The capital metropolis of Croatia is a energetic, historic, vibrant, and enjoyable place to spend a while. In case you’re pondering of residing in Zagreb, prepare for an expertise like no different; this place is stuffed with issues to see and do, and also you’ll most likely by no means need to go away. I do know I didn’t.
In January 2021, Croatia’s digital nomad visa opened the doorways for extra individuals to spend time on this stunning nation. For me, it’s top-of-the-line locations on the earth; the surroundings, seashores, tradition, meals, and pleasant locals are second to none. However as a digital nomad residing in Zagreb, you’ll have to know what to anticipate earlier than you go.
Handily, I can share my experiences so you possibly can guarantee a clean keep on this stunning metropolis.
About Zagreb
Zagreb is each the capital and largest metropolis in Croatia. It’s positioned within the north of the nation, not removed from the border with Slovenia. It’s a really fairly metropolis too, standing on the banks of the Sava River, with the massive Medvednica mountain looming within the close to distance.
In case you’re a historical past lover, you’re positive to benefit from the metropolis’s wealthy Roman previous. There are numerous ruins across the metropolis, together with the Roman Andautonia, and Zagreb as an entire is full of historic nods, as the entire metropolis got here to be in 1134.
But it surely’s not all historical past. Zagreb is full of modern-day enjoyable too, together with nightlife, gastronomy, procuring, and artwork. The encircling space can be filled with must-visit locations, with climbing trails within the Medvednica mountain and Veternica Cave, full of archaeological wonders.
Digital Nomad in Zagreb: Private Expertise
For me, the beauty of life in Zagreb is that it’s extra genuine than many different components of the nation. In case you go to a seashore vacation spot, like Break up or Dubrovnik, positive, you’ll see native life, however not like you possibly can in Zagreb. I felt welcomed by the locals within the capital metropolis, and by the tip of my time there, I actually felt like I’d skilled the actual Croatia.
Zagreb is a good spot for digital nomads. I by no means had any points with the WiFi, I met numerous different distant staff and located many coworking areas and cafes to work from.
There’s a lot to see and do in and across the metropolis too. Your days off won’t ever be boring, and so far as meals goes, you’ll have an unimaginable alternative accessible to you.
Is Zagreb Protected?
When excited about residing in Zagreb as a digital nomad, or wherever new, certainly one of your first considerations is probably going security. The excellent news is that Zagreb is a secure metropolis. I by no means as soon as felt unnerved or unsafe throughout my time there, even at evening. That being stated, this can be a capital metropolis, so it’s advisable to at all times use your frequent sense, particularly in crowded areas.
Together with normal precautions when visiting any new vacation spot, watch your bag within the metropolis heart, as there’ll at all times be opportunistic pickpockets every now and then. Apart from that, Zagreb is fairly secure throughout, and so far as capitals go, I felt very safe right here.
SEE ALSO: 15 Professionals and Cons of Residing in Croatia
Greatest Areas to Stay in Zagreb
When residing in Zagreb, it’s vital to decide on the fitting neighborhood. Not solely does this imply you’re extra more likely to have a greater time since you’re near what you need to see, however you’ll save money too. Listed below are my suggestions.
1. Decrease City/Donji Grad
I feel the Donji Grad space is a good spot for digital nomads and I stayed right here myself. That is within the central a part of town, so that you’re near all the pieces, together with cafes and coworking spots. It’s additionally an ideal place for assembly different distant staff.
Nevertheless, it’s not all hustle and bustle as there are some nice parks to calm down in through the summer season months. The lease costs listed below are fairly common too, contemplating it’s such a central space.
2. Higher City/Gornji Grad
Gornji Grad is the higher a part of town heart, and that is one other nice space for distant staff. There’s a really energetic digital nomad group round this space, which means that it’s nice for networking and assembly different like-minded individuals.
In case you’re a Zagreb digital nomad who’s into historical past, staying right here places you proper within the coronary heart of it. That is the medieval a part of town, so that you’ll discover stunning structure in all places you look. Regardless of its historical past, there’s nonetheless loads of modern-day enjoyable available with numerous cafes, bars, eating places, and procuring alternatives.
3. Maksimir
In case you favor a bit extra peace and quiet, Maksimir is an effective alternative. You’ll discover an enormous park right here—the biggest within the metropolis—and loads of cafes.
Maksimir has a extra laid-back really feel, in my view, however it’s additionally house to town’s soccer stadium so it could actually get just a little loud throughout house video games. You might say that Maksimir is extra suburban, however it’s nonetheless inside very straightforward attain of town heart.
4. Šalata
In case you’re working remotely in Zagreb and are searching for a extra luxurious place to remain, Šalata is value contemplating. Right here, you’ll discover massive homes, flats, and even villas. Nevertheless, you’ll pay extra for lease on this space.
When you’ve got the finances, I’d suggest this neighborhood to anybody who enjoys artwork and music. There’s a thriving arts scene on this space and common festivals and occasions are held all through the summer season months.
The right way to Discover Lodging in Zagreb
The largest hurdle for digital nomads, wherever on the earth you’re, is discovering lodging to fit your wants and finances. Listed below are my prime picks on the place to discover a place to remain in Zagreb.
1. Airbnb: There’s a variety of nice lodging accessible on Airbnb, and lots of locations settle for long-term stays. I stayed in an condominium for a month this manner, and I managed to avoid wasting on the common worth of lease throughout town. The one draw back is if you wish to keep within the metropolis heart—Airbnb listings are typically extra suburban.
2. Reserving.com: You’ll discover a wide variety of hostels, resorts, and serviced lodging at good costs on reserving.com. Once I first arrived in Zagreb, I stayed in a hostel I booked via this web site, and I used to be very proud of my alternative.
3. Enquire at coworking areas: In case you inquire with different distant staff and employees at coworking areas, it’s possible you’ll discover somebody who wants a roommate. It’s common to seek out advertisements pinned on the partitions, so preserve your eyes peeled.
4. Fb teams: Head over to Fb and have a look at digital nomad teams in Zagreb. There are a number of accessible, and you’ll search for advertisements there. In fact, you too can inquire about sharing alternatives and ask for recommendation from individuals already there.
Price of Residing in Zagreb
I discovered the price of residing in Zagreb to be just a little decrease than in different main European capitals. In case you’re being paid in a overseas foreign money, e.g. {dollars}, nevertheless, you’ll discover that your cash does go barely additional. That will help you finances, listed below are some approximate prices.
Eating places and Groceries
In case you eat at eating places which can be aimed towards vacationers, you possibly can anticipate to pay much more. As an illustration, you’re round €12-€15/$13-$17 for a rooster/pizza model meal, but you possibly can go to an area restaurant and eat conventional meals for round €8/$9. The excellent news is that espresso is fairly low-cost; you will get a good-quality cappuccino for round €1.80/$2.
It’s a good suggestion to cook dinner at house as it will undoubtedly prevent money. You possibly can decide up a kilo of rooster breasts for round €8/$9, beef for round €12/$13, and recent produce could be very low-cost, normally round €1-€2/$1.10-$2.20 per kilo. With all of that, you possibly can cook dinner meals that may final for just a few days.
Lodging Prices
So far as life in Zagreb goes, I discovered lodging to be my largest expense. For that purpose, store round earlier than you decide to something, particularly by way of neighborhood.
On common, a one-bedroom condominium within the metropolis heart will price round €530/$580 per thirty days, with utilities on prime, relying on how a lot you employ. I might estimate a median quantity for month-to-month utilities to be round €200/$218.
Transportation Prices in Zagreb
The excellent news is that getting round Zagreb is straightforward and low-cost. A one-way ticket on any type of public transport will price you round €0.60/$0.65. Nevertheless Zagreb isn’t an enormous, sprawling metropolis, and I discovered it fairly straightforward to stroll to most locations, because of staying comparatively centrally.
You possibly can take buses, trams, taxis, Ubers, and the funicular railway to the Higher City, all of which run repeatedly. Nevertheless, it’s value remembering that taxis and Uber are the costliest choices. I solely used these once I was out late at evening and it was a safer alternative.
SIM Playing cards and Knowledge
I purchased a SIM card from Hrvatski Telekom, also referred to as Simpa, and this lasted throughout my keep. The cardboard price €3/$3.30, and I merely topped it up with the quantity of credit score I needed. I solely wanted my passport and I simply went into one of many shops, the place the pleasant assistant set all of it up for me.
Alternatively, you should use A1, Telemach Croatia, or Tomato, all of which have an analogous setup course of. An eSIM is another choice, and Airalo is broadly used throughout Croatia, with good connectivity.
Cash Saving Suggestions for Zagreb
- Store native: When residing in Zagreb, purchase recent produce from the native markets, meat from the butcher, and solely use supermarkets for cabinet necessities. You’ll save money fairly rapidly.
- Keep away from touristic eating places: You’ll pay an entire lot extra, and also you received’t get to eat genuine meals. Head to the native, genuine eating places and also you’ll save lots of money.
- Keep away from peak instances: Zagreb is busy all yr round however Easter, Christmas, and New Yr are whenever you’ll discover costs for lodging improve. Attempt to keep away from these instances if attainable.
- Take a look at sharing lodging: Coliving and sharing an condominium are good methods to avoid wasting money and nonetheless have a snug place to remain. Coworking spots are the place to seek out out extra details about this.
- Stroll as a lot as you possibly can: I discovered Zagreb a really walkable metropolis, and though public transport is affordable, it can save you quite a bit in the long run. Keep away from utilizing taxis or Uber except you actually need to.
Coworking Areas in Zagreb and WiFi Pace
In case you’re contemplating working remotely in Zagreb, the web high quality is more likely to be your largest concern. The excellent news is that I by no means had a problem with the WiFi and I discovered it to be top quality. In accordance with Speedtest, Zagreb’s common add and obtain speeds are 46.99 Mbps and 111.79 Mbps respectively.
In case you’re somebody who enjoys working from coworking areas, you’ll discover a lot throughout town. Listed below are some high-quality choices:
1. Impression Hub
Impression Hub is among the hottest coworking spots in Zagreb, and I labored from right here a number of instances. You may need labored in one other department throughout Europe, and their places of work are typically standardized. The Zagreb workplace could be very smooth and trendy and has extraordinarily comfy chairs.
I discovered the web right here to be wonderful, and it has such a welcoming environment inside. I met many different distant staff right here, so it’s nice for networking and socializing.
2. Hub 385
Hub 385 is one other prime coworking house in central Zagreb. You possibly can join a month-to-month membership bundle when you intend to make use of the house quite a bit, or you possibly can e-book a day house and use one of many sizzling desks. In case you do that, it’s finest to name forward as they do get fairly busy.
This coworking house has common occasions all through the week so you possibly can meet different individuals simply. It has a snug really feel, and there’s free tea and occasional all through the day, in addition to a kitchen space for getting ready meals.
3. Regus
I labored from this coworking house just a few instances and I discovered Regus to be a best choice. It has a really trendy and smooth vibe, and the day costs are fairly cheap, at €6.70/7.35 per day. Inside that, you get free tea, espresso, and water.
The web could be very quick and dependable right here; I did a number of video calls and had no points. The workplace is basically brilliant, and the seating is tremendous comfy, setting you up for a productive day.
Greatest Cafes to Work From in Zagreb
Though I like coworking areas sometimes, I do favor to work from cafes. Fortunately, there are various wonderful choices in Zagreb – listed below are my prime picks:
- Potter: Potter is a smooth and trendy place to take a seat for just a few hours and get some work achieved. The WiFi is superb, and their coffees are a few of the finest I discovered in Zagreb. This spot can be fairly cheap in worth, which is at all times a bonus.
- Program Bar: This can be a great spot to work through the day, and the employees haven’t any points with individuals sitting with their laptops. The costs are cheap, and the seats are extraordinarily comfy too. The WiFi right here is especially sturdy.
- Inverno: In case you’re searching for someplace a bit fancier, with actually nice meals, I’d extremely suggest Inverno. There’s an outside seating space which is good for working, and the WiFi is dependable. I met just a few different distant staff right here, so it’s nice for networking too.
SEE ALSO: 10 Greatest Cities in Croatia for Digital Nomads
Actions and Issues To Do in Zagreb
The beauty of being a digital nomad in Zagreb is that there’s a lot to see and do when you’ve completed work for the day or on a hard-earned time off. I by no means discovered myself feeling bored throughout my time as a nomad in Zagreb. Listed below are a few of my favourite spots within the metropolis:
1. Higher & Decrease Cities
Each the higher and decrease components of town are value exploring, and they are often achieved on foot. The winding, cobbled streets are crammed with architectural wonders and small boutiques. I stumbled upon many cute cafes round this space too.
I’d recommend you are taking a strolling tour to get probably the most out of your time. These excursions solely final round 2.5 hours so it’s excellent for becoming into a daily work day. With the assistance of an skilled information, you’ll be taught extra in regards to the historical past and respect the place you’re residing an entire lot extra.
2. Dolac Market
Dolac Market is the best place to get your recent fruit and greens in addition to all method of different scrumptious produce, together with freshly caught fish. If you need a style of genuine Croatian life, that is the place to go! It’s an ideal place to fulfill pleasant locals and preserve prices down on meals expenditure too.
I’d suggest going early within the morning when you can, as that is whenever you’ll seize the freshest fare. It could possibly get very busy right here with locals filling up their pantries, however simply take your time and take in the environment. The distributors can even allow you to strive issues when you ask, so don’t be afraid to go for it.
3. Zagreb Cathedral
The central level of town is Zagreb Cathedral, and it’s effectively value a go to simply to take a look at the attractive structure. You possibly can see the steeple of the cathedral from most components of town, and it’s the icon of Zagreb general.
You possibly can, after all, go contained in the cathedral, particularly throughout providers and mass. The within is simply as spectacular as the surface, if no more so. Be aware when taking pictures; it’s finest to keep away from doing so when providers are in progress, however outdoors of that point, you possibly can take images of the inside.
4. Maksimir Park
The gorgeous Maksimir Park is the oldest public park within the metropolis, and it’s a beautiful place for a stroll it doesn’t matter what the time of yr. Through the summer season months, you’ll see households having fun with a picnic and youngsters enjoying. Nevertheless, my favourite time to go to this park is through the winter, when there’s a cozy and virtually Narnia-like really feel.
You might even take your laptop computer and sit underneath a shady tree when you needed a scenic place to get some work achieved. I did this a few instances and though the previous ‘glare on the display screen’ downside was annoying, it was a very nice place to spend a few hours.
5. Museum of Damaged Relationships
I wasn’t positive what to anticipate from this museum, particularly because the identify sounds moderately miserable, however it’s certainly one of my favourite locations in Zagreb. The Museum of Damaged Relationships tells the story of affection tales gone incorrect however with loads of emotion and background data.
It’s an ideal spot to go on a leisurely time off, and it’s actually one of many extra distinctive issues to do in and across the capital. I’d suggest you spend 1-2 hours right here, so if it’s raining or notably chilly, that is the best exercise to interrupt up your day.
Climate in Zagreb
Residing in Zagreb as a digital nomad means you’re open to the weather relying upon whenever you go. Situated within the northwest of the nation, Zagreb has 4 distinct seasons, and my favourite instances are spring and autumn when you possibly can actually really feel the change of climate within the air.
Through the summer season months, Zagreb experiences a median excessive of 28C/82F in July, which is the most well liked month. Nevertheless, Zagreb nonetheless experiences rain in the summertime months, with July experiencing a median of 104.3mm. November is the rainiest month at 117.9mm, and it’s more likely to snow between November and February.
The winter can see nighttime temperatures as little as -2C/28F in January, nevertheless, the spring months arrive in Could when the typical is round 20C/50F. Right now, many individuals head off to the coastal areas for the summer season season however don’t assume that’s the one means—Zagreb is a stupendous place in summer season and tends to be just a little cooler than cities and cities on the coast.
Professionals and Cons of Residing in Zagreb
Earlier than you turn out to be a Zagreb digital nomad, it’s vital to contemplate either side of the coin. Though I consider that the professionals far outweigh the cons, each single vacation spot on the earth has upsides and downsides, and Zagreb isn’t any totally different.
SEE ALSO: 15 Professionals and Cons of Residing in Croatia
SEE ALSO: Digital Nomad Information to Residing in Croatia
Professionals of Residing in Zagreb
- Zagreb is a compact metropolis: One of many issues I loved most about Zagreb is that I may stroll to many locations. You will want public transport typically, however it’s a compact metropolis, and it’s fairly straightforward to get round on foot.
- Loads of inexperienced areas: Zagreb isn’t a concrete jungle like many capitals and there are various inexperienced areas. Maksimir Park is the biggest park within the metropolis and an ideal place to calm down.
- Many different digital nomads: With the brand new digital nomad visa, Zagreb has turn out to be an actual digital nomad hotspot, particularly through the winter months. It’s very easy to fulfill individuals, both for work or socially.
- A extra genuine lifestyle: I discovered the ‘actual’ Croatia in Zagreb. When you’ll discover conventional customs and tradition in Dubrovnik and different touristic spots, the capital is the place you’ll perceive the genuine Croatian means.
- A lot to see and do: Being a capital metropolis, Zagreb affords a lot to see and do, together with historical past, structure, tradition, artwork, gastronomy, procuring, and wonderful nightlife.
- Wonderful WiFi: Web entry is important for a digital nomad, and I by no means had any points with connectivity whereas I used to be in Zagreb.
Cons of Residing in Zagreb
- You could need to go to the seashore in the summertime: Zagreb doesn’t have a seashore, so when the summer season months arrive, it’s possible you’ll end up craving for seashore time. I actually did, and that’s once I relocated to Break up and Korčula.
- Lodging may be difficult to seek out: Whereas not inconceivable, discovering lodging in Zagreb may be tough, particularly within the metropolis heart. It’s finest to e-book an Airbnb or a hostel earlier than you arrive after which search for one thing extra appropriate whilst you’re there.
- Price of residing is decrease proper now however is rising: Zagreb’s price of residing is low in comparison with another massive European cities, however over the past couple of years there was a slight rise. In fact, this merely means you want to search for intelligent methods to avoid wasting money.
Digital Nomad Visa for Zagreb
Residing in Zagreb has turn out to be quite a bit simpler because of the Croatian digital nomad visa, which was launched in 2021. This visa is open to third-country freelancers and enterprise house owners for as much as one yr, and through this time, you’re not required to pay tax in Croatia; you merely proceed paying the place you’re registered.
The one draw back is that you simply can not renew this visa, so after one yr, you must go away. The excellent news is you can reapply six months after your previous visa expires. Click on right here for all required documentation, and browse our full article right here.
You possibly can apply for the visa earlier than you arrive in Croatia or when you arrive. In case you do that, you’ll want a visa to enter the nation. Croatia is within the Schengen zone, however be sure you test the entry necessities in your nation of origin.
In Conclusion
This digital nomad information to Zagreb has given you all the data you want to determine whether or not the Croatian capital is your subsequent vacation spot. I extremely suggest you go; I actually loved my time in Zagreb, and it’s someplace I’d like to return to.
You can too use Zagreb as a winter vacation spot after which go to the coastal areas through the summer season. With a lot to see and do, Zagreb offers you a snug house base, whereas additionally displaying you the genuine Croatian lifestyle.
