September the 15th, 2026 – Coastal and continental Croatia are experiencing drastically contrasting rental markets, with only Zagreb seeing a balance.
Zagreb is the only city among those analysed in which both the supply increased and the asking prices decreased this year. Poslovni reports that the search for student accommodation is an extremely stressful period for students and their families, and resolving the accommodation issue is one of the biggest financial and logistical challenges. There are several causes of the student housing crisis. From tourist rentals, i.e. landlords deciding to rent flats to tourists on a daily basis, which is why they often require students to move in only in November and move out at the beginning of June, to the fact that property prices and interest rates keep rising.
There’s also a seriously chronic shortage of free properties for long-term rental, as well as limited capacity in student dorms, which unfortunately cover only a smaller part of students’ needs. As a result, students are left to the private market, which is often fickle and ruthless, writes Glas Slavonije.
a wide price range
The online classifieds site Njuškalo analysed advertisements published in the first seven months of 2026. The results showed that the long-term rental market is increasingly clearly divided into the continental and coastal parts of Croatia. While Zagreb, Osijek and Varaždin record growth in the number of available flats for rent, Rijeka, Split and Zadar face a decline in supply. Precisely in the cities where the number of advertisements is rising, prices are stagnating or falling, while coastal markets are putting greater pressure on tenants. For students this difference is particularly important, because lower supply means less room for choice, negotiation and finding a flat within an acceptable price range.
Osijek stands out as the most affordable market for students. The average asking rent in the first seven months was around €580, and from January to July it fell from €603 to €559. At the same time, supply increased by 50 percent. Among smaller flats the most favourable districts are Novi grad with an average of €401, Donji grad with €414 and Sjenjak with €417. It’s important to note that Donji grad and Sjenjak also have a relatively solid supply. The range between the cheapest and most expensive Osijek neighbourhood is €143, or 36 percent — the smallest difference among the cities analysed.
Varaždin is also more affordable than the coastal centres, and its special feature is stability. The average asking rent in the first seven months was €650, with growth of only 2.4 percent, while the number of advertisements rose by as much as 65 percent, the highest among all observed cities. For flats up to 55 square metres the July average was €533.
On the coast, the picture is much less favourable, primarily because of the drop in long-term supply. In Rijeka the number of advertisements fell by 29 percent over the seven months, while average asking prices rose by three percent. Still, Rijeka continues to offer students a relatively wide choice of neighbourhoods that combine lower prices with more regular supply. Gornja Vežica, Podmurvice and Krnjevo range from €544 to €558, Zamet is at €571 and Belveder at €602. The cheapest is Pehlin at €498, while Kantrida reaches €829. Rijeka is therefore not cheap in absolute terms, but within the city there are still several price brackets in which students can look for a compromise between price, location and availability.
Split shows the most pronounced seasonality. The average asking price rose during the spring and reached €1,147 in May, but by July it had fallen to €1,055. At the same time total supply dropped by 32 percent, which is linked to the reduced availability of flats for long-term rental during the tourist season.
a shortage of smaller flats
Zadar recorded the largest price increase. The average asking rent rose from €813 in January to €1,055 in June, almost 30 percent, and in July it corrected to €894. The number of advertisements compared with the beginning of the year fell by 26 percent. An additional problem is the very limited supply of smaller flats: in July there were only 109 in the whole city, and only five neighbourhoods had a regular supply throughout all seven months. Višnjik had the largest choice but also the highest average price of €847. The best compromise is Poluotok at €616 with 12 advertisements in July.
Duško Grgur, owner of the Osijek real-estate agency German Nekretnine and president of the professional group at the Croatian Chamber of Economy (HGK), says that demand for long-term rental in Osijek is quite high, but the supply lacks smaller flats, studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments, which students seek the most.
“Just recently I received two flats of 55 square metres for long-term rental, one in Pejačevićeva Street and the other on Vijenac Paje Kolarića. Both flats were rented at the asking price of €550, and to the first tenant who came,” Grgur states, adding that there was no haggling. He emphasises that the Osijek property market has seen an increase in larger flats for long-term rental: those of 60 to 65 square metres rented for €600 per month, those of 70 square metres for €700, and those larger than 100 square metres whose rents range from €900 to €1,000.
Zagreb is, as touched on above, the only city among those analysed in which both supply increased and asking prices decreased this year. The number of active advertisements from January to July rose by 26 percent, while the average asking rent fell from €1,009 to €963. However, the city average hides large differences between neighbourhoods, especially in the segment of flats up to 55 square metres, which is the most relevant for students. Among neighbourhoods with a regular supply, the cheapest was Utrina with an average of €517, while Donje Svetice were at €846. That is a difference of €329 per month, or as much as 64 percent. As a more rational compromise between price and availability, Njuškalo highlights Prečko, Voltino, Gornja Dubrava, Špansko and Knežija.
