A discussion was launched on the local subreddit with the question of how satisfied users are with life in Split and whether they have ever wished to move elsewhere, either to another part of Croatia or abroad. The responses revealed a range of divided experiences, from those who would leave for career reasons to those who, despite everything, would not trade Split for anything.
One user pointed out that he owns his own flat and is aware that this places him in a more favourable position than many of his peers. "Honestly, the quality of life in Split has dropped significantly in recent years. The city is beautiful and hard to replace due to the sea, the climate, the size, and everything we have within reach, but the atmosphere among people is getting worse," he wrote. He believes that job opportunities are limited to a few dominant sectors, but sees housing as the biggest problem. "Having your own flat in Split today is a huge privilege. Prices have gone so high that a large number of young people are practically waiting to inherit a flat from their parents or grandparents in order to be able to start living their lives normally. This is perhaps the saddest part of the whole story," he added. He answered in the affirmative when asked if he was considering leaving.
The other user, who also has her housing situation sorted, stated that she is professionally tied to Zagreb, where her social life also takes place, and considers that Split has regressed over the last fifteen years. The third participant in the discussion, who does not own property, wrote that she and her partner are considering whether to even try to settle in the Split area. "As time goes by, and because we wouldn't really choose the area around Split for work due to the traffic, we are increasingly thinking about whether it would be wise to go further afield – across the border – and live a little more decently," she wrote.
One of the harshest comments came from a user who said that while he was satisfied with his personal life because he had secured stability, he was not with the state of the city. He listed municipal problems, traffic, the concreteisation of the city, the state of Marjan and Bine, rubbish, and a decline in the culture of living, with particular offence taken at the attitude of residents towards public space. The other user summed up his dissatisfaction in a few words: "Split has become a beautiful, expensive hell." He believes that the city has become primarily a place for profit, with infrastructure failing to keep pace with its development. "It is not pleasant to live in, practically speaking. There is not enough infrastructure for the number of people, buildings are being built haphazardly and for the profit of foreign investors rather than for Split residents," he wrote, adding that high rents and a lack of diverse jobs are the main problems.
Yet one of the most critical participants in the discussion, after a long list of complaints, concluded: "I have never for a moment considered moving away. I have seen much of the world, but nevertheless, Split is and will always be my city." The user who had studied and lived in Zagreb for seven years addressed those criticising the local mindset: "I don't know where you all are going who are trashing people and the local culture here, what you are doing and who you are hanging out with." She acknowledges that Zagreb offers more opportunities for work and entertainment, but rejects generalisations about Split residents. "Our people are generally very hardworking and good, cheerful and open, and there is little of that in Zagreb or abroad. I am surrounded by people I love and who are good to me, in whose company I enjoy myself, and I do not judge the others."
The other user had the opposite experience: she moved from Split to Zagrab for work, where she spent five years, before returning to Split due to her children and the need to help her family. She says that if her children grow up, she would return to Zagreb without much thought. The user who admitted that he now views his previous desire to stay in his hometown at all costs differently wrote: "Split is not awful, only limited, so to speak – deprived." A local who studied in another city and lived abroad said that he would move again primarily for his career, but claims that once work, housing, and social life are sorted, Split is incredibly hard to replace. "I get anxious in megacities, in the grey, in the smog and the fast pace of life. I prefer the leisurely and comfortable pace of life where, on a hot Tuesday in the middle of the working day, I can have a coffee, work on my laptop, and then jump into the sea and swim to refresh myself. Where is that to be found in the world? In a few places."
He concluded.
