← Part of the Croatia money guide
Croatiachecked Jul 2026Do I need cash in Croatia, or can I use cards?
Short answer: a card for most things, a little euro cash for the rest. The big update: Croatia switched to the euro in 2023, so any older advice about the kuna is out of date. Here is how to handle it.
At a glance
Currency
Euro (EUR), since 2023
Was
The kuna, now retired
Cards
Card-friendly, contactless common
On a card
Choose euros, not dollars
Cards, mostly, with a little cash. The big change: Croatia adopted the euro on 1 January 2023, retiring the kuna, so any older guidance quoting kuna prices is out of date, it is euros now. Croatia is card-friendly: contactless is common in cities and along the coast, and Apple Pay and Google Pay are widely taken. Keep some euro cash for small shops, markets, islands and rural spots. Choose euros, not dollars on any card or ATM.
It is euros now, not kuna
The headline for returning visitors: Croatia joined the euro on 1 January 2023 (and Schengen the same day), retiring the old kuna. Any guidebook or blog still quoting kuna prices is out of date; the currency is now the euro.
Croatia is card-friendly. Contactless, Apple Pay and Google Pay are widely accepted in cities and along the tourist coast, and Visa and Mastercard work in most places. Keep some euro cash for small shops, markets, islands, ferries and rural spots, which lean more on cash.
Choose euros, not dollars
When a card terminal or ATM asks whether to charge in dollars or euros, always choose euros. Dollars trigger dynamic currency conversion at a rate about 3 to 8% worse than your own bank's. Decline it every time.
For cash, use an ATM (a bankomat) attached to a real bank, such as Zagrebacka banka or Privredna banka Zagreb, rather than a standalone Euronet kiosk, which charges high fees and pushes the dollar conversion.
How much cash, and paying
A card covers most spending, especially in Dubrovnik, Split and Zagreb. Keep a little euro cash for markets, islands, small ferries and rural areas, where cards are less certain. Use a debit card at the ATM to avoid cash-advance fees.
For the wider picture, see the Croatia money guide.
Common questions
Quick answers.
Do I need cash in Croatia?
A little. Croatia is card-friendly, and contactless is common in cities and along the coast. Keep some euro cash for markets, islands, ferries and rural spots, but a card covers most spending.
Does Croatia use the euro or the kuna?
The euro. Croatia adopted the euro on 1 January 2023, retiring the kuna, so any older advice quoting kuna prices is out of date. The currency is now the euro.
Should I pay in euros or dollars in Croatia?
Always euros. If a card machine or ATM offers dollars, decline: that dynamic currency conversion adds roughly 3 to 8%, and your own bank's rate is better.
Is Croatia still on the kuna?
No. Croatia switched from the kuna to the euro on 1 January 2023. Prices, cards and cash are all in euros now, so ignore older kuna figures.
More on Croatia
The little money things nobody warns you about.
- Tipping in CroatiaCroatia has a modest tipping culture. Staff earn a wage, tips are appreciated rather than expected, and since 2023 you tip in euros, not the old kuna. Here is what you actually owe.
- Bringing your dog or cat to Croatia.Croatia runs on the single EU pet-entry process for a US-origin dog or cat: microchip, rabies in the right order, and an EU health certificate on a 10-day clock. No quarantine, no rabies titer. Here is what that means for Croatia, and the local parts worth knowing.
Sources, and how this was checked
Last checkedJul 2026
- European Central Bankthe official euro reference exchange rates
- US State DepartmentCroatia country information
Our own readCroatia's euro adoption on 1 January 2023 is a fixed fact, and much older travel advice still references the kuna, so this update matters. The euro rate moves, and the firm rule is to decline dollar conversion. Checked July 2026.