In August, the consumer basket of basic food and hygiene products for a family of four in Croatia cost an average of 484.15 euros, 3.16 euros more than in July, with the highest costs recorded in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County, the Croatian agency HINA reported, citing data from a monthly survey by the price comparison portal Koliko.hr, BTA reported.
The most expensive consumer basket of essential goods was registered in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County (498.75 euros), followed by Zagreb (496.33 euros) and Karlovac County (495.82 euros). The cheapest is in Brod-Posavin County (467.36 euros), followed by Sisak-Moslavina County (467.97 euros) and Vukovar-Syrmia County (469.50 euros). The difference between the most expensive and the cheapest county has decreased from 35.12 euros to 31.39 euros.
For a family of three, the value of the basic consumer basket in August amounted to 384.56 euros - an increase of 2.33 euros compared to July, while the value of the basket for one person increased by 74 cents to 248.17 euros.
The basic consumer basket includes 51 basic food and household hygiene products and covers the minimum monthly needs, without including luxury goods or surplus. It contains basic food products of first necessity, meat, cheaper types of fish, dairy products, fruits and vegetables, as well as personal hygiene and household hygiene products. A significant part of the basket consists of products with regulated prices, reports Koliko.hr.
The standard basket has become more expensive by 22 cents
The standard consumer basket of food and hygiene goods, which includes 77 items and aims to more accurately reflect typical household consumption, cost an average of 726.80 euros in August, 22 cents more than in July.
Once again, the highest price of the basket was recorded in Dubrovnik-Neretva County - 749.73 euros, followed by Istria County with 747.16 euros and Zadar County with 743.47 euros. The cheapest basket was in Sisak-Moslavina County with 703.50 euros, followed by Požega-Slavonia County with 706.01 euros and Brod-Posavin County with 707.28 euros. The difference between the most expensive and the cheapest county decreased from 48.57 euros to 46.22 euros.
The standard consumer basket for a three-person household cost 579.83 euros - a price that remained practically unchanged compared to July, while the value of the basket for one person decreased by 50 cents to 327.65 euros.
The basic consumer basket is cheaper on an annual basis, and the standard one - more expensive
On an annual basis, the two consumer baskets are moving in opposite directions. The value of the basic basket for a family of four fell from 488.48 euros in August 2025 to 484.15 euros in August this year, while the standard basket rose from 718.45 euros to 726.80 euros.
Ana Knežević, president of the Croatian Consumer Protection Association (HUZP), said consumers had expected at least seasonal fruit and vegetables to become cheaper.
“But we were out of luck... As always, the worst hit are pensioners with the lowest incomes – they can only walk past the expensive fruit and vegetables and marvel at the prices,“ she said.
The study also found that regional price differences have increased over the past year. The difference between the cheapest and most expensive “basic consumer basket“ increased from 22.44 euros to 31.39 euros, and the difference for the standard basket increased from 33.39 euros to 46.22 euros.
“Our study clearly shows a persistent and growing price difference within the same retail chains, depending on whether they operate in coastal or inland areas. The price of tourism is paid not only by visitors, but also by local residents who do not work in the tourism sector. All five most expensive standard consumer baskets are in coastal areas, and the fact that the same monthly market costs 46 euros more in Dubrovnik than in Sisak-Moslavina County is eloquent“, said Sinisa Bogdanić from Koliko.hr.