We all know that nothing quenches your thirst better on a blistering hot summer day than an ice cold beer. We also know that drinking beer in Croatia is almost as necessary as drinking water. You almost never see a cafe table without a half liter sitting pretty atop it, and you know all the local bars are pumping up taps with your favorites. Since beer is considered the cheapest way to drink in Croatia (and the definite quickest way to get drunk) what does cheap beer mean in Croatia and how do you know when you’re getting ripped off? We’re here to bring you the beer pricing guide to Croatia in hopes that you’ll never order wrongly at a bar or restaurant again.
The cheapest beers you can get: Obviously, whatever is domestic is typically going to be the best bang for your buck. Pan, Karlovačko, and Ožujsko run about 12kn for a 0.3 liter, and about 15kn-20kn for 0.5 liters. Paying upwards of 20kn for any of these is a rip off, and even paying 20kn for these beers is a steep price. Another great thing? You can find domestic beers in 2 liter plastic bottles in supermarkets for around 15kn, so if you’re really trying to budget your drinking, you know where to go.
Croatian craft beers: Croatia is currently going through a craft beer revolution, and with that comes some great new beers, at prices still reasonable for the product. Craft beers such as Barba, Zmajska, Medvedgrad, and Nova Runda name just a few of the bustling bunch of craft beers we have in the country now. You can typically get 0.3 liters of a Croatian craft beer for about 15kn-18kn, and 20kn-24kn for 0.5 liters.
Bottled beers: If you’re getting a domestic bottled beer, you’ll usually be paying the same price as draft, give or take a few kuna. Imported beers are where you need to watch out, as those can knock you back 25kn and upwards just for a 0.3 liter! At the end of the day, we have so many good beers here it’s usually never worth it to order a Corona (why?) or anything relatively similar.
Where you’re drinking: Another massive factor that will come into play with your beer drinking is where you’re drinking it. Split and Zagreb for instance boast some of the cheapest beer prices for Croatia, and being the one and two largest cities in Croatia, that’s pretty reasonable. If you’re in Old Town Dubrovnik and Hvar Town? Good luck. Since those destinations are known as tourist traps and attractions, they’ll up the prices generously. And by generously we mean starting prices for 0.3 liters are around 20kn. Pintprices.com even justified this, naming the average price for a pint in the city of Zagreb is €1.45 , in Split €1.84, on the island of Hvar starting at €2.3 (this is not for Hvar town), and Dubrovnik a whopping €3.22.
All in all, be conscious, be aware, and use this guide so as to not get ripped off. Beer is love and we want you to enjoy it just as badly as you want to enjoy it. Order wisely!
