It didn't take long for us to realize RV life was a lot more expensive than we initially thought, and when we considered the type of lifestyle we could be living for the same cost (or even less), we made the decision to sell the RV and go back to our nomadic lifestyle traveling the world. For now, anyways.
Our friend is getting married in Italy in May so it was the perfect excuse to re-visit Europe (for the 5th time), and specifically the Balkans. We fell in love with this area of the world when we visited in 2017 and were keen to get back and spend more time there. We also found the Balkans to be a great value when considering the cost of living and the quality of life.
We visited Zagreb, Croatia during Advent (Christmas markets!) and fell in love with this city. We chose to come back here and base ourselves for a few weeks before renting a car and road tripping to Italy. As promised, we want to give you a glimpse of what life is like as a digital nomad here in Zagreb, as well as the cost of an apartment, food, public transport, etc. We've also just hit publish on a video on our YouTube channel if you prefer to have a visual.
Our Apartment in Zagreb's City Center
Airbnb is what we almost always use to book our apartments when traveling abroad. We really have a love/hate relationship with it as their fees have gone up a lot since we started using it 5 years ago. That being said, it is still the most convenient option for booking apartments long term and to be able to hit the ground running when we land in any given destination. Its also nice to have a place to stay with a kitchen so we can cook our own meals, as well as having other conveniences such as a washing machine, dedicated WIFI, and having a separate living area from the bedroom ( a real marriage saver since Charlie is an early bird).
When we first arrived in Zagreb, we rented an apartment for about $30/night that was great for a couple of days. The only thing it was really lacking was a work space and living area, and since we were staying over 2 weeks, we decided to move to our current apartment at $45/night. We are right in the heart of the city center with fantastic views of the city. We have a separate living area from the bedroom, as well as a desk space to work from. Right below the apartment is 2 bakeries, a small supermarket, a tram stop and many cafes and restaurants. You can take a virtual tour of our apartment below.
That being said, this rate is based on a discounted weekly rate and was booked at the last minute so there weren't as many options available. The daily rate would have been a bit higher, however, a monthly rate would have been discounted a little more. If you were to rent an apartment for a longer term while on the ground, you could more than likely find an apartment even less than that. It all depends on how long you are staying, how close you are to the city center and how you book.
What Is Food Like In Croatia and What Does It Cost?
Eating food in different countries around the world is one of the best things about traveling. So one of the first things we want to know about a destination is "what is the food like?" and "what does it cost?".
Croatia isn't exactly known as a foodie destination, but we've enjoyed trying some of the local dishes. One of our biggest challenges with the food is staying away from the carbs! Their menus are full of delicious breads, pastas, potatoes and there are bakeries on every corner tempting us with their sweet and savory spreads. Its so hard to pass them up! We try to stick to salads and healthier options when traveling as much as we can, but that has been a little more difficult to find here.
That being said, I wanted to share some of the things we've been eating and how much they cost.
Dining Out
Breakfast at a cafe in the city center:
Croissant, coffee and an orange juice: 34 HRK / $5 USD
Omelette: 28 HRK / $4 USD
Cheap Eats
Turkey sandwich and a muffin from the bakery: 30 HRK / $4.50 USD
(2) pre-made salads from the bakery: 42 HRK / $6.30 USD
Chinese noodles w/chicken & veggies: 35 HRK / $5.25 USD
Kebab: 30 HRK / $4.50 USD
Lunch at a Beer Garden/Brewery, including 2 meals, 2 0.5l beers and a coffee(pictured above): 137 HRK / $18 USD
Lunch at a local cafeteria-style restaurant: 2 meals (chicken in a cream sauce with side of rice): 75 HRK / $11.30 USD
Grocery Prices in Croatia
We try to eat at least two meals a day at home to help cut costs because eating out does get expensive. Our breakfasts are simple and usually consist of apples and yogurt for Charlie and a granola bar for me. We also try to keep lunch and dinners as simple as possible so we don't have to buy a lot of unnecessary ingredients we will end up throwing out. Wraps or salads are our go-to simple meal. Just to give you an idea of some prices on groceries here, we've compiled a small list of items.
Item | HRK | USD |
|---|---|---|
Fresh Bread | 8 HRK | $1.20 USD |
Milk (1 Liter) | 6.50 HRK | $1 USD |
Apples (per 1 KG or 2.2 lbs) | 3.99 HRK | $0.60 USD |
Chicken Breast (per 1 KG/2.2 lbs) | 38 HRK | $5.75 USD |
4 pack 0.5l beer | 28 HRK | $4.25 USD |
Deli meat (ham); 100 g | 8 HRK | $1.20 USD |
Gyms in Zagreb
When we stay in cities longer than a couple of weeks, we usually try to find a gym near us. Its really hard staying in shape while traveling and splurging on all the of local eats, so we try to get in as much exercise as our schedule allows. We visited a couple of the gyms when we first arrived in Zagreb, and we eventually decided not to join one. For one, we were only going to be here for 2 weeks and the cost just didn't make sense. We also found the gyms to be small and very crowded so didn't think we would get much use out of joining. Since we are walking everywhere and using the stairs frequently on our 5th floor apartment, we decided we would just get our exercise in other ways this time around.
That being said, we wanted to share with you what we learned. Forma Fitness was probably the best option as it was centrally located and prices were fair. We were told it was 260 HRK ($39 USD) for one person for one month. Alternatively, we could get a family plan and pay 400 HRK ($60 USD) for two people for one month. Membership included various classes as well.
We also checked out Body Art, but it was a little too far out of our way and prices were a bit higher.
Mobile/Cell/Internet
We have T-mobile plans that allow us to use data internationally, however, they throttle the speeds down to 2G. Its really nice to have internet on our phones immediately when we land, but the speeds are really only good enough for maps, messages and emails. We usually try to get a local SIM for faster internet speeds and also to use as a hotspot for working on our laptops. There are 3 main carriers here and our Uber driver informed us they are all pretty similar in terms of cost, but the best coverage is likely T-mobile. We headed to the T-mobile in the city center and were given the following costs:
Weekly Prepaid Plan with Unlimited Internet Only: 85 HRK / $12 USD
Monthly Prepaid Plan including 6 G of data, 1000 SMS and 1000 Minutes: 84 HRK / $12 USD.
There are various other plans available as well, depending on how much usage you need. Keep in mind these prices were given in April 2019 and will likely fluctuate.
Public Transport
The best way to get around the city really is to walk everywhere. This is one thing we love and really appreciate about European cities. We love the ability to get around by foot and Zagreb is perfect for that. Everywhere within the city center can be reached within a 20 minute walk.
However, they do have public buses and trams as well, and they are really affordable. A 30-minute journey is 4 HRK / $0.60 USD, a 60-minute journey is 7 HRK / $1 USD, and a 90-minute ride is 10 HRK / $1.50 USD. They also have daily passes available for 30 HRK / $4.50 USD or monthly passes for 400 HRK / $60 USD.
Taxis are readily available, but we almost never use taxis as they are known to be scammy and don't have the best reputation. We find Uber is always the best bet so we don't have to worry about carrying cash, getting scammed, or getting to the right address. Our trip from the airport to the city center (about 15-20 min) was 95 HRK / $14 USD. When we switched apartments, our Uber ride was 14 HRK / $2.10 USD for a 1.5km journey.
Top 3 Non-Smoking Cafes/Coffee Shops for Digital Nomads
Finding a good place to work for a few hours each day is always an important factor when considering new destinations. Zagreb has been a little more challenging due to the fact that smoking inside the cafes is still legal ( I believe as long as there is no food being served). While this may be a positive for some, neither of us can handle being surrounded by smoke, especially indoors. We have managed to find a few good non-smoking spots, however.
Cogito
This is probably my favorite. They have the best coffee in Zagreb for sure, and the internet is really fast as well. They have indoor and outdoor seating, but the best spot to work is at the large community table inside. This place gets extremely busy though, so its not always easy snagging a spot there.
Quahwa
Quahwa also has really great coffee and we both love their cozy interior. They have seating on the second floor as well and its usually pretty quiet so a great spot to work from. The internet can be very spotty though, and we've had to leave abruptly on a few occasions when its practically non-existent (when it gets busy).
Velvet
We've read in reviews that this is a place to be seen, and we can see why. Its definitely a popular local spot with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Most people seem to sit outdoors where smoking is allowed, so that leaves plenty of room indoors to grab a table. The tables and chairs aren't the most comfortable for working long periods of time, but the internet is always consistent and so is the coffee.
