Nursery is completely free for all children in 17 Croatian towns and 35 municipalities, while monthly fees for the first child range from 10 euros in Zdeneci municipality to 226 euros in Sibinj, according to data from the Ministry of Demography and Migration on demographic measures by local government units for 2026.
This represents a significant expansion of the measure: four years ago, nursery was free in only four towns and 22 municipalities. Free access means the local government unit fully covers the programme cost, so parents have no expenses.
Among the towns funding nursery for all children are, among others, Pula, Sisak, Slavonski Brod, Velika Gorica, Biograd na Moru, Novalja and Umag. Following last year's local elections, Belišće, Vukovar and Trilj abandoned the measure, citing excessive budget burden, while Mali Lošinj and Pula have since joined.
At the other end of the scale, in eight towns and 53 municipalities, the cost of nursery for the first child exceeds 130 euros. Parents pay the most in two municipalities in Brod-Posavina County: in Sibinj, the first child costs 226 euros, the second 113, and the third 67, meaning a family with three nursery-age children spends 406 euros per month. In Klakar, the first child costs 220 euros, but due to higher fees for the second and third children, three children there cost 450 euros per month.
Among towns, Krapina is the most expensive at 168 euros, followed by Varaždinske Toplice at 150 euros, and Zabok, Klanjec and Donja Stubica at 132 euros each.
The lowest fees are in Zdeneci near Orahovica, where each child costs 10 euros, and in Zagreb, where parents pay 19 euros for the first and second child, while the third is free. In Labin and Opatija, nursery is free for the second and third child, while in 83 towns parents do not pay a contribution for the third child.
