havegryn, would you recommend any towns for a 9-12 month sabbatical where I could get the best value on a rental (and have a good cultural experience)? I’ve been to Split and Dubrovnik- I found them very touristy. Prefer the coast but open to other suggestions. Also, not trying to be political or start a debate but Bee’s description of the motherland honestly doesn’t bother me (except for the trashing the environment stuff).
If you really wouldn't be bothered by the general third worldliness (everything Bee talks about) you definitely have more options but I'd still stick with "better" areas just in case.
9 or 12 months makes quite a difference because on the coast, it would probably be challenging and expensive to find a 12 month rental. Most people want to rent to tourists over summer and offer long term rentals only off season,.So being interested in a stay from September to May would probably make it easier and cheaper.
But, to explore Croatia over a year. you would probably be best off making a base in Zagreb. The coastal areas are fairly "dead" off season and I feel it could be quite boring for an "outsider".
If you are expecting any kind of getting to know the locals, participating in some kind of events etc without speaking Croatian the only place I would ever dare recommending is Zagreb.
Also, Croatia is small and if you're coming without the need to work you can easily travel all over it several times.
Rent in Zagreb is cheaper than on the coast but not substantially. Expect to need 300-500€ (euros, not dollars, I think for dollars it's about 15% more but I live such a eurocentric life that dollars are difficult for me even though I spend a lot of time on this forum) for a 1 bedroom, 500 to 700 for two bedroom and 700+ for more than that. There could be cheaper properties but they would be in quite poor overall state. This is obviously not a lot comparing to HCOL areas of Europe/US but it is in my opinion rather expensive for the local standard of living. You can get cheaper rent for better places in MCOL and LCOL areas of Germany, France, Sweden etc. Hence my lack of enthousiasm for the notion of Croatia as a cheap retirement destination.
But, as said, if you would plan your stay to be entirely off season you could get good deals on the coast, so if you prefer the coast that is definitely something to consider.
If I had to go live in Croatia again for whatever (terrifying) reason I would consider Zagreb, Rijeka and Pula. Rijeka and Pula are on the coast. Zagreb is not.