The short version
- Namibia has the lower entry bar: €1,720 per month versus €3,622.50 for Croatia.
- Croatia grants a longer initial stay (18 months vs 6), and it is renewable.
- Tax treatment differs: Croatia — foreign income exempt; Namibia — territorial taxation. Tax outcomes depend heavily on personal circumstances.
| Criteria | Croatia DN | Namibia DNV |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum income / month | €3,622.50 | €1,720 (better) |
| Income basis | Mixed (salary, freelance or savings) | Mixed (salary, freelance or savings) |
| Initial duration | 18 months (better) | 6 months |
| Renewable | Yes (better) | No |
| Maximum total stay | 18 months | 6 months |
| Path to permanent residence | No | No |
| 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)) | Territorial taxation |
| Health insurance | Required (explicit) | Required (explicit) |
| Insurance duration required | Full visa period | Full visa period |
| Application fee | ≈ €46.45 (better) | ≈ €175 |
| Where to apply | Online, Embassy / consulate, In country | Online |
| Processing time | — | 2–4 weeks |
Green values mark the objectively better number in that row.
Full guide
Croatia DN →
Requirements, application steps, insurance and sources.
Full guide
Namibia DNV →
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
- Government Digital Nomad Visa - Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government NIPDB Digital Nomad Visa - income thresholds (USD 2,000 / 1,000 / 500), 6-month non-renewable, NAD 3,300 fee, required documents (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government NIPDB Digital Nomad Visa - insurance requirement (valid international health and travel insurance for duration of stay) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media Namibia Digital Nomad Visa - Citizen Remote (launch Oct 2022, email application, income via payslips/contracts not savings) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Namibia's Digital Nomad Visa and the Nomads' Namibian tax implications - Hugo van den Heever (tax practitioner; source-based tax, DTA list) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media Namibia Digital Nomad Visa: Benefits, Requirements & Apply - Freaking Nomads (processing time ~2-4 weeks, non-renewable, 12-month reapply rule, email application) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- International organisation Universal Health Coverage on the Horizon in Namibia - Abt Global (public ~80% coverage, private ~20%) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- International organisation Cabinet approves universal health cover policy in Namibia - P4H Network (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15