Living inside a Roman palace on the Adriatic is as good as it sounds, and the nomad scene is well established. Summers are crowded and touristy; winters are quiet.
What it costs to live in Split
A one-bed runs around EUR 610 a month, about 10% above the national baseline for Croatia, which is what you would expect of a city this much in demand. Across the 60 EU cities we profile, that lands Split in the middle of the range.
Against a typical net salary in Croatia of about EUR 1,100, that is roughly 55% of take-home pay going on rent alone. City wages usually run above the national figure, so treat this as the cautious end.
What the economy runs on
Tourism, remote workers, marine.
Split suits remote and freelance workers, since the country is set up for them, but the rent means you want income that is already established rather than a first freelance year.
How far English gets you
English works in international offices, with younger people and in the centre of Split, but shops, tradespeople and anything official will expect Croatian.
On our scores Split rates 68/100 for English against 60/100 for Croatia as a whole, the usual gap between a city with international employers and the country around it. There is a fuller breakdown on the English in Croatia page.
What day-to-day life leans on
The sea is part of ordinary life rather than a holiday here: Croatia scores 95/100 for coastal access in our model, which shows up in weekends, food and how people spend summer.
Schooling scores below the EU average here at 62/100, which is worth investigating properly if you are moving with children.
Worth weighing
Seasonal economy: prices spike in summer, life slows in winter.
Split is the most expensive of the cities we cover in Croatia, so it is worth pricing the alternatives before you commit: Zagreb (about EUR 550 a month).
City picked, country still open? See the full Croatia overview including cost of living, safety, healthcare and the path to residence, or compare Croatia with other EU countries.