June the 21st, 2025 – Croatian food prices have been a topic for a long time now, but recent research has revealed they’re at the level of Belgium, and above those in Germany.
As Poslovni Dnevnik/VL/Ljubica Gataric writes, Croatian food prices are currently 4% higher than the EU average. Communication and internet costs are as much as 11% higher, certain electronics are 10% more expensive, and household goods are 2% more expensive. All of this was revealed by the latest comparison of prices of two thousand products and services conducted last year across 36 European countries. According to this comparison, Croatia is still the fifth cheapest EU Member State, but with a large jump in prices across several key groups. Croatian prices stand at 76% of the EU average due to energy and overhead costs, which were 45% cheaper than the EU average in Croatia in 2024.
croatian food prices continue to baffle
Croatian food prices have become a sore subject for all, with the country having been 2% more expensive than Germany last year, about 15% more expensive than the Czech Republic, 4% above Slovenia, and 20% more expensive than Bosnia and Herzegovina. In fact, when it comes to Croatian food prices, the country is now at the level of (the far wealthier) Belgium.
Bread, cereals and flour products are at the forefront when it comes to high Croatian food prices. These basic products are a significant 7% more expensive than the EU average, fish is 3.5% more expensive, while milk, cheese and eggs are 11% above average.
With that being said, Croatian meat is 14% cheaper than the average, while fruit and vegetables are about 8% below the average. Sweets, ice cream and other processed foods are a quarter more expensive here in Croatia than the EU average. Communication costs, which include the internet, telephone and postal services, are at the same price level as Austria and Finland.
Croatian food prices aside, going clothes shopping in Croatia isn’t worth bothering with, as only clothes are only 5% below the EU average. Quite literally all other types of goods are more expensive here. Hotels and restaurants have caught up and overtaken their competitors in the tourism industry, and last year the prices of restaurants and hotel accommodation were only 5% below the EU average. This is rather unlike Spain, which had prices 16% below the average, Greece and Portugal were 14% and 25% lower than the EU average respectively.
croatian alcohol prices are more favourable
Croatian alcohol prices are a bit more competitive than the EU average, with prices here being 11% below the average. Public transport lags behind the average EU level by 13% points. If we bear in mind that the average income in Croatia is about two times lower than the average income in Western economies and that two-thirds of employees earn less than the average, we can see that we’ve ended up in an utterly absurd situation that is doesn’t correspond in any fashion with reality. Croatian businesses aren’t adjusting their prices on the domestic market according to the purchasing power of salaries or pensions, but instead to tourists and generally people with better purchasing power.
a boost for the grey economy
Judging by the fact that there seems to be buyers for everything, including expensive properties, Croatia will probably not be cheap for anyone in the coming years. The grey economy is booming in Croatia, despite constant boasting about improvements. Overall, the average price level in Croatia last year stood at 76% of the EU average, compared to 67% a decade ago. Hungary, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria were all cheaper than Croatia. On the other hand, Denmark, Ireland and Luxembourg had the highest price levels of all.
