In fairness, you could make the same glum joke in most if not all of the developed world over the last 5 years.

Depends on what you are looking at - but yes. Wages also rose considerably, below inflation, but still I think thats the same story as everywhere else.

I think the main difference is that (in my opinion) Croatia used to be unbeatable for the price/quality of life ratio, nowadays it's probably slightly overpriced, but depends on what you value.

It is something that is not well understood about the Euro, it is a deal with the devil, with all the hallmarks of looking like a wonderful idea where wishes and imagination blind one to the details and the tricks one opens oneself up to. It immensely benefits the ruling class and the upper class, and even foreigners at the expense of the working and middle class and the indigenous.

It was also that way for the Germans who are accused of having benefited at the expense of others, when that was really more an effect of national scale, not all Germans individually. The Euro has had an odd distorting and perverting effect all across Europe; but it has always generally been excellent for the ruling and upper class that have gained access to an overflowing trough of other people’s money at the EU.

The Euro has been a kind of wealth transfer mechanism to the ruling, upper, and even foreign classes, just as it has been a tool to restore the aristocracy just as it had in the USA; the aristocracy gets the money, the people get the inflation and debt that fuels the fraud.

We shall see if it all goes off the rails and the people establish legitimate democratic rule, or if the authoritarian aristocracy can fully entrench itself again.

Yeah but you can't compare living in Vienna and Split - Vienna is a top tier city - huge regional capital with so many things going on and offerings. Split is a C tier city dead outside of tourist season, like the rest of the coast. 26% is kind of ridiculous when you compare the standard of living.

Again depends on what you value, some might find it worth, just saying the equation was much more in Croatia favor 5 years ago.

And much cheaper in real terms, as the Croatian digital nomad residence permit provides an exemption from income tax on earned income.

Yes I believe Portugals and Croatias stories are very similar, your capital being a coastal city probably makes it even worse with regards to tourist inflation.

This happened even in Germany though the DM/E rate was 2 Marks = 1 Euro but some things magically went from 2 DM to 2 Euro

Croatian price increases are topping the EU stats for years now and it accumulates, especially in real-estate. There are some comparable situations in EU, but overall I would say comparable countries like Italy, Spain, Greece did not have nearly as much price growth in the same period.

For example - personal opinion disclaimer - if Spain had better tax scheme for small business (not really sure on the nomad status there, but I am more interested in long term) I would probably move because the coastal cities in Spain are much better for similar prices, I would rather live in Valencia than Split/Rijeka/Zadar/Dubrovnik/Pula.