Objectives: The aim of this research was to determine the characteristics of patients with diabetes before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional study, which included a total of 100 diabetes patients (45% female, total average age 71.5±7.5), was conducted at the Center for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases of the University Hospital of Split. All involved respondents filled out a questionnaire that included: general information, basic parameters of the disease, the most important laboratory indicators of glucoregulation and the subjective availability of the health system during the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: A statistically significant difference was recorded in the number of visits to a diabetologist, as well as in the number of laboratory tests performed, comparing the time before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in the group of respondents who live on islands and in places that are 20 or more kilometers from Split (P < 0.001). No statistically significant difference was found in the increase in HbA1c (P=0.134) and the increase in body weight (P=0.792) between the observed groups with regard to the number of visits to a diabetologist during the pandemic. Also, no statistically significant difference was found in the percentage of respondents who believe that they had equal health care before and during the pandemic between the observed groups with regard to place of residence (P=0.909). Furthermore, no statistically significant difference was found in the percentage of respondents who believe that they controlled their diabetes worse during the pandemic between the observed groups with regard to place of residence (P=0.681). Conclusions: This research showed that during the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, a reduced number of diabetologist examinations and laboratory measurements were recorded, especially in the group of diabetes patients living in island and rural areas. According to HbA1c values and changes in body weight of the subjects, there was no significant difference compared to the period before the pandemic.