Split on a budget

Daily budget and trip cost

AMZBooking estimates per person in US dollars, excluding flights, reviewed October 2026. Accommodation is the biggest variable; prices rise in peak months.

Typical prices

Approximate prices in Split, October 2026. They change; use them for planning, not as quotes.

Money-saving tips

• Visit in June or September for most of the summer weather at noticeably lower accommodation prices.
• Look for marenda or daily set dishes at local konobas, and drink coffee away from the Riva.
• Car ferries to Brač and Šolta cost much less than catamarans and tourist boats.
• Beaches are public; bring your own towel and umbrella rather than renting loungers.
• Stay in Lučac–Manuš or Firule for better value than inside the palace walls.
• Use public buses to Trogir, Omiš and Klis instead of organised tours.

Free things to do

• Diocletian's Palace — Built around 295–305 AD as the retirement residence of the Roman emperor Diocletian, the palace was later settled by refugees from nearby Salona, who built homes, churches and shops into its walls.
• Peristyle and Vestibule — The palace's ceremonial courtyard is lined with granite columns and arches and guarded by a black granite Egyptian sphinx about 3,500 years old, brought here by Diocletian.
• Riva promenade — The wide, palm-lined seafront along the palace's southern wall is Split's living room, with café terraces, white-stone paving and views across the harbour towards the islands.
• Marjan Forest Park — The pine-covered hill at the western tip of the peninsula has been protected as a park for more than a century.
• Gregory of Nin statue — Ivan Meštrović's huge bronze of the 10th-century bishop who defended the use of the Croatian language in church services stands outside the Golden Gate.
• Pazar green market — Outside the palace's Silver Gate, Split's open-air market sells fruit, vegetables, cheese, dried figs, lavender and olive oil, much of it from the islands and the hinterland, along with clothes and household goods.

All free things to do in Split.

Where to stay on a budget

Eating well for less

• Soparnik — Bakeries and some konobas in Split and Omiš, sold by the slice.
• Burek — Bakeries across the city, from early morning.
• Ćevapi — Grill restaurants and fast-food counters across the city.
• Pršut and Pag cheese — Wine bars and konobas, often as a shared plate with local wine.

Getting around for less

Split's old town and the Riva are pedestrian, and the main bus station, train station and ferry port are clustered together just east of the palace. Promet Split buses cover the city, Solin, Klis and the coast towards Trogir and Podstrana, while Jadrolinija and other operators run ferries and catamarans to the islands.

Questions travellers ask