Zagreb or Prague
Posted by AusCro@reddit | expats | View on Reddit | 34 comments
I'm an Australian guy who left Melbourne and came to Prague. Best decision I ever made in my life (less money than ever, but smiling way more than ever too haha). Moving countries to a place that suited me more really worked for me. But my work has offered me two choices for me going forward, and now I'm at a crossroads: either stay here or move to Zagreb.
I can either stay in Prague, where I have lived for a year and set myself up, or move to Zagreb and retry (I know a bit of Croatian, plus family comes from there). I'm wondering: what is the expat experience in Croatia like for anyone that's been there, and what's the life like overall?
Cultural-Maybe4362@reddit
It’s always hard to decide between places to live because it’s so subjective. For example, if you have friends in one town versus the other, that’s a good reason to go there… Prague is the more beautiful city and nice to get around, but I believe more expensive and also more touristed. There is some foreign tourist exhaustion in Prague because of the pressure placed on prices and cost of housing d/t tourism.
I do like Istria in Croatia.. I’m from Italy and it’s close to Venice. Has a strong Italian influence and some areas still have a lot of Italian speakers. Food is good with great seafood and dishes that combine Croatian and Italian influence. Good seafood risotto which is hard to find outside of Italy. (PS. 90% of what is labeled risotto in the US is inedible. But that’s the problem with “Italian food“ in the US.
Wanderlust_FIREd@reddit
I spent a month in Prague one summer and a week during Christmas. I have lived in Zagreb for nearly two years. It would boil down to preferences.
Prague is one of my most favorite cities in the world, but I would rather live in Zagreb. I would rather go on holiday in Prague. Prague is connected regionally by train, while Zagreb is more car dependent. Prague is more international and probably has a lot more going on. Zagreb is a good sized town and consistently has things going on around town, but it feels like a smaller town. Zagreb has great access to the coast and mountains. The local beer is better in Prague. Zagreb has a solid craft beer scene and fantastic wine.
What questions might you have?
QueenCityBean@reddit
Hope you don't mind my butting in -- not OP but also want to move to Croatia. What's the cost of living like in Zagreb? Dubrovnik seems like mostly a tourist town, is that impression correct?
Wanderlust_FIREd@reddit
I would check out the cost of living on Earth Awaits and Numbeo. The number are pretty accurate and you can adjust for your lifestyle. I actually haven't been to Dubrovnik yet, but the entire coast is touristy in the summer. It is typically not touristy in the offseason. The shoulder seasons can be lovely.
RidetheSchlange@reddit
I have a preference to Zagreb, but I think CZ is way more advanced and you're already settled there. Croatia is still in flux, politically and economicaly, as well as in terms of development. The only place I think I would go is Istria.
QueenCityBean@reddit
Can I ask what you like about Istria? I'm eligible for Croatian citizenship and considering a move there.
elhooper@reddit
Not the same guy, but I live in Slovenia so I can give some type of answer. First of all, Istria is fucking beautiful. It's wine country sprinkled with historic hilltop villages and Venetian coastal towns. It's known to be relaxed, laid back, and slow. It's known to be far more progressive than Dalmatia to the south. It's more central, so getting to Italy or Austria is just a two or three hour drive. Rijeka was a pioneer city of Yugo punk rock and has easy access to places like Opatija and Krk island. Really interesting history around Rijeka. Pula, the other big city, has an intact Roman coliseum they use for concerts and events, and also quick access to places like Cape Kamenjak and Rovinj.
QueenCityBean@reddit
Holy shit, that sounds amazing. My family are from Istria, but I've been pretty cut off from our history/culture. Thanks so much for your reply, it means a lot.
RidetheSchlange@reddit
Everything said above is correct. If you're a cyclist or mountain biker, while it's not really mountain biking, the riding over hills and plains is beautiful and it's safe to ride on roads. The other thing is that it's a mix of Croatian culture with Slovenian and Italian all mixed in. It's one of these gems that all three countries have cultural claims to. It's clean, it's safe, the people are ok. They're not overly friendly, but absolutely not unfriendly and aggressive like in Italy. They're just chill.
Also do yourself a favor if you're ever there and go to a good restaurant, maybe in Porec, and get a pasta with truffel sauce. You'll be spoiled for the rest of your life.
QueenCityBean@reddit
Thank you for the reply! It's really gratifying to learn that Istria is a nice place. It sounds like a great place to raise a family.
RidetheSchlange@reddit
I don't know, it's rather rural and village-like and distances between some places are a bit bigger, but it's managing expectations- it's not like the rest of Croatia. I speak about it as a vacationer there.
QueenCityBean@reddit
Good to know, thanks!
Saigon_Dweller1969@reddit
Both are giant filthy fucking shitholes, zagreb is literally half commie blocks half semicollapsing 100 year old apartments filled with homeless people and assholes, and there’s absolutely nothing to do in the city after 2 days. You’d be so much better off staying in Australia in every way and if you want to earn more, get more opportunities or just change the climate - move to US, you’d earn 2x more and people will walk around asking about your cool accent. I came from Europe and there’s absolutely nothing good about that culturally and economically bankrupt hellhole, slowly turning into clockwork orange lore
elhooper@reddit
Your reply says so much more about you than it does Zagreb. I’m American and I live 1.5 hours from Zagreb and if you can’t find anything to do after 2 days in this part of Europe then you’re a huge fucking loser, which is apparent by the type of response you’ve given.
Zagreb is beautiful, awesome, and interesting. You suck.
Saigon_Dweller1969@reddit
Zagreb is a microscopic blip of commie blocs, ancient dwellings, filth and poverty. I spent a month in that place in a business trip and i wanted to hang myself 3 days later. Not even saying that the entirety of Europe is a culturally closeted and pretentious economic clone of communist china turned inside out, with a bunch of sexual art and trash sprinkled here and there. I will never ever return to Europe, literally the worst experience of my life, other places are at least cheap, and populated by friendly people.
elhooper@reddit
10+ years on reddit and you're one of the most miserable losers I've seen on this website. Excellent job, you are guaranteed to live a sad life with no love in it. Enjoy.
Saigon_Dweller1969@reddit
Nice argument. I then understood that this person is from white people twitter, i get the levels of mental deterioration we’re working with now. Sure buddy, whatever makes you feel happy living in the world without evil guns, these racist and bigoted human liberties like free speech and them god awful automobiles, high incomes and quality of life.
elhooper@reddit
This isn't about USA vs Europe anymore, it's about you, your sad life, and how you'll be lonely forever because of how utterly shit your personality and mindset are. Insecurity level 5000.
Saigon_Dweller1969@reddit
I’ll be lonely forever because I didn’t like europe? Interesting… I thought i had a stable job, paying for my college, loving friends and family, living in a free and great capitalist country, being able to afford almost anything I can think of and not worrying about anything. Offering my opinion on the place I’ve been to multiple times. If anybody is insecure, it’s a person that grew up among the extreme freedom and luxury of the United States, getting triggered on somebody not liking an Eastern European shithole (they have free healthcare!!!) and not hating the racist bigoted America that has bad gunz. Grow the fuck up
elhooper@reddit
Oh please. No, it's not because you didn't like Europe. You're free to not like it. It's because of how you behave / talk, who you are. Do you ever reread the things you write? With enough security to self-reflect on how much of a douchebag you come across as? Time to about:face. You're a fucking cunt, and that's why women don't want anything to do with you. Fortunately you can fix that, but... you have to have enough security to self-reflect on how much of a douchebag you come across as.
Saigon_Dweller1969@reddit
Never knew women don’t have anything to do with me… anyway, if a person living in a 150 year old 500sqft apartment, walking half a mile everyday for a bag of overpriced tasteless groceries the price of which is comparable to a california farmers market, earning 1500 dollars a month and spending most of it on basic necessities, with an overarching all regulating socialist government that hates the very basic human liberties, living on the filthiest streets imaginable, tells you that you are an inferior human being because you can point at Lichtenstein on a map, I’m more than in my right to call the person an asshole and the place a shithole. The sheer amount of hypocritical bullshit that Europeans, both on internet and in daily life, shit out daily is unfathomable. They are poor, tasteless smug hypocrites that owe their independence solely to American and british blood. I am an American idiot that doesn’t yet know the glories of “free” “healthcare” and where the monaco’s at, but they’re the glorious European master race, unable to name 5 US states, defend their property or create economic good, in a culturally bankrupt society, covered in filth and urine. I know tons of European immigrants that can shit over that hellhole all day and I understand why.
elhooper@reddit
Wow what a long rant chock-full of insecurity AND projection. Even more reasons you'll stay a virgin loser forever.
Saigon_Dweller1969@reddit
Even more great, completely rational arguments from our friend!
CaptainTwente@reddit
This is why Americans get a bad rep
Saigon_Dweller1969@reddit
Bad rep where? In Europe? In communist china? In north korea? I couldn’t care less about those places and it still doesn’t stop freedom loving people and patriots from above mentioned places to come to this country in search of happiness and better life. It’s too bad some people in our country don’t want them to come here and impose limitations, which is a travesty, but it still doesn’t stop people from getting into this country. I have a dozen of friends that came from different parts of Europe, Britain, Japan and china that love this place, because they know the value of freedom and know the places they came from. If you want to rebel against evil American society and go see other places - that’s your business, but you’ll come back soon enough, after understanding the reality of life there, and if you won’t, you’re probably just a stubborn idiot or you’re smart enough to find a specialty work that pays more than it does in the US.
AusCro@reddit (OP)
Already moved a year ago to Prague and was way happier with it. Did you even read what I read? Where were you from anyway?
anonymuscular@reddit
You sound like you enjoy your leisure time :) I'd say stay in Prague if you like to travel to other cities and like engaging with other international people. Zagreb if you like to engage more with local people (since you speak Croatian) and like to explore the outdoors (beach and mountains) more regularly.
You can't lose
AppropriateShoulder@reddit
I live in Zagreb so I can with all confidence recommend Prague 😁
ApprehensiveStudy671@reddit
I'd try the new city, I'd try Zagreb. After a while you'll see which city suits you better. Moving to a new country with a job lined up, is a blessing.
popsickkle@reddit
I’d do Prague. Zagreb isn’t super exciting in my experience going there a few times for various reasons, and it’s not like you’re gonna spend all your time on the coast.
Unlikely_Panic_8920@reddit
Dunno OP, Zagreb sounds like a downgrading. In Prague you are at least in Central Europe next to two great economies Germany and Austria and a possible third one (Poland).
Unless you want to connect with your roots, I would probably stay in Prague.
If I may ask, what is your opinion of Prague so far (I know you love it, but what you like about it)?
Also, have you visited Zagreb? (just curious)
AusCro@reddit (OP)
Yeah visited several years ago. It was fine, just can't remember it much.
Prefer Prague to Melbourne since people feel like they're happier to go out and meet up more often, there's a much better drinking culture here, way better public transport, more places to meet new people, young people on average feel like they look better, and there feels like there's less dangerous weird guys in daily life. There are definitely down sides like the weather, customer service and no beach, but overall it's a plus, and the only reason I want to head back to Australia long term is for my family that all live there
adamosity1@reddit
Zagreb isn’t as cheap as it used to be. Switching to the euro caused a pretty big jump in prices…
Accurate_Cup_1532@reddit
That has been my experience of Croatia since the switch Jan 1st. I have never lived in Zagreb but fly in/out frequently as we spend a lot of time on the coast (about 2 months a year). It felt like a big jump in prices when the euro came into effect. Some every day essentials (toilet paper, etc) are priced similar to London prices. A huge surprise and not sure how people will manage as salaries are not high.