Villas & Penthouses
in Split
Dalmatia’s capital and its only genuinely urban luxury market.
Split
A city,
not a resort.
Split is the only place on the coast where luxury property has a year-round urban market beneath it. Demand is not purely seasonal and liquidity is deeper.
Croatia’s second city has 160,000 residents, a university with about 20,000 students, the largest hospital in Dalmatia and the country’s busiest passenger port, with six million passengers a year. 72% of its homes are lived in all year, against fewer than half in most resort towns. In 2025 it recorded the highest median achieved apartment price in Croatia.
The micro-markets
- Old town and Varoš. Stone apartments in and around Diocletian’s Palace, a UNESCO site since 1979. Scarce, regulated by the conservation office and, inside the protected core, subject to a public right of first refusal.
- Meje and Marjan. The traditional villa quarter on the southern slope of Marjan. The most expensive addresses in the city, where the best property is priced at €10,000 per m² and more.
- Bačvice and Firule. The seaside quarters east of the port, around the city’s sandy beach. Established, central and consistently among the most sought-after addresses.
- Žnjan. New-build sea-view apartments and penthouses above the long Žnjan beach, and the most active market in Split. The redeveloped Žnjan plateau opened in June 2025 with a promenade, parks and almost 1,000 parking spaces.
- The Riviera. Stobreč, Podstrana and on to Omiš: villas with pools and sea views, 15 to 45 minutes from the centre. The Omiš bypass opened in 2024; the coast road in between remains slow in summer.
- Kaštela corridor. Between Split and Trogir, ten minutes from the airport, at more accessible pricing. An example.
Pricing
Split recorded the highest achieved apartment prices in Croatia in 2025. Prime sea-view apartments and penthouses are priced at roughly €7,000–10,000 per m², occasionally more. Riviera villas range from about €1.5M to €5M. Kaštela sits about a third below Split for comparable specification.
Before you buy
What to watch
in Split.
Paperwork
Parts of the older stock were extended or subdivided without permits. We check that the apartment as built matches the land registry, the permits and the condominium plan. Buildings completed before 15 February 1968 are treated as lawfully built, but later extensions are not covered by that rule.
Parking
The city is short of an estimated 18,000–20,000 parking spaces. A registered garage or parking space is a price factor of its own, and its absence narrows the buyer pool on resale.
Heritage rules
Inside the UNESCO core every intervention needs conservation approval. A sale must first be offered to the city, the county and the state, which have 60 days to respond. The waiver belongs in the purchase file.
Short-term rental
Since 2025, letting an apartment to tourists in a multi-unit building requires the written consent of co-owners holding more than two-thirds of the building, plus every owner whose walls, floor or ceiling adjoin. Existing permit holders have until the end of 2029 to obtain it, and the city is working on tighter rules for the historic centre.
Holding costs
Split raised its annual property tax to €5 per m² in 2026. It applies to homes that are not a primary residence or let long-term. The tourist flat tax is €250 per bed in the central zone and €150 in the rest of the city.
Figures as of September 2026. Sources: Croatian Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Physical Planning (real estate market review 2025), Port of Split Authority, Croatian Tax Administration, City of Split. General information, not legal or tax advice.
FAQ
Questions we are asked
Is Split better for investment or lifestyle?
Both. Year-round demand from residents, students and the hospital supports long-term rental and resale. Buyers who want quiet usually prefer Trogir, Čiovo or the Riviera villages.
What is the rental market like?
Strong in season, with a real off-season market that resort towns do not have. Median contract rents in the county were about €12 per m² a month in 2025. Gross long-term yields are modest, around 4%.
Can I still rent an apartment to tourists?
Yes, with a permit. In a multi-unit building you now also need the written consent of more than two-thirds of the co-owners and of all adjoining neighbours, and the city may limit the number of units. Check the building before you buy, not after.
Which are the most expensive neighbourhoods?
Meje and the slopes of Marjan, followed by Varoš and the old town, Bačvice and Firule. Žnjan leads for new-build sea-view apartments.
What does a penthouse in Split cost?
Sea-view penthouses in Meje, Bačvice, Firule and Žnjan are typically priced at €7,000–10,000 per m², so a 150 m² penthouse with a terrace is usually a purchase of €1M to €1.5M. The very best addresses cost more.
How close is the airport?
23 km, or 25 to 40 minutes from the centre depending on traffic. Kaštela and Trogir are about 10 minutes from the terminal.
