If you are planning to move to Croatia, study there, or stay for a few months, one of the first things you will need to learn is how apartment ads work.
At first, everything can look confusing, but after learning a few common terms, it becomes much easier to search and understand what is actually being offered.
Below are the most common words you will see, how to search, and some important things to ask
before renting.
Websites and Apps to Search for Apartments
These are some of the most common places people use in Croatia:
- Njuškalo → the most popular website for rentals and second-hand items
- Index Oglasi → rental ads and local listings
- Facebook Marketplace → very common for direct contact with owners (or facebook groups)
- Airbnb → useful for short-term stays
- Booking → temporary accommodation before finding a long-term place
-
Real estate agencies websites → local agencies in cities like Rijeka, Zagreb, and Osijek
Common rental terms
Stan
stahn
Apartment / flat
This is the main word you will see in almost every listing.
Example: Iznajmljuje se stan
Apartment for rent
Kuća
Cheat: KOO-cha
House / home
This is the most common word for house in Croatian.
You will often see it in rental ads, especially outside the main city centers or in smaller towns and villages.
Example:
Iznajmljuje se kuća
eez-nai-mee-yoo-yeh seh KOO-cha
→ House for rent
Garsonijera
gar-so-nee-YE-ra
Studio apartment
Usually a single main room with kitchen space and a bathroom.
Good for one person and usually one of the cheapest options.
Jednosoban stan
yed-no-so-ban stahn
One-bedroom apartment
Usually means one separate bedroom plus living room and kitchen.
Dvosoban stan
dvo-so-ban stahn
Two-bedroom apartment
Soba
SO-ba
Room
This is important because sometimes the ad is only for a room inside a shared apartment, not the whole place.
Cijeli stan / cijeli apartman
tsee-YE-li stahn
Entire apartment
This means the full place is yours and not shared.
Studentski smještaj
stoo-DENT-ski smyesh-tai
Student accommodation
Can be a dormitory, student residence, or shared flat.
Bills and payment terms
Najamnina
nai-yam-nee-na
Monthly rent
The rent price itself.
Režije
reh-zhee-yeh
Bills / utilities
This usually includes things like electricity, water, gas, internet, and sometimes building fees.
Example:
400 € + režije
400 euros plus bills
This means utilities are paid separately.
Uključene režije
oo-klyoo-CHEN-eh reh-zhee-yeh
Bills included
Very good to look for because it helps you predict your monthly expenses.
Polog
PO-log
Deposit
Usually one month of rent.
Example:
Polog obavezan
Deposit required
Useful apartment details
These are words I always search for because they make a huge difference.
Kućni ljubimci dozvoljeni
koo-chnee lyoo-BEEM-tsee dohz-VO-lye-nee
Pets allowed
Very important if you have cats or dogs.
Sometimes you may also see:
Ljubimci dopušteni
Pets permitted
Grijanje
gree-YA-nye
Heating
This is very important in Croatia, especially autumn and winter.
Common types:
Grijanje na klimu
Heating with air conditioner / split unit
Centralno grijanje
Central heating
Klima uređaj
KLEE-ma oo-re-jai
Air conditioner
Sometimes “klima” alone is used.
Namješteno
nam-YESH-teh-no
Furnished
Nenamješteno
neh-nam-YESH-teh-no
Unfurnished
Balkon
BAL-kon
Balcony
Perilica rublja
peh-ree-LEE-tsa roo-blya
Washing machine
Blizu autobusne stanice
BLI-zoo ow-to-BOOS-neh STA-nee-tseh
Near the bus station / bus stop
Very useful when searching in cities like Rijeka where buses are part of daily life.
You may also see:
200 m autobusna stanica
Bus stop 200 meters away
Blizu fakulteta
BLI-zoo fak-oo-TE-ta
Near the university
Very useful for student housing.
Agencies or directly with the owner?
Agencija
a-gen-TSEE-ya
Agency / real estate agency
If the ad is through an agency, they often help with contracts and communication.
The downside is that there may be an extra fee.
Agencijska provizija
Agency commission / fee
Sometimes this can be equal to one month’s rent.
Always ask before agreeing.
Vlasnik
VLA-snik
Owner / landlord
If you rent directly from the owner, it can be cheaper and more flexible.
This is very common on Facebook Marketplace and some local websites.
Still, always ask for a contract and registration.
Registration (very important)
One of the most important things if you are staying for studies, temporary residence, or any legal process.
The key word is:
Prijava boravišta
pree-YA-va bo-ra-VEESH-ta
Address registration / residence registration
This means officially registering the address where you are staying.
If you are renting directly, you should ask:
Možete li napraviti prijavu boravišta?
Can you provide address registration?
This is extremely important for things like:
- temporary residence
- OIB / paperwork
- scholarship and immigration processes
- proof of address
If renting through a hotel, hostel, or legal short-term accommodation, they usually do this automatically.
If renting directly from the owner, confirm that they are willing to sign the necessary documents.
How to search
This part helps a lot because searching only in English often gives poor results.
Try combining the city + type of apartment + feature you need.
For example:
stan Rijeka dugoročni najam
Apartment in Rijeka for long-term rent
- stan = apartment
- Rijeka = city
- dugoročni najam = long-term rent
This is one of the best searches for normal rental listings.
garsonijera Rijeka (Name of city)
Studio apartment in Rijeka
Good if you want something smaller and usually cheaper.
stan kućni ljubimci Rijeka
Apartment in Rijeka that accepts pets
Useful if you have cats.
stan blizu autobusne stanice
Apartment near the bus stop
Useful if you do not plan to drive.
stan blizu fakulteta
Apartment near the university
Best for student life.
The more specific the search, the better.
A good formula is:
city + apartment type + important detail
For example:
Rijeka + garsonijera + pets + furnished
That usually helps filter out a lot of listings quickly.
Hvala vam i vidimo se sljedeći put!
(HVAH-lah vahm ee vee-DEE-moh seh SLYEH-deh-chee poot)
Thank you and see you next time!
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