Zadar on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yes, especially outside July and August: the old town's best sights are free, and markets and bakeries keep food cheap. A realistic minimum is about €80 per person a day (about €35 for a hostel bed or shared apartment, €25 food, €15 sights, €5 transport).
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | €35 | €70 | €140 |
| Food & drink | €25 | €45 | €80 |
| Sights & tickets | €15 | €35 | €60 |
| Local transport | €5 | €20 | €40 |
| Per person, per day | €80 | €170 | €320 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Zadar day-cost table.
Free things to do
- The Sea Organ, played by the waves, at the western tip of the Riva
- The Greeting to the Sun light installation after dark
- Sunset on the Riva
- The Roman Forum, Five Wells Square and the Land Gate
- Walking Kalelarga and the old town peninsula
- The green market and the fish market
Cheap eats
- Burek or a pizza slice from a bakery
- Market picnic of Pag cheese, pršut and bread from the green market
- Pizza or pasta: about €12–16
- Black risotto: about €14–20
- Fried fish or squid from a seaside kiosk in summer
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in Borik and Puntamika, where hostels and apartments cost roughly €50–90, 10 minutes by bus from the old town and close to beaches. Voštarnica and Arbanasi, across the bridge from the old town, are also cheaper than the peninsula.
Getting around cheaply
Walk in the old town and use Liburnija buses to Borik. From the airport, take the bus timed with flights (a few euros) rather than a taxi. For Plitvice and Krka, public buses are the cheapest option; a shared rental car lets you arrive before the crowds.
A sample budget day
- Morning: bakery breakfast (about €4), then the Land Gate, the Forum and St Donatus (a few euros)
- Lunch: market picnic of Pag cheese, bread and fruit (about €10)
- Afternoon: Cathedral bell tower (about €3–5) and a swim off the Riva steps
- Evening: sunset at the Sea Organ (free) and a pizza or pasta in Varoš (about €14)
- Total: about €75–85 per person including a hostel bed or shared apartment of about €35
More ways to save
- Take the car ferry to Preko on Ugljan as a foot passenger for a few euros, for beaches and a walk.
- Do Krka instead of Plitvice if you only have half a day; it is closer and transport costs less.
- Choose a boat trip that includes lunch, and compare what is included before booking.
- Swim off the Riva steps rather than paying for beach clubs.
- Travel in June or September for summer weather without August prices.
- Buy Pag cheese from the market or a deli and check the label for 'Paški sir'.
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Common questions
Can you visit Zadar on a budget?
Yes, at about €75–85 per person a day with a hostel or apartment in Borik, market food and the free sights of the old town.
What is free in Zadar?
The Sea Organ, the Greeting to the Sun, the Riva sunset, the Roman Forum, Five Wells Square, the Land Gate and the markets.
What is the cheapest way from Zadar airport to the old town?
The airport bus timed with flights, a few euros and about 20 minutes. A taxi costs roughly €20–30.