One-Third of Croats Cannot Afford a Week of Vacation
Croatia ranks seventh in the EU for the share of citizens unable to afford an annual holiday, at 33 percent, above the European average of 28 percent.
Croatia ranks seventh in the EU for the share of citizens unable to afford an annual holiday, at 33 percent, above the European average of 28 percent.
Nearly one in three residents of Croatia cannot afford a week of annual leave away from home, according to the latest Eurostat data for 2025. With a share of 33 percent, Croatia ranks seventh among European Union member states, significantly above the EU average of 28 percent.
The most difficult situation is in Romania, where as many as 61 percent of residents cannot afford an annual holiday. Greece follows with 47 percent, while Bulgaria takes third place with 39 percent of citizens in the same situation. According to more precise data reported by 24sata, in Romania the share is 61.4 percent, in Greece 46.6 percent, and in Bulgaria and Hungary 39.1 percent each.
While Croatia records 33 percent of citizens without the means for a holiday, neighboring Slovenia fares significantly better with only 15 percent. Ahead of Croatia on the list of countries with the highest share of citizens unable to afford a holiday are Hungary at 39 percent, Italy at 36 percent, and Portugal at 33 percent.
At the bottom of the list, with the smallest share of citizens unable to afford a holiday, is Luxembourg at 11 percent. According to 24sata data, in 2025, 10.6 percent of people in Luxembourg said they could not afford an annual holiday away from home, 12.4 percent in Sweden, and 12.8 percent in the Netherlands.
Across the entire European Union, 27.5 percent of residents aged 16 and over could not afford a week of vacation away from home during 2025. This share increased by 0.5 percentage points compared to 2024. However, the long-term trend is positive: compared to 2015, the share of EU citizens unable to afford a holiday has decreased by 7.7 percentage points.
