Hvar on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Hvar on a budget works if you base yourself outside Hvar Town and avoid boat trips every day. Plan on about €88 per person per day (bed €40, food €30, sights €10, transport €8).
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | €40 | €85 | €220 |
| Food & drink | €30 | €55 | €110 |
| Sights & tickets | €10 | €30 | €90 |
| Local transport | €8 | €20 | €50 |
| Per person, per day | €88 | €190 | €470 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Hvar day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Walk Hvar Town's main square and the harbour promenade
- Explore Stari Grad's old lanes and the waterfront
- Swim at public beaches around Jelsa and Vrboska
- Walk the old stone paths of the abandoned village of Malo Grablje
- See the Stari Grad Plain, a UNESCO-listed ancient Greek field system
- Watch the sunset from the coastal path west of Hvar Town
Cheap eats
- Burek or pastry from a bakery: about €2–4
- Pizza in a casual pizzeria: about €10–14
- Fish main in Stari Grad: about €15–25
- Supermarket picnic with local cheese and bread: about €8–12
- Ice cream: about €2–3 a scoop
Where to sleep for less
Private rooms and apartments (sobe) in Stari Grad cost about €60–100 for a double; Hvar Town has hostels with summer dorm beds at roughly €30–60.
Getting around cheaply
Take the Jadrolinija ferry from Split to Stari Grad (about €8–10 per person) and the connecting bus to Hvar Town. Scooters rent from about €40 a day; taxi boats reach nearby beaches.
A sample budget day
- Morning: walk up to the Fortica (about €10–15)
- Lunch: picnic from a supermarket (about €10)
- Afternoon: taxi boat to the Pakleni Islands and swim (about €10–20 return)
- Evening: pizza and a drink (about €18)
- Total: about €50–60 plus your bed (about €40), so roughly €90
More ways to save
- Book ferries and catamarans ahead in summer.
- Visit in June or September, when rooms cost less and the sea is warm.
- Bring snacks and water to the Pakleni Islands.
- Rent a scooter with friends for one day to see the island villages.
- Avoid harbour-front bars for drinks; buy wine from wineries.
- Look for marenda lunch deals in local konobas.
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Common questions
Can I visit Hvar on a budget?
Yes, by staying in Stari Grad, using buses and ferries and picnicking.
Which town is cheapest to stay in?
Stari Grad, with private rooms from about €60–100 a double.
Do I need a car?
Not necessarily; buses link the main towns, and a scooter for a day covers the villages.