Living in Croatia

Croatia is the hardest of this group to break into. The economy leans heavily on its coastline, and much of the steady work runs through tourism and hospitality, shaped by the rhythm of the seasons. Pay is reasonable for the region and tax leaves most of it with you, so for those who find a footing the money stretches to a solid life. But for a newcomer without local ties or the language, open doors are scarce outside the visitor economy, and even there, English reaches little past the tourist-facing roles.

Croatia sends more people abroad than it takes in, with a diaspora of about 826.2K — though it has been nearly flat, up just 3% over the past decade. Croatians abroad are concentrated in Germany (271.2K) and neighboring Serbia. The country is also a destination of sorts: of its 523.1K foreign-born residents, the great majority were born in Bosnia and Herzegovina.