One Reddit user asked members of the r/Split community which sectors they work in, how much they earn, and what salary they believe is needed for a good life.

The responses showed major differences between professions, but also how much resolved housing issues affect satisfaction with income. The discussion can be found here.

In just a few days, the post gathered more than 100 comments. Users mentioned amounts ranging from less than 1,000 euros to several hundred euros per day, but many were not satisfied even with salaries above the Croatian average.

A pedagogue and Croatian language teacher wrote that she earns around 1,400 euros per month and lives alone as a tenant. Since that amount is not enough for her, she gives private lessons in Croatian and other subjects for younger students, prepares high school seniors, and works seasonal jobs during holidays. That way, as she says, she manages to live well.

She additionally earns around 300 euros per month from tutoring, while she has a contract for exam preparation classes. She stated that she does not publicly advertise her services so as not to have problems with the Tax Administration. When asked why she does not open a flat-rate sole proprietorship, she replied that it would currently represent an additional complication for her, but that in the future she wants to start something of her own.

One user revealed that she receives around 1,500 euros, while her husband earns approximately 3,000 euros. She jokingly added that she is not particularly satisfied with her own salary, but she is with her husband's.

An electrical engineer with one year of experience stated that he has 1,500 euros net. Since he does not own an apartment, that amount is not enough for him. Another user replied that his brother worked for three years after finishing secondary electrical engineering school and then went to Norway. There, according to him, he has a significantly higher salary, food and accommodation provided, and after one month of work he spends two weeks at home.

Another electrical engineer, who receives 1,400 euros and has a company car, briefly stated that he is not satisfied.

Yet another electrical engineer works in three shifts maintaining a plant. Depending on the month, he receives between 1,600 and 2,000 euros, but he is not satisfied either and briefly said that all of it is poor.

Salaries in medicine in particular sparked many reactions. One doctor wrote that in emergency services he has an hourly rate of 15 euros, while colleagues in specialization receive around 11 euros per hour. He says they increase their salary with overtime work, but that the base amount is too low. He added that his friend earns more during the waiter season, as does the hairdresser whose services he uses.

'Are you serious, that's a doctor's hourly rate?', one user asked him. Others said that doctors, considering the education and responsibility their job carries, deserve significantly more.

On the other hand, earnings in seafaring surprised many. One seafarer stated that for every day spent on the ship he gets 416 euros. While he is at home there is no such income, and he pays pension and health insurance himself on an annual basis. Others commented that this is an amount unattainable for most citizens and with which one can live very well in Croatia.

A worker in the automotive industry complained about an hourly rate of 6.80 euros. He works in three shifts, and with night work and Saturdays he accumulates around 220 billable hours per month. His salary thus reaches between 1,500 and 1,550 euros. Although he considers that too little, the mitigating circumstance for him is that he does not pay rent.

Also dissatisfied is a worker in accounting who, with a university degree and three years of experience, receives 1,460 euros net. A Master of Mechanical Engineering, on the other hand, stated that she is satisfied with a salary of 2,000 euros, but emphasized that it means a lot to her that she has no rent expense.

The comment by a salesperson who stated 950 euros as monthly earnings did not provoke much discussion.

A kindergarten teacher with a university degree and four years of service has an hourly rate between 7 and 8 euros. With bonuses, she earns from 1,400 to 1,500 euros per month. Given the demanding nature of the job and the great responsibility, she is not completely satisfied, but considers her total income acceptable nonetheless.

One single person who did not reveal what he does concluded that 2,500 euros is enough for a comfortable life. The entire discussion nevertheless showed that satisfaction with salary does not depend only on the amount. Owning one's own property, rent, family obligations, and working hours often make a bigger difference than a few hundred euros on the payslip.

The amounts in the discussion are based on the claims of anonymous users and have not been independently verified. The comments also do not represent official research nor do they necessarily reflect the income of all employees in Split or Croatia.