
According to Study in Croatia, you will need €500–800 a month to live (the European Commission gives €400–800). Zagreb and the coastal cities are the most expensive.
A place in a student residence costs around €35–130 a month, depending on the city. Residences are run by the Student Centres (Studentski centar), which allocate places according to quotas – there are few places for foreigners. You can look for a private room on sites such as Njuskalo.hr or Oglasnik.hr.
If you are an EU citizen studying full-time, you can eat cheaply in student canteens (menza) – you pay with your student card (iksica), which is topped up with a set subsidy every month. Any unused amount expires at the end of the month.
Sources: European Commission – Study in Europe (education.ec.europa.eu/study-in-europe), Eurostat, official national study and residence portals and authorities, Eurodesk, enic-naric.net, studentnews.eu. As of September 2026.