What does car rental really cost in Dubrovnik?
The daily rate is only part of the cost. The rental comparison site Discover Cars reports average daily prices in the city of about €14 to €21 outside summer, €35 in July and €34 in August. Insurance excess cover, fuel, motorway tolls and, above all, parking come on top. Dubrovnik Airport lists 18 rental companies with cars collected from a car park next to the terminal.
Parking is the cost that surprises most visitors:
- Ilijina glavica public garage, about 590 m from Pile Gate and outside the restricted zone: €7 an hour or €40 for 24 hours.
- Pile and the cable-car lower station, the two car parks closest to the walls: €20 for the first hour and €250 a day from May to October, booked online, according to the city parking company, Sanitat.
- Street parking in Gruž and Lapad: €1.30 an hour from March to November, with a day ticket of €17.30 in zone 3.
Why is the Old Town zone a problem for drivers?
From 1 April to 31 October, the roads around the Old Town are a restricted zone that only authorised vehicles may enter, and cameras read every number plate. Visitors may drive in only with a pre-booked parking space, a registered parking place at their accommodation, or a stay at a hotel inside the zone, according to the Dubrovnik Tourist Board.
Unauthorised entry is fined €260 for a private individual. Rental companies pass these fines on: by February 2026 the City had issued about 16,000 fines worth nearly €29 million to rental companies, and Germany’s European Consumer Centre reports rental-car cases costing drivers more than €1,600. A first offence may be dealt with by a written warning instead. If you rent, follow the signs to the public garage and walk.
What rules apply to drivers in Croatia?
Visitors driving in Croatia should know the main rules of the road, set out in the Road Traffic Safety Act:
- Speed limits are 50 km/h in towns, 90 km/h on other roads, 110 km/h on expressways and 130 km/h on motorways.
- The drink-drive limit is 0.5 g/kg, and zero for drivers up to the age of 24.
- Dipped headlights or daytime running lights are compulsory from 1 November to 31 March.
- Hand-held phone use is banned, with a €130 fine.
British visitors can drive on a UK photocard licence for up to a year, according to the UK Foreign Office. For trips to Montenegro or Bosnia and Herzegovina, rental companies require written permission to take the car across the border.
Which is cheaper for my trip?
The answer depends on how many days you will actually drive. These three examples use the published figures above and our 2026 transfer prices, for two to four people in July:
| Trip | With transfers | With a rental car |
|---|---|---|
| 4 nights in the Old Town, no day trips | Airport transfer there and back: 2 × €50 | 4 days at about €35, plus the garage at €40 a day: about €300 before fuel and insurance |
| 7 nights in Lapad, with Kotor and Mostar days | 2 airport transfers (€50 each) plus 2 days with a driver (€360 each) | 7 days at about €35, plus fuel, cross-border permission and street parking; you drive the border queues yourself |
| 10-day coastal road trip to Split and beyond | Many separate transfers | A one-way rental from the airport is usually the cheaper and more flexible choice |
In the first example, transfers cost a fraction of the rental. In the second, the rental is usually cheaper in money, but you do the driving, the parking and the border queues yourself, and whoever drives cannot have a glass of wine at lunch. In the third, rent a car.
What is the middle way?
Many visitors combine the two: a transfer from the airport to their accommodation, buses and taxis in the city, and a car with a driver for the one or two days they want to see Kotor, Mostar or Ston. That avoids paying for a rental car that sits in a garage for most of the week.
If you do choose car rental, collect the car at the airport on the day you leave the city rather than on arrival. Our guide to driving to the Old Town explains the zone and parking in detail, and our day trips by car guide lists the drives worth doing. For the arrival itself, see airport transfers.
Questions about renting a car
Do I need a car in Dubrovnik?
Not for the city itself. The Old Town is car-free, buses run frequently to the hotel areas, and parking is scarce. A car becomes useful for touring the coast, the islands or the countryside at your own pace.
How much does car rental cost in Dubrovnik?
The rental comparison site Discover Cars reports average daily prices of about €14 to €21 outside summer and about €34 to €35 in July and August, before insurance excess cover, fuel, tolls and parking.
Can I drive a rental car to Montenegro or Bosnia?
Usually, but only with the rental company's written permission, arranged when you book. Ask about cross-border fees, and carry the documents at the border.
Where can I park near the Old Town?
The public garage at Ilijina glavica, about 590 m from Pile Gate, charges €7 an hour or €40 for 24 hours. The two car parks closest to the walls cost €20 for the first hour from May to October and must be booked.
Can I drive to my hotel inside the Old Town zone?
Only if your hotel or host has registered your number plate with the City. Otherwise, entering the zone between 1 April and 31 October without authorisation is fined €260 for a private driver.