with right of access to the water.
Accommodation
Pick the location of your accommodation carefully! For example, accommodation further away from the city centre might be cheaper than more centrally located stays. However, if you’re having to constantly take taxis to get where you want the costs might actually add up to more than the saving.
Book early, especially during peak times, as this will give you a bigger range of price points for accommodation to choose from. Compare prices using websites like booking.com and booking directly with the accommodation.
General
Pack sunscreen from home. We found the range available in Croatia to be limited and much more expensive than at home.
Take swimming shoes from home! We used these to swim on the rocky beaches (and avoid sea urchins) but were glad we’d brought our own from home – they cost up to 20 Euros beach side!
Ask locals for tips! They’ll often be able to point you in the direction of good food/drink/attractions and advise on costs.
