Rents in Croatia in the first quarter of 2026 were 21.9 percent higher than the average level during 2025.

This placed Croatia convincingly in first place among the countries of the European Union. This is shown by Eurostat data published on 2 July 2026.

The gap compared with other countries is very large. Behind Croatia are Bulgaria with growth of 6.4 percent and Greece with 5 percent, while the European Union average was 1.8 percent. Rents fell only in Slovenia, by 0.9 percent, while in Finland they did not change.

Image source: Eurostat, 2 July 2026, © European Union, 1995-2026, CC BY 4.0.

Housing shortage increases pressure

Among the possible reasons for the strong growth are a shortage of apartments for long-term rent, high demand in Zagreb and coastal cities, and the renting out of some apartments to tourists. Prices may also be affected by higher maintenance costs, rising household income, and the arrival of new workers who need accommodation. However, Eurostat does not state how much each of these reasons contributed to the growth.

The consequences are felt most by tenants, because they have to allocate an ever larger share of their income to housing. It is harder for young people to move out from their parents' home, for families to find a sufficiently large apartment, and for workers to accept a job in a city where rents are too high. More expensive housing can also make it harder for employers to attract workers to tourist and other places with high living costs.

The figure should be interpreted correctly

The increase of 21.9 percent is not a classic annual rate comparing the first quarter of 2026 with the same period in 2025. Eurostat compared one quarter with the average of the entire previous year, so the periods are not completely identical. Therefore, it cannot be claimed that Croatian rents rose by 21.9 percent in just three months, although Croatia is indeed first in the European Union according to the comparison used.

In conclusion, even with methodological caution, the Croatian result stands out sharply from the rest of Europe. If the growth continues, finding affordable housing could become an even bigger problem for young people, families, and workers moving for work. Croatia has thus become the absolute European champion in a category in which citizens least want to win.