The short version
- Slovenia has the lower entry bar: €3,200 per month versus €3,622.50 for Croatia.
- Croatia grants a longer initial stay (18 months vs 12), and it is renewable.
- Tax treatment differs: Croatia — foreign income exempt; Slovenia — standard resident taxation. Tax outcomes depend heavily on personal circumstances.
| Criteria | Croatia DN | Slovenia Digital Nomad Permit |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum income / month | €3,622.50 | €3,200 (better) |
| Income basis | Mixed (salary, freelance or savings) | Savings accepted |
| Initial duration | 18 months (better) | 1 year |
| Renewable | Yes (better) | No |
| Maximum total stay | 18 months | 1 year |
| Path to permanent residence | No | Indirect (switch required) |
| Path to citizenship | No | Via permanent residence |
| 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 (explicit), min. €30,000 |
| Insurance duration required | Full visa period | Full visa period |
| Application fee | ≈ €46.45 (better) | ≈ €102 |
| Where to apply | Online, Embassy / consulate, In country | Embassy / consulate, In country |
| Processing time | — | 4–9 weeks |
Green values mark the objectively better number in that row.
Full guide
Croatia DN →
Requirements, application steps, insurance and sources.
Full guide
Slovenia Digital Nomad 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
- Government Temporary residence permit for digital nomads - GOV.SI (Government of the Republic of Slovenia) (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Government Temporary residence permit for digital nomads - income (twice average net salary), one-year non-extendable duration, six-month reapplication, application locations (embassy / administrative unit), immediate family reunification, health-insurance requirement - GOV.SI (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Act on Amendments to the Aliens Act (ZTuj-2I) - legal basis for the digital nomad permit; adopted 25 Apr 2025, Official Gazette No. 32/2025 (6 May 2025), in force 21 May 2025 (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Slovenia Launches 12-Month Digital Nomad Visa in November 2025 - Immigrant Invest (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Slovenia: Digital Nomad Permit - Intermark Relocation (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media Slovenia Digital Nomad Visa Guide (2026): income ~EUR 3,200/mo, fee EUR 50 in-country / EUR 102 embassy + EUR 12 card, insurance min EUR 30,000, processing 30-60 days, family - ExpatDen (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Law firm Taxation of Digital Nomads in Slovenia: Residency Permit, Tax Residency and Income Tax Rules (183-day rule; permit does not auto-trigger tax residency) - Sibiz d.o.o. (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media Slovenia's average net salary EUR 1,602 in 2025 (SURS / Statistical Office; basis for 2x income threshold = ~EUR 3,204) - SeeNews (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15
- Media Slovenia Digital Nomad Visa 2025 - Eligibility, Costs & How to Apply - Citizen Remote (opens in a new tab) accessed 2026-06-15