Croatia now on the Euro. This from a CNN article:
Got spare kuna left over from your last trip? You can exchange them for euros at any Croatian post office until June 30, and at any Croatian bank until the end of 2023. Exchanging at a bank is free of charge until July 1. Croatia’s national central bank will exchange kuna banknotes free of charge until further notice, and coins until December 2025.
Watch the prices in Croatia rise.
We’re talking to family there everyday. we shall see.
For tourists, I bet adopting the Euro means far higher prices. The same thing happened to Spain and France years ago.
One reason I keep returning to Poland is that they don't use the Euro and prices are dirt low.
Already there are reports of huge dissatisfaction with this stupid choice by Croatia. I suspect that the change in currency is going to be used to hide a price increase. That's exactly what is happening.
In 2014, we traveled from Montenegro (on the euro) to Dubrovnik Croatia (on the kuna). We stopped in Montenegro restaurant for dinner, prices were much higher than we found later in Croatia.
Keep this thread on travel, folks. I've already had to edit three posts to keep this on track. Otherwise I'll remove the thread.
Paul, here is an interesting tidbit. Montenegro is on the EURO, but the EURO isn't on Montenegro. Basically Montenegro hijacked the currency. They are not in the EURO zone.
I've spent a little time in Croatia and Montenegro and didn't notice much of a price difference, but you could be right. But according to NUMBEO, restaurant prices in Budva and Kotor are less than Dubrovnik or Split.
It will be good for tourists/Europeans in the long run but yes prices will increase just like they did when the Euro was adopted in places like Italy.
No doubt it will be easier for tourists, though I would guess higher prices too. Since you still need cash in many parts of Croatia, it will be nice to be able to use Euros and not worry about taking too many out of the ATM since you know you can use them in the future in other countries, whether you come back to Croatia soon or not.
Lots of negative speculation here on a rise in prices with using Euros. Anyone have any on the ground comparisons? Or is this just the usual pessimism as regards any new changes against the good old days.
Inflation was on the rise in Croatia before the euro, just like everywhere else in the world. As it becomes more popular, prices will keep rising. Supply and demand, simple economics.
Usual transatlantic barber shop quarterbacking, full of grousing and speculation, treemoss2.
But, a belated welcome to the Schengen Area, Croatia.
