CITY / CITYVerified city comparison
SplitvsZadar.
Zadar is stronger on 1 of 8 headline facts; Split on 0. Cost of living (single, excl. rent): Split $850/mo, Zadar $850/mo. Freelancer tax burden: Split 7.6%, Zadar 7.6%. Climate comfort: Split 5/12 mo, Zadar 6/12 mo.
VerifiedUpdated
14 compared criteria · 19 sources · country-level facts are clearly inherited
hr / hr · SettleMetric
01
The key differences
The key numbers head-to-head — the stronger side is marked. The overall score stays decoration; what matters is which facts fit you.
Headline result
Zadar leads on 1 of 8
Split
0
Zadar
1
01Cost of living (single, excl. rent)
Split
$850/mo
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- May 31, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- DZS HBS 2022 average consumption = 110,446 HRK/household/yr = €1,221.6/mo (fixed rate 7.53450 HRK/EUR). CPI-uplifted 2022→mid-2026 (Croatia HICP ~×1.20) → ≈€1,466/mo per household; scaled to a single-person household (~0.63 of the all-household average, EU HBS pattern) → ≈€924; net of the small actual-rentals sliver of the housing line (Croatia is ~93% owner-occupied, so the 14.5% housing line is mostly utilities/maintenance, retained) → ≈€745–€760 rent-excluded ≈ $850–$865 at 1.1399 USD/EUR. Cross-check: Eurostat 2024 price level for household final consumption is 76% of EU-27 (vs Poland 72%), so Croatia should sit modestly above Poland's ~$753 — consistent. Rounded to $850.
- Notes
- Curated estimate with wide uncertainty: DZS publishes only an all-household average (no clean one-person basket) and the latest survey predates the euro (2022; next survey 2026). The single-person scaling and CPI uplift are transparent assumptions, not a measured figure — treat as ±20%. To be replaced when DZS HBS 2026 lands.
Zadar
$850/mo
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- May 31, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- DZS HBS 2022 average consumption = 110,446 HRK/household/yr = €1,221.6/mo (fixed rate 7.53450 HRK/EUR). CPI-uplifted 2022→mid-2026 (Croatia HICP ~×1.20) → ≈€1,466/mo per household; scaled to a single-person household (~0.63 of the all-household average, EU HBS pattern) → ≈€924; net of the small actual-rentals sliver of the housing line (Croatia is ~93% owner-occupied, so the 14.5% housing line is mostly utilities/maintenance, retained) → ≈€745–€760 rent-excluded ≈ $850–$865 at 1.1399 USD/EUR. Cross-check: Eurostat 2024 price level for household final consumption is 76% of EU-27 (vs Poland 72%), so Croatia should sit modestly above Poland's ~$753 — consistent. Rounded to $850.
- Notes
- Curated estimate with wide uncertainty: DZS publishes only an all-household average (no clean one-person basket) and the latest survey predates the euro (2022; next survey 2026). The single-person scaling and CPI uplift are transparent assumptions, not a measured figure — treat as ±20%. To be replaced when DZS HBS 2026 lands.
02Freelancer tax burden
Split
7.6%
SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Porezna uprava — Obrtnici paušalisti)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best eligible scheme hr-pausalni-obrt at €60,000 revenue (top lump-sum bracket €50,000.01–60,000): lump-sum income tax = 12% of the fixed €9,000 bracket base = €1,080; fixed social contributions on the €797.20 base = €290.98/mo × 12 = €3,491.76 (independent of income). Total burden €4,571.76 / €60,000 = 7.62%. The paušal ignores expenses, so the 10%-expenses assumption does not change the burden; €60,000 is exactly the regime's revenue cap.
Zadar
7.6%
SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Porezna uprava — Obrtnici paušalisti)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best eligible scheme hr-pausalni-obrt at €60,000 revenue (top lump-sum bracket €50,000.01–60,000): lump-sum income tax = 12% of the fixed €9,000 bracket base = €1,080; fixed social contributions on the €797.20 base = €290.98/mo × 12 = €3,491.76 (independent of income). Total burden €4,571.76 / €60,000 = 7.62%. The paušal ignores expenses, so the 10%-expenses assumption does not change the burden; €60,000 is exactly the regime's revenue cap.
03Homicide rate
Split
1.01/100k
Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101), rate per 100k, geo HR
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- 2024 value (Eurostat, updated 2026-04-29). The rate is volatile year to year on Croatia's small base: 0.80 (2022), 0.68 (2023), 1.01 (2024). Still very low by global standards. World Bank/UNODC 2023 figure was ~0.67.
Zadar
1.01/100k
Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101), rate per 100k, geo HR
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- 2024 value (Eurostat, updated 2026-04-29). The rate is volatile year to year on Croatia's small base: 0.80 (2022), 0.68 (2023), 1.01 (2024). Still very low by global standards. World Bank/UNODC 2023 figure was ~0.67.
04Climate comfort
Split
5/12 mo
SettleMetric computation over climate-normals
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2020
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Months with mean daily max 15–28°C and precipitation < 150mm: Apr (18.4°C), May (23.4), Sep (25.4), Oct (20.5), Nov (15.6) = 5. June misses (28.1°C, just above 28); Jul/Aug too hot (31/30.9°C); Dec–Mar too cool. No month is disqualified by rainfall (max is Nov 119.8mm < 150).
Zadarstronger
6/12 mo
SettleMetric computation over climate-normals
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2020
- Verified
- Sep 11, 2026
- Method
- Months with mean daily max 15–28°C and precipitation < 150mm: Apr (17.8°C), May (22.3), Jun (26.8), Sep (24.8), Oct (20.5), Nov (16.2) = 6. March just misses (14.4°C); Jul and Aug are too hot (29.5 / 29.3°C); Dec–Feb are too cool. No month is disqualified by rain (the wettest, September, has 124.3mm).
05Internet speed
Split
40 Mbps
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Croatia (HR), 2024
Open data
- Data as of
- Jan 16, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Median of the daily country medians available in M-Lab's public stats API for Croatia 2024. NOTE: the public 2024 file currently exposes only the first ~16 days of January (~3,700 tests), so this is a partial-year figure (2023 partial file ≈ 33.6 Mbps).
- Notes
- M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures (Croatian carriers advertise ~100 Mbps averages) — comparable ONLY within this criterion. Partial-window median because M-Lab's public API has not published Croatia's full 2024/2025 daily series; to be refreshed when a full-year file is available.
Zadar
40 Mbps
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Croatia (HR), 2024
Open data
- Data as of
- Jan 16, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Median of the daily country medians available in M-Lab's public stats API for Croatia 2024. NOTE: the public 2024 file currently exposes only the first ~16 days of January (~3,700 tests), so this is a partial-year figure (2023 partial file ≈ 33.6 Mbps).
- Notes
- M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures (Croatian carriers advertise ~100 Mbps averages) — comparable ONLY within this criterion. Partial-window median because M-Lab's public API has not published Croatia's full 2024/2025 daily series; to be refreshed when a full-year file is available.
06English proficiency
Split
Very high
EF EPI 2025 (rank 2/123, score 617 — Very High band)
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). Croatia ranks 2nd of 123 in EF EPI 2025 (score 617), among the highest non-native results in the world; English is widely usable in cities, tourism and the service sector, and broadly in daily life.
Zadar
Very high
EF EPI 2025 (rank 2/123, score 617 — Very High band)
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). Croatia ranks 2nd of 123 in EF EPI 2025 (score 617), among the highest non-native results in the world; English is widely usable in cities, tourism and the service sector, and broadly in daily life.
07Private healthcare cost
Split
$1,400/yr
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Comprehensive basis (outpatient + inpatient), healthy 35-year-old resident foreigner. Genuinely comprehensive international private medical insurance runs ≈€50–150/mo; midpoint ≈€100/mo ≈ €1,200/yr ≈ $1,370–$1,400 at 1.1399 USD/EUR. Rounded to $1,400. Deliberately NOT the €180/yr public 'dopunsko' co-payment cover (which sits on top of mandatory HZZO), which would understate a comprehensive standalone premium and break cross-country comparability. Premiums are quoted on request, so this is a curated market midpoint, not a public engine quote.
- Notes
- Croatia's system differs from most: residents are covered by mandatory public HZZO (~€90–100/mo income-based contribution) and most people buy only cheap 'dopunsko' cover (€180/yr, 2026) that removes co-payments including hospital co-pays; comprehensive standalone private plans are less commonly needed. Standalone 'dodatno' plans span €160–930/yr but are supplemental, not full outpatient+inpatient replacements — hence the comprehensive figure is anchored on international private medical insurance instead.
Zadar
$1,400/yr
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Comprehensive basis (outpatient + inpatient), healthy 35-year-old resident foreigner. Genuinely comprehensive international private medical insurance runs ≈€50–150/mo; midpoint ≈€100/mo ≈ €1,200/yr ≈ $1,370–$1,400 at 1.1399 USD/EUR. Rounded to $1,400. Deliberately NOT the €180/yr public 'dopunsko' co-payment cover (which sits on top of mandatory HZZO), which would understate a comprehensive standalone premium and break cross-country comparability. Premiums are quoted on request, so this is a curated market midpoint, not a public engine quote.
- Notes
- Croatia's system differs from most: residents are covered by mandatory public HZZO (~€90–100/mo income-based contribution) and most people buy only cheap 'dopunsko' cover (€180/yr, 2026) that removes co-payments including hospital co-pays; comprehensive standalone private plans are less commonly needed. Standalone 'dodatno' plans span €160–930/yr but are supplemental, not full outpatient+inpatient replacements — hence the comprehensive figure is anchored on international private medical insurance instead.
08Air quality (PM2.5)
Split
9.7 µg/m³
EEA European city air quality viewer (EEA-verified city annual mean)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2023
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- EEA-verified city annual-mean PM2.5 for Split, 9.7 µg/m³ (via the EU Air Quality Tracker's EEA-verified city table; the interactive EEA viewer itself does not expose the number to a plain fetch). Consistent with Split being a clean, windy Adriatic coastal city — well below Zagreb (~13.9) and far below Kraków/Warsaw. Cross-checked against WHO/real-time aggregators (annual PM2.5 ≈ 13 µg/m³), which run higher on unverified real-time feeds.
- Notes
- Value ≈ 9.7 µg/m³ — about 2× the WHO 2021 guideline (5) but already below the EU 2030 limit (10) and far under the current EU limit (25). Reference year approximate (EEA viewer uses a rolling ~2-year window; recorded as 2023 to match the sibling Poland city files' basis). To be refined if a station-level EEA download with an explicit year is obtained for a Split monitoring station.
Zadar
no verified data
02
Which city fits your plan?
Each lens weighs only the facts that matter to that plan, and names the side it favours.
Remote IT / freelancer
Contract or freelance in tech, billing clients abroad.
A close call for this plan
01Freelancer tax burden
Split
7.6%
SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Porezna uprava — Obrtnici paušalisti)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best eligible scheme hr-pausalni-obrt at €60,000 revenue (top lump-sum bracket €50,000.01–60,000): lump-sum income tax = 12% of the fixed €9,000 bracket base = €1,080; fixed social contributions on the €797.20 base = €290.98/mo × 12 = €3,491.76 (independent of income). Total burden €4,571.76 / €60,000 = 7.62%. The paušal ignores expenses, so the 10%-expenses assumption does not change the burden; €60,000 is exactly the regime's revenue cap.
Zadar
7.6%
SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Porezna uprava — Obrtnici paušalisti)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best eligible scheme hr-pausalni-obrt at €60,000 revenue (top lump-sum bracket €50,000.01–60,000): lump-sum income tax = 12% of the fixed €9,000 bracket base = €1,080; fixed social contributions on the €797.20 base = €290.98/mo × 12 = €3,491.76 (independent of income). Total burden €4,571.76 / €60,000 = 7.62%. The paušal ignores expenses, so the 10%-expenses assumption does not change the burden; €60,000 is exactly the regime's revenue cap.
02Internet speed
Split
40 Mbps
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Croatia (HR), 2024
Open data
- Data as of
- Jan 16, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Median of the daily country medians available in M-Lab's public stats API for Croatia 2024. NOTE: the public 2024 file currently exposes only the first ~16 days of January (~3,700 tests), so this is a partial-year figure (2023 partial file ≈ 33.6 Mbps).
- Notes
- M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures (Croatian carriers advertise ~100 Mbps averages) — comparable ONLY within this criterion. Partial-window median because M-Lab's public API has not published Croatia's full 2024/2025 daily series; to be refreshed when a full-year file is available.
Zadar
40 Mbps
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Croatia (HR), 2024
Open data
- Data as of
- Jan 16, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Median of the daily country medians available in M-Lab's public stats API for Croatia 2024. NOTE: the public 2024 file currently exposes only the first ~16 days of January (~3,700 tests), so this is a partial-year figure (2023 partial file ≈ 33.6 Mbps).
- Notes
- M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures (Croatian carriers advertise ~100 Mbps averages) — comparable ONLY within this criterion. Partial-window median because M-Lab's public API has not published Croatia's full 2024/2025 daily series; to be refreshed when a full-year file is available.
03English proficiency
Split
Very high
EF EPI 2025 (rank 2/123, score 617 — Very High band)
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). Croatia ranks 2nd of 123 in EF EPI 2025 (score 617), among the highest non-native results in the world; English is widely usable in cities, tourism and the service sector, and broadly in daily life.
Zadar
Very high
EF EPI 2025 (rank 2/123, score 617 — Very High band)
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). Croatia ranks 2nd of 123 in EF EPI 2025 (score 617), among the highest non-native results in the world; English is widely usable in cities, tourism and the service sector, and broadly in daily life.
04Cost of living (single, excl. rent)
Split
$850/mo
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- May 31, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- DZS HBS 2022 average consumption = 110,446 HRK/household/yr = €1,221.6/mo (fixed rate 7.53450 HRK/EUR). CPI-uplifted 2022→mid-2026 (Croatia HICP ~×1.20) → ≈€1,466/mo per household; scaled to a single-person household (~0.63 of the all-household average, EU HBS pattern) → ≈€924; net of the small actual-rentals sliver of the housing line (Croatia is ~93% owner-occupied, so the 14.5% housing line is mostly utilities/maintenance, retained) → ≈€745–€760 rent-excluded ≈ $850–$865 at 1.1399 USD/EUR. Cross-check: Eurostat 2024 price level for household final consumption is 76% of EU-27 (vs Poland 72%), so Croatia should sit modestly above Poland's ~$753 — consistent. Rounded to $850.
- Notes
- Curated estimate with wide uncertainty: DZS publishes only an all-household average (no clean one-person basket) and the latest survey predates the euro (2022; next survey 2026). The single-person scaling and CPI uplift are transparent assumptions, not a measured figure — treat as ±20%. To be replaced when DZS HBS 2026 lands.
Zadar
$850/mo
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- May 31, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- DZS HBS 2022 average consumption = 110,446 HRK/household/yr = €1,221.6/mo (fixed rate 7.53450 HRK/EUR). CPI-uplifted 2022→mid-2026 (Croatia HICP ~×1.20) → ≈€1,466/mo per household; scaled to a single-person household (~0.63 of the all-household average, EU HBS pattern) → ≈€924; net of the small actual-rentals sliver of the housing line (Croatia is ~93% owner-occupied, so the 14.5% housing line is mostly utilities/maintenance, retained) → ≈€745–€760 rent-excluded ≈ $850–$865 at 1.1399 USD/EUR. Cross-check: Eurostat 2024 price level for household final consumption is 76% of EU-27 (vs Poland 72%), so Croatia should sit modestly above Poland's ~$753 — consistent. Rounded to $850.
- Notes
- Curated estimate with wide uncertainty: DZS publishes only an all-household average (no clean one-person basket) and the latest survey predates the euro (2022; next survey 2026). The single-person scaling and CPI uplift are transparent assumptions, not a measured figure — treat as ±20%. To be replaced when DZS HBS 2026 lands.
05Domestic delivery quality
Split
Good
Hrvatska pošta, DPD Hrvatska, GLS Hrvatska official service pages (composite)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Composite of national-operator and major-carrier official service data: Hrvatska pošta (national post, 24/7 paketomati), DPD Hrvatska (>1,300 pickup points incl. paketomat lockers), GLS (Flexdelivery — home/parcelshop/paketomat), Overseas Express, Box Now. 1–2 day delivery is normal in cities; locker density is lower than Poland's InPost-led market. Mapped to 'good' (reliable 1–3 day delivery, lockers in major cities) rather than 'excellent' (which requires nationwide next-day + a dense locker network as the default).
- Notes
- Reliable nationwide parcel delivery with growing locker networks; coastal/island coverage adds a day in low season.
Zadar
Good
Hrvatska pošta, DPD Hrvatska, GLS Hrvatska official service pages (composite)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Composite of national-operator and major-carrier official service data: Hrvatska pošta (national post, 24/7 paketomati), DPD Hrvatska (>1,300 pickup points incl. paketomat lockers), GLS (Flexdelivery — home/parcelshop/paketomat), Overseas Express, Box Now. 1–2 day delivery is normal in cities; locker density is lower than Poland's InPost-led market. Mapped to 'good' (reliable 1–3 day delivery, lockers in major cities) rather than 'excellent' (which requires nationwide next-day + a dense locker network as the default).
- Notes
- Reliable nationwide parcel delivery with growing locker networks; coastal/island coverage adds a day in low season.
Family
Relocating with a partner and school-age children.
A close call for this plan
01International schools
Split
2
IB World Schools directory (ibo.org) — verified per-school entries for Split
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Both verified individually against the official IB directory: (1) Split International School / Aspalathos Međunarodna Škola — IB code 062271, authorised 2023-04-25, English (ibo.org/en/school/062271; also holds a US MSA-accredited high-school diploma; campus in Dugopolje in the Split metro area); (2) Split International School Harfa — IB code 062367, authorised 2024-01-12, English/Croatian (ibo.org/en/school/062367). No Cambridge International / CIS / COBIS / AEFE / German-Auslandsschule school was found in Split (the British/Cambridge and American international schools are all in Zagreb).
- Notes
- Count = 2, both IB World Schools verified against the IB accreditor registry (not aggregator sites). Second IB entry: ibo.org/en/school/062367. Metro-area basis includes Dugopolje (≈15 km inland). Small but genuine international-school provision for a mid-sized coastal city.
Zadar
no verified data
02Homicide rate
Split
1.01/100k
Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101), rate per 100k, geo HR
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- 2024 value (Eurostat, updated 2026-04-29). The rate is volatile year to year on Croatia's small base: 0.80 (2022), 0.68 (2023), 1.01 (2024). Still very low by global standards. World Bank/UNODC 2023 figure was ~0.67.
Zadar
1.01/100k
Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101), rate per 100k, geo HR
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- 2024 value (Eurostat, updated 2026-04-29). The rate is volatile year to year on Croatia's small base: 0.80 (2022), 0.68 (2023), 1.01 (2024). Still very low by global standards. World Bank/UNODC 2023 figure was ~0.67.
03Private healthcare cost
Split
$1,400/yr
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Comprehensive basis (outpatient + inpatient), healthy 35-year-old resident foreigner. Genuinely comprehensive international private medical insurance runs ≈€50–150/mo; midpoint ≈€100/mo ≈ €1,200/yr ≈ $1,370–$1,400 at 1.1399 USD/EUR. Rounded to $1,400. Deliberately NOT the €180/yr public 'dopunsko' co-payment cover (which sits on top of mandatory HZZO), which would understate a comprehensive standalone premium and break cross-country comparability. Premiums are quoted on request, so this is a curated market midpoint, not a public engine quote.
- Notes
- Croatia's system differs from most: residents are covered by mandatory public HZZO (~€90–100/mo income-based contribution) and most people buy only cheap 'dopunsko' cover (€180/yr, 2026) that removes co-payments including hospital co-pays; comprehensive standalone private plans are less commonly needed. Standalone 'dodatno' plans span €160–930/yr but are supplemental, not full outpatient+inpatient replacements — hence the comprehensive figure is anchored on international private medical insurance instead.
Zadar
$1,400/yr
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Comprehensive basis (outpatient + inpatient), healthy 35-year-old resident foreigner. Genuinely comprehensive international private medical insurance runs ≈€50–150/mo; midpoint ≈€100/mo ≈ €1,200/yr ≈ $1,370–$1,400 at 1.1399 USD/EUR. Rounded to $1,400. Deliberately NOT the €180/yr public 'dopunsko' co-payment cover (which sits on top of mandatory HZZO), which would understate a comprehensive standalone premium and break cross-country comparability. Premiums are quoted on request, so this is a curated market midpoint, not a public engine quote.
- Notes
- Croatia's system differs from most: residents are covered by mandatory public HZZO (~€90–100/mo income-based contribution) and most people buy only cheap 'dopunsko' cover (€180/yr, 2026) that removes co-payments including hospital co-pays; comprehensive standalone private plans are less commonly needed. Standalone 'dodatno' plans span €160–930/yr but are supplemental, not full outpatient+inpatient replacements — hence the comprehensive figure is anchored on international private medical insurance instead.
04Air quality (PM2.5)
Split
9.7 µg/m³
EEA European city air quality viewer (EEA-verified city annual mean)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2023
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- EEA-verified city annual-mean PM2.5 for Split, 9.7 µg/m³ (via the EU Air Quality Tracker's EEA-verified city table; the interactive EEA viewer itself does not expose the number to a plain fetch). Consistent with Split being a clean, windy Adriatic coastal city — well below Zagreb (~13.9) and far below Kraków/Warsaw. Cross-checked against WHO/real-time aggregators (annual PM2.5 ≈ 13 µg/m³), which run higher on unverified real-time feeds.
- Notes
- Value ≈ 9.7 µg/m³ — about 2× the WHO 2021 guideline (5) but already below the EU 2030 limit (10) and far under the current EU limit (25). Reference year approximate (EEA viewer uses a rolling ~2-year window; recorded as 2023 to match the sibling Poland city files' basis). To be refined if a station-level EEA download with an explicit year is obtained for a Split monitoring station.
Zadar
no verified data
05English proficiency
Split
Very high
EF EPI 2025 (rank 2/123, score 617 — Very High band)
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). Croatia ranks 2nd of 123 in EF EPI 2025 (score 617), among the highest non-native results in the world; English is widely usable in cities, tourism and the service sector, and broadly in daily life.
Zadar
Very high
EF EPI 2025 (rank 2/123, score 617 — Very High band)
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). Croatia ranks 2nd of 123 in EF EPI 2025 (score 617), among the highest non-native results in the world; English is widely usable in cities, tourism and the service sector, and broadly in daily life.
Money & crypto
Optimising tax, banking and crypto rules.
A close call for this plan
01Crypto regulation
Split
Legal regulated
Porezna uprava — capital-income taxation of crypto disposals (12%); HANFA/HNB MiCA supervision
Official source
- Data as of
- Jul 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Holding/trading legal for individuals. Gains on crypto-to-fiat disposals taxed at 12% capital-income tax; crypto-to-crypto swaps untaxed; assets held over two years are exempt. EU MiCA applies — HANFA (with HNB) supervises CASPs; legacy VASPs registered before 2024-12-30 had until 2026-07-01 to obtain full CASP authorisation (HANFA granted the first MiCA CASP licence, Electrocoin, in April 2026). Classified legal-regulated: standard EU licensing + taxation, with a notably favourable long-term-holding exemption.
Zadar
Legal regulated
Porezna uprava — capital-income taxation of crypto disposals (12%); HANFA/HNB MiCA supervision
Official source
- Data as of
- Jul 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Holding/trading legal for individuals. Gains on crypto-to-fiat disposals taxed at 12% capital-income tax; crypto-to-crypto swaps untaxed; assets held over two years are exempt. EU MiCA applies — HANFA (with HNB) supervises CASPs; legacy VASPs registered before 2024-12-30 had until 2026-07-01 to obtain full CASP authorisation (HANFA granted the first MiCA CASP licence, Electrocoin, in April 2026). Classified legal-regulated: standard EU licensing + taxation, with a notably favourable long-term-holding exemption.
02Financial control level
Split
Low
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Composite of: euro-area member since 2023 (no domestic currency, full free movement of capital under EU law, no capital controls); euro is fully convertible; no FBAR-style personal foreign-account disclosure beyond EU CRS automatic exchange via banks; foreigners open bank accounts on standard EU AML terms. Business cash-payment limits apply (fiscalisation of cash receipts, statutory cap on large cash B2B transactions) but no consumer cash cap on personal funds. Low state control over personal money flows, consistent with other euro-area members.
- Notes
- Not scored on a per-euro-figure basis; classification. IMF AREAER not re-fetched this cycle — euro-area status makes capital controls legally impossible, so the low band is robust.
Zadar
Low
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Composite of: euro-area member since 2023 (no domestic currency, full free movement of capital under EU law, no capital controls); euro is fully convertible; no FBAR-style personal foreign-account disclosure beyond EU CRS automatic exchange via banks; foreigners open bank accounts on standard EU AML terms. Business cash-payment limits apply (fiscalisation of cash receipts, statutory cap on large cash B2B transactions) but no consumer cash cap on personal funds. Low state control over personal money flows, consistent with other euro-area members.
- Notes
- Not scored on a per-euro-figure basis; classification. IMF AREAER not re-fetched this cycle — euro-area status makes capital controls legally impossible, so the low band is robust.
03Freelancer tax burden
Split
7.6%
SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Porezna uprava — Obrtnici paušalisti)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best eligible scheme hr-pausalni-obrt at €60,000 revenue (top lump-sum bracket €50,000.01–60,000): lump-sum income tax = 12% of the fixed €9,000 bracket base = €1,080; fixed social contributions on the €797.20 base = €290.98/mo × 12 = €3,491.76 (independent of income). Total burden €4,571.76 / €60,000 = 7.62%. The paušal ignores expenses, so the 10%-expenses assumption does not change the burden; €60,000 is exactly the regime's revenue cap.
Zadar
7.6%
SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Porezna uprava — Obrtnici paušalisti)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best eligible scheme hr-pausalni-obrt at €60,000 revenue (top lump-sum bracket €50,000.01–60,000): lump-sum income tax = 12% of the fixed €9,000 bracket base = €1,080; fixed social contributions on the €797.20 base = €290.98/mo × 12 = €3,491.76 (independent of income). Total burden €4,571.76 / €60,000 = 7.62%. The paušal ignores expenses, so the 10%-expenses assumption does not change the burden; €60,000 is exactly the regime's revenue cap.
Calm lifestyle
Prioritising safety, air, and an easy daily life.
Zadar fits better — 1 of 4
01Homicide rate
Split
1.01/100k
Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101), rate per 100k, geo HR
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- 2024 value (Eurostat, updated 2026-04-29). The rate is volatile year to year on Croatia's small base: 0.80 (2022), 0.68 (2023), 1.01 (2024). Still very low by global standards. World Bank/UNODC 2023 figure was ~0.67.
Zadar
1.01/100k
Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101), rate per 100k, geo HR
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- 2024 value (Eurostat, updated 2026-04-29). The rate is volatile year to year on Croatia's small base: 0.80 (2022), 0.68 (2023), 1.01 (2024). Still very low by global standards. World Bank/UNODC 2023 figure was ~0.67.
02Air quality (PM2.5)
Split
9.7 µg/m³
EEA European city air quality viewer (EEA-verified city annual mean)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2023
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- EEA-verified city annual-mean PM2.5 for Split, 9.7 µg/m³ (via the EU Air Quality Tracker's EEA-verified city table; the interactive EEA viewer itself does not expose the number to a plain fetch). Consistent with Split being a clean, windy Adriatic coastal city — well below Zagreb (~13.9) and far below Kraków/Warsaw. Cross-checked against WHO/real-time aggregators (annual PM2.5 ≈ 13 µg/m³), which run higher on unverified real-time feeds.
- Notes
- Value ≈ 9.7 µg/m³ — about 2× the WHO 2021 guideline (5) but already below the EU 2030 limit (10) and far under the current EU limit (25). Reference year approximate (EEA viewer uses a rolling ~2-year window; recorded as 2023 to match the sibling Poland city files' basis). To be refined if a station-level EEA download with an explicit year is obtained for a Split monitoring station.
Zadar
no verified data
03Cost of living (single, excl. rent)
Split
$850/mo
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- May 31, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- DZS HBS 2022 average consumption = 110,446 HRK/household/yr = €1,221.6/mo (fixed rate 7.53450 HRK/EUR). CPI-uplifted 2022→mid-2026 (Croatia HICP ~×1.20) → ≈€1,466/mo per household; scaled to a single-person household (~0.63 of the all-household average, EU HBS pattern) → ≈€924; net of the small actual-rentals sliver of the housing line (Croatia is ~93% owner-occupied, so the 14.5% housing line is mostly utilities/maintenance, retained) → ≈€745–€760 rent-excluded ≈ $850–$865 at 1.1399 USD/EUR. Cross-check: Eurostat 2024 price level for household final consumption is 76% of EU-27 (vs Poland 72%), so Croatia should sit modestly above Poland's ~$753 — consistent. Rounded to $850.
- Notes
- Curated estimate with wide uncertainty: DZS publishes only an all-household average (no clean one-person basket) and the latest survey predates the euro (2022; next survey 2026). The single-person scaling and CPI uplift are transparent assumptions, not a measured figure — treat as ±20%. To be replaced when DZS HBS 2026 lands.
Zadar
$850/mo
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- May 31, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- DZS HBS 2022 average consumption = 110,446 HRK/household/yr = €1,221.6/mo (fixed rate 7.53450 HRK/EUR). CPI-uplifted 2022→mid-2026 (Croatia HICP ~×1.20) → ≈€1,466/mo per household; scaled to a single-person household (~0.63 of the all-household average, EU HBS pattern) → ≈€924; net of the small actual-rentals sliver of the housing line (Croatia is ~93% owner-occupied, so the 14.5% housing line is mostly utilities/maintenance, retained) → ≈€745–€760 rent-excluded ≈ $850–$865 at 1.1399 USD/EUR. Cross-check: Eurostat 2024 price level for household final consumption is 76% of EU-27 (vs Poland 72%), so Croatia should sit modestly above Poland's ~$753 — consistent. Rounded to $850.
- Notes
- Curated estimate with wide uncertainty: DZS publishes only an all-household average (no clean one-person basket) and the latest survey predates the euro (2022; next survey 2026). The single-person scaling and CPI uplift are transparent assumptions, not a measured figure — treat as ±20%. To be replaced when DZS HBS 2026 lands.
04Climate comfort
Split
5/12 mo
SettleMetric computation over climate-normals
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2020
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Months with mean daily max 15–28°C and precipitation < 150mm: Apr (18.4°C), May (23.4), Sep (25.4), Oct (20.5), Nov (15.6) = 5. June misses (28.1°C, just above 28); Jul/Aug too hot (31/30.9°C); Dec–Mar too cool. No month is disqualified by rainfall (max is Nov 119.8mm < 150).
Zadarstronger
6/12 mo
SettleMetric computation over climate-normals
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2020
- Verified
- Sep 11, 2026
- Method
- Months with mean daily max 15–28°C and precipitation < 150mm: Apr (17.8°C), May (22.3), Jun (26.8), Sep (24.8), Oct (20.5), Nov (16.2) = 6. March just misses (14.4°C); Jul and Aug are too hot (29.5 / 29.3°C); Dec–Feb are too cool. No month is disqualified by rain (the wettest, September, has 124.3mm).
03
The full comparison
Open any fact to see what it measures, how fresh it is and the complete source trail for both cities.
01
Taxes
CriterionSplitZadar
01+−Freelancer tax burden% effective burden at €60k/year self-employed profileSplit7.6Zadar7.6
What this measures
Effective total burden (income tax + mandatory social and health contributions) for a solo IT freelancer with €60,000/year revenue and 10% deductible expenses, using the most favourable eligible scheme in the country's tax-schemes data. Computed by the SettleMetric tax engine; recorded as a curated value with the winning scheme id in method.
Lower is better· % effective burden at €60k/year self-employed profile· re-verified every 365 days
Split
SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Porezna uprava — Obrtnici paušalisti)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best eligible scheme hr-pausalni-obrt at €60,000 revenue (top lump-sum bracket €50,000.01–60,000): lump-sum income tax = 12% of the fixed €9,000 bracket base = €1,080; fixed social contributions on the €797.20 base = €290.98/mo × 12 = €3,491.76 (independent of income). Total burden €4,571.76 / €60,000 = 7.62%. The paušal ignores expenses, so the 10%-expenses assumption does not change the burden; €60,000 is exactly the regime's revenue cap.
Zadar
SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Porezna uprava — Obrtnici paušalisti)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best eligible scheme hr-pausalni-obrt at €60,000 revenue (top lump-sum bracket €50,000.01–60,000): lump-sum income tax = 12% of the fixed €9,000 bracket base = €1,080; fixed social contributions on the €797.20 base = €290.98/mo × 12 = €3,491.76 (independent of income). Total burden €4,571.76 / €60,000 = 7.62%. The paušal ignores expenses, so the 10%-expenses assumption does not change the burden; €60,000 is exactly the regime's revenue cap.
02
Legalization
CriterionSplitZadar
01+−Remote-work legalization easeSplitDedicated nomad visaZadarDedicated nomad visa
What this measures
Best available legalization route for a location-independent earner with a median (non-EU, non-US) passport, classified from this country's legalization-paths data: dedicated digital-nomad visa; general freelance/self-employment permit; realistic long-stay path (e.g. renewable temporary residence); only short visa-free/tourist stays; effectively none.
Rated by category· re-verified every 180 days
Split
MUP — Temporary stay of digital nomads
Official source
- Data as of
- Mar 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Croatia has a dedicated digital-nomad residence permit for third-country nationals working remotely for non-Croatian employers/companies, up to 18 months, with foreign remote income fully exempt from Croatian income tax (Art. 9 Income Tax Act). Income requirement €3,622.50/month (2.5× average net salary, NN 3/26). Not a path to permanent residence and not renewable in the same grant (fresh application allowed 6 months after expiry). EU/EEA/Swiss citizens do not need it — they use free-movement registration.
Zadar
MUP — Temporary stay of digital nomads
Official source
- Data as of
- Mar 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Croatia has a dedicated digital-nomad residence permit for third-country nationals working remotely for non-Croatian employers/companies, up to 18 months, with foreign remote income fully exempt from Croatian income tax (Art. 9 Income Tax Act). Income requirement €3,622.50/month (2.5× average net salary, NN 3/26). Not a path to permanent residence and not renewable in the same grant (fresh application allowed 6 months after expiry). EU/EEA/Swiss citizens do not need it — they use free-movement registration.
03
Cost of living
CriterionSplitZadar
01+−Cost of living (single, excl. rent)USD/month, single person, excluding rentSplit850Zadar850
What this measures
Monthly cost of a defined single-person basket (food, transport, utilities, mobile+internet, modest leisure) excluding rent, curated from national statistics office price data and large local retailers' published prices, converted to USD at the ECB rate recorded in fx-rates. The method field of each value itemizes the basket inputs.
Lower is better· USD/month, single person, excluding rent· re-verified every 365 days
Split
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- May 31, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- DZS HBS 2022 average consumption = 110,446 HRK/household/yr = €1,221.6/mo (fixed rate 7.53450 HRK/EUR). CPI-uplifted 2022→mid-2026 (Croatia HICP ~×1.20) → ≈€1,466/mo per household; scaled to a single-person household (~0.63 of the all-household average, EU HBS pattern) → ≈€924; net of the small actual-rentals sliver of the housing line (Croatia is ~93% owner-occupied, so the 14.5% housing line is mostly utilities/maintenance, retained) → ≈€745–€760 rent-excluded ≈ $850–$865 at 1.1399 USD/EUR. Cross-check: Eurostat 2024 price level for household final consumption is 76% of EU-27 (vs Poland 72%), so Croatia should sit modestly above Poland's ~$753 — consistent. Rounded to $850.
- Notes
- Curated estimate with wide uncertainty: DZS publishes only an all-household average (no clean one-person basket) and the latest survey predates the euro (2022; next survey 2026). The single-person scaling and CPI uplift are transparent assumptions, not a measured figure — treat as ±20%. To be replaced when DZS HBS 2026 lands.
Zadar
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- May 31, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- DZS HBS 2022 average consumption = 110,446 HRK/household/yr = €1,221.6/mo (fixed rate 7.53450 HRK/EUR). CPI-uplifted 2022→mid-2026 (Croatia HICP ~×1.20) → ≈€1,466/mo per household; scaled to a single-person household (~0.63 of the all-household average, EU HBS pattern) → ≈€924; net of the small actual-rentals sliver of the housing line (Croatia is ~93% owner-occupied, so the 14.5% housing line is mostly utilities/maintenance, retained) → ≈€745–€760 rent-excluded ≈ $850–$865 at 1.1399 USD/EUR. Cross-check: Eurostat 2024 price level for household final consumption is 76% of EU-27 (vs Poland 72%), so Croatia should sit modestly above Poland's ~$753 — consistent. Rounded to $850.
- Notes
- Curated estimate with wide uncertainty: DZS publishes only an all-household average (no clean one-person basket) and the latest survey predates the euro (2022; next survey 2026). The single-person scaling and CPI uplift are transparent assumptions, not a measured figure — treat as ±20%. To be replaced when DZS HBS 2026 lands.
DZS Household Budget Survey 2022 COICOP shares, CPI-uplifted, single-person-scaled
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- May 31, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- DZS HBS 2022 COICOP shares (food 27.0%, transport 15.5%, housing/utilities 14.5%, clothing 7.2%, information/communication 6.3%, furnishings 6.2%, personal care & misc services 4.9%, restaurants/accommodation 4.9%, remainder recreation/health/education/alcohol-tobacco) applied to the ~$850/mo single-person rent-excluded aggregate above, converted at 1.1399 USD/EUR. Categories sum to roughly the cost-of-living aggregate. Same uncertainty caveats as cost-of-living-single; national average, cities (esp. Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik) run higher.
- Notes
- Structure is the official DZS all-household COICOP split; the euro amounts are scaled estimates, not a measured single-person survey. Housing line excludes rent (mostly utilities/maintenance in owner-heavy Croatia).
Food & non-alcoholic drinks230 USD
Transport132 USD
Housing utilities (water, electricity, gas, maintenance)123 USD
Recreation, personal care & other services90 USD
Clothing & footwear61 USD
Information & communication54 USD
Furnishings & household maintenance53 USD
Restaurants & accommodation42 USD
Health (out-of-pocket)35 USD
04
Housing
Rent by apartment type
Asking rent, central price with outside-centre in parentheses ($/mo).
Split
Zadar
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Mar 31, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- For studio/1BR/2BR the center vs outside cells map DIRECTLY to Investropa's published Split ranges (early 2026), converted at 1.1399 USD/EUR: studio €850 central / €450 outer → $969 / $513; 1BR €1,050 central (Bačvice/Meje) / €550 outer → $1,197 / $627; 2BR €1,450 premium coastal / €750 suburb → $1,653 / $855. The 3BR cells are DERIVED (no clean Split 3BR city figure is published): 2BR × ~1.35 (the observed 2BR/1BR step ≈1.36–1.38) → 3BR ≈ €1,950 central / €1,013 outer → $2,223 / $1,154, which sits inside the €850–€1,500 mid-market family-3BR band observed on Split listings (luxury 3BR reach €3,500).
- Notes
- Studio/1BR/2BR center-outside cells are SOURCED endpoints (Investropa outer vs central/premium ranges). 3BR cells are DERIVED (2BR × step ratio) and flagged — no source publishes Split rent by room count and by center/outside simultaneously. Center ≈ central + beachfront districts (Bačvice, Meje, Varoš); outside ≈ outer/suburban neighbourhoods. Coastal tourism inflates all figures versus inland Croatia.
Nekretnine.hr — Zadar asking rent €/m²/month by zone, August 2026
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Aug 31, 2026
- Verified
- Sep 11, 2026
- Method
- Nekretnine.hr August 2026 asking rents: Centar zone €18.03/m²/month (centre row); city-wide average €17.03 (outside row — see notes). Multiplied by the typical sizes used for Zagreb — studio 28 m², 1BR 42 m², 2BR 62 m², 3BR 85 m² — and converted at 1.1534 USD/EUR (ECB, 2026-08-13): centre studio €504.84 → $582, 1BR €757.26 → $873, 2BR €1,117.86 → $1,289, 3BR €1,532.55 → $1,768; outside studio €476.84 → $550, 1BR €715.26 → $825, 2BR €1,055.86 → $1,218, 3BR €1,447.55 → $1,670.
- Notes
- DERIVED. The outside row is an upper bound: the portal publishes rents only for Centar and the city as a whole — its outer zones (Petrčane i Sjever; Plovanija, Vidikovac i Jug; the islands) have too few listings for a figure — so the row carries the city-wide average, which includes the centre. True outer-district rents are lower by an unknown margin. Per-room cells are district €/m² × an assumed size, as for Zagreb. By the MPGI affordability measure, housing costs would take 52.2% of the income of a household with two average net wages in Zadar, against about 30% usually considered sustainable.
01Studio
Split
$969$513 outside
Zadarcheaper
$582$550 outside
021-bedroom
Split
$1,197$627 outside
Zadarcheaper
$873$825 outside
032-bedroom
Split
$1,653$855 outside
Zadarcheaper
$1,289$1,218 outside
043-bedroom
Split
$2,223$1,154 outside
Zadarcheaper
$1,768$1,670 outside
05
Safety
CriterionSplitZadar
01+−Homicide rateintentional homicides per 100,000/yearSplit1Zadar1
What this measures
Intentional homicide victims per 100,000 population, latest available year. Country level: UNODC national series. City level: official municipal/police statistics where published; otherwise null (country value shown as country-level).
Lower is better· intentional homicides per 100,000/year· re-verified every 730 days
Split
Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101), rate per 100k, geo HR
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- 2024 value (Eurostat, updated 2026-04-29). The rate is volatile year to year on Croatia's small base: 0.80 (2022), 0.68 (2023), 1.01 (2024). Still very low by global standards. World Bank/UNODC 2023 figure was ~0.67.
Zadar
Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101), rate per 100k, geo HR
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- 2024 value (Eurostat, updated 2026-04-29). The rate is volatile year to year on Croatia's small base: 0.80 (2022), 0.68 (2023), 1.01 (2024). Still very low by global standards. World Bank/UNODC 2023 figure was ~0.67.
06
Climate
CriterionSplitZadar
01+−Climate comfortpleasant months/yearSplit5Zadarstronger6
What this measures
Number of months whose 1991–2020 climate normals satisfy: mean daily maximum between 15°C and 28°C and monthly precipitation under 150mm. Computed from the city's climate-normals indicator; the raw normals are stored alongside so users can judge by their own taste.
Higher is better· pleasant months/year· re-verified every 3650 days
Split
SettleMetric computation over climate-normals
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2020
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Months with mean daily max 15–28°C and precipitation < 150mm: Apr (18.4°C), May (23.4), Sep (25.4), Oct (20.5), Nov (15.6) = 5. June misses (28.1°C, just above 28); Jul/Aug too hot (31/30.9°C); Dec–Mar too cool. No month is disqualified by rainfall (max is Nov 119.8mm < 150).
Zadar
SettleMetric computation over climate-normals
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2020
- Verified
- Sep 11, 2026
- Method
- Months with mean daily max 15–28°C and precipitation < 150mm: Apr (17.8°C), May (22.3), Jun (26.8), Sep (24.8), Oct (20.5), Nov (16.2) = 6. March just misses (14.4°C); Jul and Aug are too hot (29.5 / 29.3°C); Dec–Feb are too cool. No month is disqualified by rain (the wettest, September, has 124.3mm).
02+−Air quality (PM2.5)µg/m³, annual mean PM2.5Split9.7Zadarno verified data
What this measures
Annual mean fine-particulate (PM2.5) concentration for the city, latest available year. Anchors follow the WHO 2021 guideline (5 µg/m³ → 10) through the EU limit value territory (25 µg/m³ → 2). Preferred source: European Environment Agency city-level air quality data; outside Europe: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database or the national monitoring network.
Lower is better· µg/m³, annual mean PM2.5· re-verified every 730 days
Split
EEA European city air quality viewer (EEA-verified city annual mean)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2023
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- EEA-verified city annual-mean PM2.5 for Split, 9.7 µg/m³ (via the EU Air Quality Tracker's EEA-verified city table; the interactive EEA viewer itself does not expose the number to a plain fetch). Consistent with Split being a clean, windy Adriatic coastal city — well below Zagreb (~13.9) and far below Kraków/Warsaw. Cross-checked against WHO/real-time aggregators (annual PM2.5 ≈ 13 µg/m³), which run higher on unverified real-time feeds.
- Notes
- Value ≈ 9.7 µg/m³ — about 2× the WHO 2021 guideline (5) but already below the EU 2030 limit (10) and far under the current EU limit (25). Reference year approximate (EEA viewer uses a rolling ~2-year window; recorded as 2023 to match the sibling Poland city files' basis). To be refined if a station-level EEA download with an explicit year is obtained for a Split monitoring station.
Zadar
Not recorded: no station inside the City of Zadar reports PM2.5 — or any pollutant — to the EEA, and the WHO Ambient Air Quality Database v8.0 has no Zadar row. The nearest PM2.5 station is Polača (Ravni kotari, HR0017A), a rural background site about 25 km inland, which read 6.73–7.22 µg/m³ in 2024; a rural background is not a city measurement, so it is not used. Two stations of the Port of Zadar’s own network (Luka Zadar 1 and 2) appear on the national air-quality portal, but they are source-oriented port monitors and publish no annual PM2.5 statistics.
07
Healthcare
CriterionSplitZadar
01+−Private healthcare costUSD/year, comprehensive private insurance premium, healthy 35-year-oldSplit1,400Zadar1,400
What this measures
Median of at least three publicly quoted annual premiums for comprehensive private medical insurance (outpatient + inpatient, ~$100k coverage, small deductible) for a healthy 35-year-old resident foreigner, from local and international insurers. Method field lists the insurers quoted.
Lower is better· USD/year, comprehensive private insurance premium, healthy 35-year-old· re-verified every 365 days
Split
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Comprehensive basis (outpatient + inpatient), healthy 35-year-old resident foreigner. Genuinely comprehensive international private medical insurance runs ≈€50–150/mo; midpoint ≈€100/mo ≈ €1,200/yr ≈ $1,370–$1,400 at 1.1399 USD/EUR. Rounded to $1,400. Deliberately NOT the €180/yr public 'dopunsko' co-payment cover (which sits on top of mandatory HZZO), which would understate a comprehensive standalone premium and break cross-country comparability. Premiums are quoted on request, so this is a curated market midpoint, not a public engine quote.
- Notes
- Croatia's system differs from most: residents are covered by mandatory public HZZO (~€90–100/mo income-based contribution) and most people buy only cheap 'dopunsko' cover (€180/yr, 2026) that removes co-payments including hospital co-pays; comprehensive standalone private plans are less commonly needed. Standalone 'dodatno' plans span €160–930/yr but are supplemental, not full outpatient+inpatient replacements — hence the comprehensive figure is anchored on international private medical insurance instead.
Zadar
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Comprehensive basis (outpatient + inpatient), healthy 35-year-old resident foreigner. Genuinely comprehensive international private medical insurance runs ≈€50–150/mo; midpoint ≈€100/mo ≈ €1,200/yr ≈ $1,370–$1,400 at 1.1399 USD/EUR. Rounded to $1,400. Deliberately NOT the €180/yr public 'dopunsko' co-payment cover (which sits on top of mandatory HZZO), which would understate a comprehensive standalone premium and break cross-country comparability. Premiums are quoted on request, so this is a curated market midpoint, not a public engine quote.
- Notes
- Croatia's system differs from most: residents are covered by mandatory public HZZO (~€90–100/mo income-based contribution) and most people buy only cheap 'dopunsko' cover (€180/yr, 2026) that removes co-payments including hospital co-pays; comprehensive standalone private plans are less commonly needed. Standalone 'dodatno' plans span €160–930/yr but are supplemental, not full outpatient+inpatient replacements — hence the comprehensive figure is anchored on international private medical insurance instead.
08
Money & crypto
CriterionSplitZadar
01+−Crypto regulationSplitLegal regulatedZadarLegal regulated
What this measures
Own classification of the legal status of holding, trading and cashing out cryptocurrency for individuals: legal-friendly (legal with clear, favourable rules or explicit tax exemptions), legal-regulated (legal under standard licensing/AML and taxation), restricted (partial bans: payments or banking access prohibited), banned (holding/trading prohibited). Classified from national regulators' and central banks' official positions.
Rated by category· re-verified every 180 days
Split
Porezna uprava — capital-income taxation of crypto disposals (12%); HANFA/HNB MiCA supervision
Official source
- Data as of
- Jul 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Holding/trading legal for individuals. Gains on crypto-to-fiat disposals taxed at 12% capital-income tax; crypto-to-crypto swaps untaxed; assets held over two years are exempt. EU MiCA applies — HANFA (with HNB) supervises CASPs; legacy VASPs registered before 2024-12-30 had until 2026-07-01 to obtain full CASP authorisation (HANFA granted the first MiCA CASP licence, Electrocoin, in April 2026). Classified legal-regulated: standard EU licensing + taxation, with a notably favourable long-term-holding exemption.
Zadar
Porezna uprava — capital-income taxation of crypto disposals (12%); HANFA/HNB MiCA supervision
Official source
- Data as of
- Jul 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Holding/trading legal for individuals. Gains on crypto-to-fiat disposals taxed at 12% capital-income tax; crypto-to-crypto swaps untaxed; assets held over two years are exempt. EU MiCA applies — HANFA (with HNB) supervises CASPs; legacy VASPs registered before 2024-12-30 had until 2026-07-01 to obtain full CASP authorisation (HANFA granted the first MiCA CASP licence, Electrocoin, in April 2026). Classified legal-regulated: standard EU licensing + taxation, with a notably favourable long-term-holding exemption.
02+−Financial control levelSplitLowZadarLow
What this measures
Own composite of state control over personal money flows: currency/capital controls (IMF AREAER), restrictions on foreign accounts and transfers, mandatory income declaration scope for residents, cash payment limits, banking access for foreigners. Low = free movement of personal funds and easy non-resident banking; very-high = strict capital controls and pervasive reporting. Method field on each value lists the inputs used.
Rated by category· re-verified every 365 days
Split
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Composite of: euro-area member since 2023 (no domestic currency, full free movement of capital under EU law, no capital controls); euro is fully convertible; no FBAR-style personal foreign-account disclosure beyond EU CRS automatic exchange via banks; foreigners open bank accounts on standard EU AML terms. Business cash-payment limits apply (fiscalisation of cash receipts, statutory cap on large cash B2B transactions) but no consumer cash cap on personal funds. Low state control over personal money flows, consistent with other euro-area members.
- Notes
- Not scored on a per-euro-figure basis; classification. IMF AREAER not re-fetched this cycle — euro-area status makes capital controls legally impossible, so the low band is robust.
Zadar
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Composite of: euro-area member since 2023 (no domestic currency, full free movement of capital under EU law, no capital controls); euro is fully convertible; no FBAR-style personal foreign-account disclosure beyond EU CRS automatic exchange via banks; foreigners open bank accounts on standard EU AML terms. Business cash-payment limits apply (fiscalisation of cash receipts, statutory cap on large cash B2B transactions) but no consumer cash cap on personal funds. Low state control over personal money flows, consistent with other euro-area members.
- Notes
- Not scored on a per-euro-figure basis; classification. IMF AREAER not re-fetched this cycle — euro-area status makes capital controls legally impossible, so the low band is robust.
09
Infrastructure
CriterionSplitZadar
01+−Domestic delivery qualitySplitGoodZadarGood
What this measures
Quality of in-country parcel delivery. excellent = nationwide next-day widely available, dense parcel-locker network, real-time tracking standard; good = 1–3 day delivery, lockers in major cities; basic = reliable but slow (3–7 days), mostly to-door or post-office pickup; poor = unreliable delivery, street addresses often unusable, informal workarounds common. Classified from official service/coverage data of the national postal operator and the two largest private carriers; inputs itemized in each value's method field.
Rated by category· re-verified every 730 days
Split
Hrvatska pošta, DPD Hrvatska, GLS Hrvatska official service pages (composite)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Composite of national-operator and major-carrier official service data: Hrvatska pošta (national post, 24/7 paketomati), DPD Hrvatska (>1,300 pickup points incl. paketomat lockers), GLS (Flexdelivery — home/parcelshop/paketomat), Overseas Express, Box Now. 1–2 day delivery is normal in cities; locker density is lower than Poland's InPost-led market. Mapped to 'good' (reliable 1–3 day delivery, lockers in major cities) rather than 'excellent' (which requires nationwide next-day + a dense locker network as the default).
- Notes
- Reliable nationwide parcel delivery with growing locker networks; coastal/island coverage adds a day in low season.
Zadar
Hrvatska pošta, DPD Hrvatska, GLS Hrvatska official service pages (composite)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Composite of national-operator and major-carrier official service data: Hrvatska pošta (national post, 24/7 paketomati), DPD Hrvatska (>1,300 pickup points incl. paketomat lockers), GLS (Flexdelivery — home/parcelshop/paketomat), Overseas Express, Box Now. 1–2 day delivery is normal in cities; locker density is lower than Poland's InPost-led market. Mapped to 'good' (reliable 1–3 day delivery, lockers in major cities) rather than 'excellent' (which requires nationwide next-day + a dense locker network as the default).
- Notes
- Reliable nationwide parcel delivery with growing locker networks; coastal/island coverage adds a day in low season.
02+−International delivery easeSplitMinor frictionZadarMinor friction
What this measures
Ease of receiving goods from abroad. seamless = major international carriers deliver door-to-door, meaningful duty-free de-minimis threshold, customs clearance predictable in days; minor-friction = carriers present but low de-minimis, extra paperwork or routine delays; significant-friction = frequent customs holds, high brokerage fees, some marketplaces refuse to ship; unreliable = parcels regularly lost or blocked, informal import channels dominate. De-minimis thresholds and clearance rules from the national customs authority (official source, cite the regulation); carrier presence from carriers' official pages.
Rated by category· re-verified every 365 days
Split
Official source
- Data as of
- Jul 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Intra-EU shipping is frictionless (single market; all major carriers — DPD, GLS, DHL, Hrvatska pošta — plus UPS/FedEx). Non-EU imports: the EU-wide €150 duty-free threshold was removed on 2026-07-01, with a temporary flat €3/item duty on ≤€150 IOSS consignments until 2028; VAT collected at checkout via IOSS. Predictable but no longer duty-free — same regime as all EU members.
Zadar
Official source
- Data as of
- Jul 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Intra-EU shipping is frictionless (single market; all major carriers — DPD, GLS, DHL, Hrvatska pošta — plus UPS/FedEx). Non-EU imports: the EU-wide €150 duty-free threshold was removed on 2026-07-01, with a temporary flat €3/item duty on ≤€150 IOSS consignments until 2028; VAT collected at checkout via IOSS. Predictable but no longer duty-free — same regime as all EU members.
03+−Internet speedMbps, median fixed downloadSplit40.2Zadar40.2
What this measures
Median fixed-broadband download speed over the trailing 6 months from M-Lab NDT open data (CC0), aggregated at country or city level. Not comparable with Ookla figures (different test methodology) — do not mix sources within this criterion.
Higher is better· Mbps, median fixed download· re-verified every 365 days
Split
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Croatia (HR), 2024
Open data
- Data as of
- Jan 16, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Median of the daily country medians available in M-Lab's public stats API for Croatia 2024. NOTE: the public 2024 file currently exposes only the first ~16 days of January (~3,700 tests), so this is a partial-year figure (2023 partial file ≈ 33.6 Mbps).
- Notes
- M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures (Croatian carriers advertise ~100 Mbps averages) — comparable ONLY within this criterion. Partial-window median because M-Lab's public API has not published Croatia's full 2024/2025 daily series; to be refreshed when a full-year file is available.
Zadar
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Croatia (HR), 2024
Open data
- Data as of
- Jan 16, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Median of the daily country medians available in M-Lab's public stats API for Croatia 2024. NOTE: the public 2024 file currently exposes only the first ~16 days of January (~3,700 tests), so this is a partial-year figure (2023 partial file ≈ 33.6 Mbps).
- Notes
- M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures (Croatian carriers advertise ~100 Mbps averages) — comparable ONLY within this criterion. Partial-window median because M-Lab's public API has not published Croatia's full 2024/2025 daily series; to be refreshed when a full-year file is available.
10
Language
CriterionSplitZadar
01+−English proficiencySplitVery highZadarVery high
What this measures
Own banding of how far English gets a resident in daily life (government offices, healthcare, housing, services). Informed by EF EPI band (research source, cited with attribution, not republished) plus official language status and service-sector realities. Values are our bands, not EF scores.
Rated by category· re-verified every 730 days
Split
EF EPI 2025 (rank 2/123, score 617 — Very High band)
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). Croatia ranks 2nd of 123 in EF EPI 2025 (score 617), among the highest non-native results in the world; English is widely usable in cities, tourism and the service sector, and broadly in daily life.
Zadar
EF EPI 2025 (rank 2/123, score 617 — Very High band)
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). Croatia ranks 2nd of 123 in EF EPI 2025 (score 617), among the highest non-native results in the world; English is widely usable in cities, tourism and the service sector, and broadly in daily life.
11
Education
CriterionSplitZadar
01+−International schoolsaccredited international schools, countSplit2Zadarno verified data
What this measures
Count of international schools in the metro area accredited by or member of IB, CIS, COBIS, or an equivalent national-curriculum-abroad body (verified against the accreditor's public registry, not aggregator sites).
Higher is better· accredited international schools, count· re-verified every 730 days
Split
IB World Schools directory (ibo.org) — verified per-school entries for Split
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Both verified individually against the official IB directory: (1) Split International School / Aspalathos Međunarodna Škola — IB code 062271, authorised 2023-04-25, English (ibo.org/en/school/062271; also holds a US MSA-accredited high-school diploma; campus in Dugopolje in the Split metro area); (2) Split International School Harfa — IB code 062367, authorised 2024-01-12, English/Croatian (ibo.org/en/school/062367). No Cambridge International / CIS / COBIS / AEFE / German-Auslandsschule school was found in Split (the British/Cambridge and American international schools are all in Zagreb).
- Notes
- Count = 2, both IB World Schools verified against the IB accreditor registry (not aggregator sites). Second IB entry: ibo.org/en/school/062367. Metro-area basis includes Dugopolje (≈15 km inland). Small but genuine international-school provision for a mid-sized coastal city.
Zadar
Not counted. ibo.org — the registry the Zagreb and Split counts are built on — returns HTTP 403 to automated requests and no Internet Archive snapshot of its Croatia listing exists, so the IB finder could not be read. No IB, Cambridge, AEFE or German school in Zadar turned up in searches, and published guides to international schools in Croatia (expatincroatia.com, updated 2024-07-03) list schools only in Zagreb and Split — so the true count is very probably zero, but a guide is not a registry and this criterion needs the registry.