by croatiaweek
October 1, 2025
in
Croatia continues to rank among the European Union’s inflation leaders, with the latest data showing the country once again near the very top of the list.
According to a flash estimate published by Eurostat, Croatia’s annual inflation rate in September – measured by the harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) – stood at 4.6%, Tportal writes.
That places Croatia on par with Slovakia, while only Estonia recorded higher inflation at 5.2%. Across the eurozone, the average inflation rate was significantly lower at 2.2%.
The Croatian Bureau of Statistics (DZS) also released its own estimate, putting annual inflation for September slightly lower, at 4.2% compared to the same month in 2024.
Breaking it down, services saw the highest increase at 6%, followed by food, drink and tobacco (5.6%), energy (4.5%), and non-energy industrial goods (0.5%). With higher gas and electricity bills expected in the coming months, Croatia is likely to remain near the top of Europe’s inflation rankings.
Croatia Leads Europe in Ticket Price Increases
While Croatia shares the inflation spotlight with Estonia and Slovakia, the country is out in front when it comes to rising prices for cultural and entertainment events.
Between August 2023 and August 2024, ticket prices for cinema, theatre and concerts rose by a striking 12% in Croatia – the steepest increase anywhere in Europe.
Romania and Bulgaria followed, both recording increases of around 10%, while Estonia and Slovakia reported rises of 9% and 7% respectively.
At the other end of the scale, prices in Ireland and Portugal remained unchanged, and in Greece ticket prices even fell by 1%.
This sharp increase in entertainment costs comes despite the government having reduced VAT on concert and cultural event tickets to 5% in 2022.
With overall inflation still among the highest in the EU and entertainment ticket prices rising faster than anywhere else in Europe, cultural outings in Croatia are becoming noticeably more expensive. For many, cinema visits, theatre evenings, and concerts are increasingly turning from everyday leisure into a luxury.