The short version
- Kenya has the lower entry bar: €1,850 per month versus €3,622.50 for Croatia.
- Kenya grants a longer initial stay (24 months vs 18), and it is renewable.
- Tax treatment differs: Croatia — foreign income exempt; Kenya — standard resident taxation. Tax outcomes depend heavily on personal circumstances.
| Criteria | Croatia DN | Kenya Class N Permit |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum income / month | €3,622.50 | €1,850 (better) |
| Income basis | Mixed (salary, freelance or savings) | Salary / employment contract |
| Initial duration | 18 months | 2 years (better) |
| Renewable | Yes | Yes |
| Maximum total stay | 18 months | No fixed limit |
| Path to permanent residence | No | Indirect (switch required) |
| Path to citizenship | No | No |
| Family inclusion | Yes | Yes |
| Working for local clients | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Tax treatment | Foreign income exempt (Digital nomad exemption, Income Tax Act Art. 9(1)(26)) | Standard resident taxation |
| Health insurance | Required (explicit) | Required in practice |
| Insurance duration required | Full visa period | Full visa period |
| Application fee | ≈ €46.45 (better) | ≈ €185 |
| Where to apply | Online, Embassy / consulate, In country | Online, In country |
| Processing time | — | — |
Green values mark the objectively better number in that row.
Full guide
Croatia DN →
Requirements, application steps, insurance and sources.
Full guide
Kenya Class N Permit →
Requirements, application steps, insurance and sources.
Don't forget insurance
Both programs have their own health-insurance rules — we match plans against each one's published requirement, with the evidence shown.
Sources
- Government MUP - Temporary stay of digital nomads (English) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government MUP - Privremeni boravak u svrhu boravka digitalnih nomada (Croatian) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government MUP - Temporary stay of digital nomads (health insurance document requirement) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Official gazette Zakon o izmjenama i dopuni Zakona o obveznom zdravstvenom osiguranju i zdravstvenoj zastiti stranaca u RH, NN 26/2021 (digital nomads exempt from compulsory HZZO registration) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Official gazette Zakon o izmjenama i dopunama Zakona o porezu na dohodak, NN 138/2020 (Art. 9(1)(26) digital nomad exemption, in force 1 Jan 2021) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government Croatian Tax Administration - Determination of residency status (183-day habitual abode / permanent residence) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Official gazette Zakon o izmjenama i dopunama Zakona o strancima, NN 40/2025 (Art. 61(1) 18-month duration with one extension; Art. 57(4) 6-month cooling-off) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Official gazette Zakon o strancima, NN 133/2020 (Art. 3(1)(43) digital nomad definition) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government EMN Croatia (government) - New Foreigners Act in force 1 January 2021, introduces digital nomad stay (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government MUP - Privremeni boravak digitalnih nomada (fee schedule) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Government Digital Nomads Croatia - official MUP online application portal (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-10
- Law firm Kenya Introduces the Class N–Digital Nomad Permit (CMS Law) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Kenya Operationalises New Permit Categories (CMS Law) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Kenya accepting applications for the new Digital Nomad Permit (EY Tax Alert) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Understanding the Class N (Digital Nomad) Permit in Kenya (Njaga & Co. Advocates) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Introduction of the Digital Nomad Permit in Kenya (WKA Advocates) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm The Kenya Citizenship and Immigration (Amendment) Regulations, 2024 — Legal Notice 155 / Gazette 179 (WKA Advocates) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Understanding the Class N (Digital Nomad) Work Permit in Kenya (Afriwise) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Kenya Digital Nomad Visa: Eligibility & Application Process (Otieno Aballah Advocates) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Kenya: Digital Nomad Visa Introduced, Further Details Forthcoming (Fragomen) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Kenya — Individual Residence (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries): 183-day / 122-day tests, worldwide income for residents (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Kenya Foreign Nationals Services (eFNS) portal – Directorate of Immigration Services (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Kenya to Officially Launch Social Health Authority on October 1, 2024 (Ministry of Health) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15