Spain vs Croatia: Remote Worker Visa Showdown

A balanced, practical guide written by an EU mobility expert

For years remote professionals had two choices in Europe: stay on the 90-day Schengen carousel or roll the dice on a traditional work permit (read: employer sponsorship, piles of paperwork and a prayer).

That all changed when forward-looking governments started courting digital nomads directly. Croatia was first out the gate in 2021; Spain followed with its own digital-nomad-flavoured visa in early 2023. Both programmes promise sunshine, fibre-optic broadband and legal long-term stay—no local employment contract required.

But which one actually delivers the smoother landing?
Below I pit Spain and Croatia against each other on four criteria I get asked about daily:

1. Income thresholds
2. Processing speed
3. Tax incentives
4. Lifestyle factors

By the end you’ll know exactly which Iberian-Balkan dream deserves your next one-way ticket—and how BorderPilot can turn that decision into a watertight relocation plan.

1. Income thresholds: how much do you need to earn?

Spain’s Digital Nomad Visa (DNV)

Spain ties eligibility to the national minimum wage (SMI). The law sets the bar at 200 % of SMI for the principal applicant and 75 % for each family member. Using 2024 figures:

• Minimum wage: €1,134 monthly gross
• Required income: €2,268/month (≈ €27,200 annually)
• Spouse/partner: +€850/month
• Minor child: +€284/month

Acceptable sources:
• Payslips from a foreign employer (≤ 20 % may come from Spanish clients)
• Freelance contracts
• Dividends—if you own less than 25 % of the client company

Proof: bank statements showing the last 3–6 months of income plus a one-year employment contract or an incorporated business older than three months.

Croatia’s Remote Work Residence Permit

Croatia went simpler: a fixed net monthly floor equal to 2.5× the average Croatian net salary. For 2024 that’s 2.5 × €1,146 = €2,865 (≈ €34,380 per year).

Family members? There’s no incremental requirement—they ride on your €2,865 as long as you show an extra €250 per dependent in the bank on application day.

Accepted income sources resemble Spain’s list but Croatia is looser about ownership share; you can hold 100 % of your foreign company.

Scoreboard

Verdict: Spain wins for solo earners, Croatia for bigger families thanks to its flat structure.

Expert tip
Keep the euro exchange rate in mind. If you’re paid in dollars or rand, build a 10 % buffer into your income projections. I’ve seen applications iced because a sudden currency dip pushed earnings below threshold.

2. Processing speed: who gets you stamped in faster?

Spain

There are two routes into Spain’s DNV:

1. Apply in country on a 90-day tourist stamp—converted at your local Extranjería.
2. Apply at the Spanish consulate in your current country of residence.

Because the law shoehorned the DNV into Spain’s startup law, applications are adjudicated by UGE‐CE, a dedicated entrepreneurship unit. They promise a 20-day decision window. In reality:

• Well-prepared files: 25–35 days
• Requests for additional documents: add 2–4 weeks
• Residence card issuance: another 10–15 days

Total: ~2 months with good shepherding.

Croatia

Croatia centralised its programme under the Ministry of the Interior with local police stations handling biometrics. Two application modes:

1. Online from abroad (e-Permits system)
2. In person on a tourist visa-free entry or Schengen visa

The Ministry’s target is 30 days, and field data largely confirms it. The snag comes later:

• Background checks: extra 2 weeks if you lived in multiple jurisdictions
• Temporary residence card (biometric biometrika): 3–4 weeks, because production still happens in Zagreb

Total: ~2.5–3 months door to door.

Scoreboard

Verdict: Spain edges out Croatia on speed, especially for applicants already on the ground in Barcelona or Valencia.

3. Tax incentives: who lets you keep more of your hard-earned cash?

Tax is where most glossy visa comparisons fall hard—few writers read beyond the headline. I do. Let’s unpack:

Spain: Beckham Law 2.0

Spain revamped its famous Régimen de impatriados to embrace digital nomads:

• Flat 24 % tax on the first €600,000 of worldwide employment income
• 47 % above that ceiling (irrelevant to most mortals)
• Duration: year of arrival + 5 years
• Wealth tax exemption on foreign assets
• No obligation to report overseas holdings previously (Model 720 becomes a non-issue)

To qualify you must:

• Not have been tax resident in Spain during the previous five years
• Obtain Spanish TIN within six months of residence permit approval
• Derive employment/freelance income from a non-Spanish entity (≤ 20 % Spanish)

Municipal surcharges? None—the flat rate replaces the progressive regional scale (up to 48 %).

Croatia: the big 0 %

Croatia went for a crowd-pleaser: remote work income is exempt from Croatian tax during the permit’s validity (max 12 months, non-renewable). Key caveats:

1. You cannot perform services for Croatian companies (directly or via platforms).
2. You remain liable for taxes in your home jurisdiction if deemed resident there.
3. Domestic source income (renting out your Zagreb apartment on the side) is taxable.

There is no social security requirement, but you must buy local health coverage—approx. €95/month.

Double-tax treaties

Spain has 104 treaties, Croatia 66. Either way, you’re unlikely to be double-taxed. The bigger practical question is do you want to reset the residency clock each year? Spain gives you five renewable years; Croatia forces you out for at least six months before reapplication.

Scoreboard

Verdict: Croatia wins on pure tax rate (0 % beats 24 %), but Spain’s five-year runway and exemption from wealth tax make it more attractive for those looking to plant deeper roots.

Personal anecdote
One of my clients, a blockchain developer from Cape Town, moved to Malaga under the DNV. Despite the 24 % rate he saved money because he had been paying 45 % in South Africa. He also timed a crypto exit to exploit Spain’s allowance on foreign capital gains under the Beckham scheme. Sometimes 0 % isn’t the only path to optimisation—strategy is.

If tax optimisation fascinates you, dive into our Tax optimisation guide.

4. Lifestyle factors: the human side of spreadsheets

Cost of living: your euros on the street

Spain remains moderately priced by Western European standards:

• Madrid/Barcelona: €1,200–1,500 for a one-bed flat
• Valencia/Seville: €800–1,000
• Groceries: €300–350/month
• Flat white index: €2.50

Croatia, now in the eurozone and Schengen, has crept up but is still cheaper outside Dubrovnik’s old town:

• Zagreb: €700–900 for a one-bed
• Split/Zadar: €600–800 (off-season)
• Groceries: €250–300
• Flat white index: €2.10

Internet & infrastructure

• Spain: fibre up to 1 Gbps widespread; 5G blanketing major cities; AVE high-speed trains.
• Croatia: decent 500 Mbps fibre in cities, island coverage patchy; trains are, let’s say, retro—grab FlixBus or drive.

Need wheels? My earlier piece on registering a car abroad under your company explains why many nomads choose to plate their vehicle in Estonia regardless of where they park it.

Climate & geography

Spain offers everything: Atlantic surf, Mediterranean winters that feel like spring, snow-capped Sierra Nevada. Croatia’s Adriatic coastline is knock-out gorgeous but inland winters are cold and damp.

Community & networking

Spain’s English-speaking tech bubble is mature—Remote-Barcelona, Valencia Digital Summit, Málaga TechPark. Coworking spaces sprout faster than jamón legs at Christmas.

Croatia is earlier-stage but tight-knit. The Digital Nomads Croatia Facebook group counts 25 k and hosts weekly meetups. In Dubrovnik, the town literally hands nomads the keys to the city walls (I’m not joking—there’s a ‘digital nomad city card’).

Family friendliness

• International schools: 80+ in Spain; only 7 in Croatia (Zagreb, Split and Rijeka).
• Childcare costs: €450/month Spain (public subsidised), €300–350 in Croatia (private).
• Healthcare: Spain’s public system ranks top 10 globally; Croatia’s is solid but you’ll queue.

Paperwork culture

Spain loves a notary. Prepare for multiple in-person signatures or hire a gestor. Croatia’s e-Citizens portal surprisingly works, but some local officials still print your online application before stamping it. Bring real copies.

Euro mobility

Both countries are Schengen and euro-priced, so no border stamping fiascos. However, Spain’s residency card counts towards the 90/180 rule for the rest of Schengen (it grants freedom). Croatia’s permit also does—but remember you must leave after 12 months unless you find another basis. Some nomads hop to Portugal’s D7 or Italy’s incoming digital nomad visa next.

Call-out block
If you’re a South African couple worried about European living costs, Croatia’s cheaper housing and Spain’s lower childcare might rebalance your budget. Our piece on South African tech couples moving to Netherlands: living costs offers a comparable northern benchmark.

5. The expert’s match conclusion

Putting it all together:

• Cost of entry: Spain cheaper for singles, Croatia for families
• Speed: Spain by a whisker
• Tax: Croatia if you only care about this year, Spain if you want multi-year certainty
• Lifestyle: Spain for variety and infrastructure; Croatia for coastline serenity and lower rent

So—choose Spain if you plan a 3-to-5-year European chapter with schooling, serious networking and maybe eventual permanent residence.
Choose Croatia if you’re chasing one epic Mediterranean year, minimal taxes and the option to island-hop the Aegean afterwards.

Either way, the hardest part is synchronising paperwork, accommodation, schooling and—yes—car plates without losing your sanity or your bitcoin seed phrase.

Ready to make the decision real?

BorderPilot’s algorithm already tracks visa validity windows, municipal tax levies, average fibre speeds and even almond-milk cappuccino prices (ok, we call that the ‘committed hipster index’). Spin up your free relocation plan in minutes and see which country our data thinks is your ideal base—no credit card, just clarity.