Information on the running costs of a property in Croatia
What running costs arise after buying a property in Croatia? Which charges are mandatory? An overview of electricity, water, waste, property management, municipal charges, property tax, TV licence, etc.
Running costs of a property in Croatia
As of 2026 | Administration / contact | Approx. charges |
|---|---|---|
Electricity | HEP or a private alternative | 16 - 18 cents per kWh (as of 2026) |
Water and sewerage | Vodovod - price per m³ + small monthly charge | average price per cubic metre approx. 2 EUR + average monthly charge of approx. 4 EUR (as of 2026) |
Waste collection | Administration / operator depends on the municipality | between 120 and 320 EUR per year depending on usage / collection frequency (as of 2026) |
Municipal charges | Municipality | approx. 1 - 2 EUR / m². On average 1.6 EUR / m² / year (as of 2026) |
Property tax | Tax office - payable for properties without registered residents | between 0.60 - 8.00 EUR / m² / year (as of 2026) |
Broadcasting fee (similar to the GEZ in Germany or the GIS in Austria) | charged per household - regardless of the number of devices | monthly fee of 10.62 EUR (as of 2026) |
Electricity:
electricity prices in Croatia are fairly low by EU standards and much cheaper than in Germany or Austria, for example. As a rule, electricity in Croatia comes from the state supplier HEP ("Hrvatska Elektroprivreda"). It supplies around 90% of households. There are also private alternatives such as E.ON. Depending on the tariff, electricity costs around 15 to 18 cents per kWh.
Price regulation / the maximum price for electricity is set by law in Croatia. The state covers the difference between the market price and the regulated price.
Water:
In Croatia, the price per cubic metre varies somewhat. The same applies to the monthly water charge. On average, water costs around 2 EUR per cubic metre. The average monthly charge is just under 4 EUR.
Waste charge / waste collection:
as with water, the waste charge consists of a fixed part and a variable part based on actual usage or collection frequency and the size of the bin.
Municipal charges:
are used for municipal infrastructure. They are calculated using the formula B x Kz x Kn x m².
B = base value (approx. 1-2.5 EUR), Kz = zone coefficient (approx. 0.8 - 1.5), Kn = use coefficient (1.0 for residential use).
On average, the base value in Croatia is 1.6 EUR / m² / year.
Property tax:
this new tax was introduced in 2025 and applies to empty properties or properties let to tourists (or properties let for less than 10 months a year). It ranges from 0.60 EUR to 8 EUR per m² per year (the municipality can adjust the rate).
The aim is to support affordable housing with long-term tenancies. It also strengthens municipal budgets.
Broadcasting fee:
mandatory for every household with one or more broadcast receivers (radio, TV, PC etc.), regardless of the number of devices. It amounts to 10.62 EUR per month.
Which address are the bills sent to?
By default, bills are sent to the Croatian address. To avoid overflowing letterboxes and forgotten bills, we recommend that our clients register with each supplier to receive their bills by email. In practice this usually works well.