Cost of Living Comparison Between Ljubljana and Champaign, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Ljubljana and Champaign, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,031 per month in Ljubljana vs $1,981 in Champaign, IL, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,021 per month in Ljubljana vs $2,696 in Champaign, IL, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,012 per month in Ljubljana vs $3,411 in Champaign, IL, rent included.

Ljubljana costs about 2% more than Champaign, IL, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Ljubljana and Champaign, IL sit above the global median – Ljubljana by 52%, Champaign, IL by 48%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.11 €14.73

$15.07 $15.07

13.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.5 €58.9

$49.26 $49.26

38.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.34 €8.04

$10.88 $10.88

-14.15%

Cappuccino

$2.55 €2.19

$4.39 $4.39

-41.91%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 €2.72

$2.15 $2.15

46.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.54 $1.54

29.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.74 €3.22

$5.32 $5.32

-29.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 €3.94

$5.99 $5.99

-23.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 €1.28

$0.69 $0.69

115.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.79

$2.62 $2.62

-20.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 €2.40

$2.76 $2.76

1.09%

Eggs

$3.94 €3.39

$2.64 $2.64

49.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.14 €11.31

$11.31 $11.31

16.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.91 €9.39

$6.20 $6.20

75.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.90 €11.11

$13.55 $13.55

-4.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$3.24 $3.24

-38.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.61 $1.61

6.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 €1.83

$3.53 $3.53

-39.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 €2.93

$3.99 $3.99

-14.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 €1.16

$2.44 $2.44

-44.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$2.44 $2.44

-32.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 €1.42

$2.38 $2.38

-30.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.81

$1.52 $1.52

-38.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 €5.04

$7.35 $7.35

-20.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 €7.10

$14.95 $14.95

-44.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 €1.22

$2.06 $2.06

-31.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 €1.73

$3.99 $3.99

-49.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 €1.26

$0.97 $0.97

50.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.46 €37.41

$20.10 $20.10

116.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 €1.96

$3.59 $3.59

-36.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 €0.96

$1.53 $1.53

-26.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.97 €17.19

$39.61 $39.61

-49.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 €1.47

$0.82 $0.82

107.32%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.5K €24.5K

$31.8K $31.8K

-10.54%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$28.1K €24.2K

$23.5K $23.5K

19.73%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$283 €244

$212 $212

33.45%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$18.81 €16.19

$41.52 $41.52

-54.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.61 €32.38

$62.9 $62.9

-40.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 €43.82

$40.49 $40.49

25.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.03 €15.53

$9.91 $9.91

81.94%

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.92

$11.81 $11.81

-22.10%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$550 €474

$1,221 $1,221

-54.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K €12.3K

$24.0K $24.0K

-40.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$44.64 $44.64

128.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.49 €40.02

$40.90 $40.90

13.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.7

$89.5 $89.5

16.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 €117

$122 $122

12.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 €866

$954 $954

5.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$820 €706

$873 $873

-6.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,046 €1,762

$1,854 $1,854

10.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,473 €1,268

$1,105 $1,105

33.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,622 €5,700

$1,677 $1,677

294.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,097 €4,388

$1,687 $1,687

202.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,980 €1,705

$3,601 $3,601

-45.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

6.49

-40.83%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ljubljana: June 1, 2026

Last update for Champaign, IL: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ljubljana versus $954 in Champaign, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 82% higher in Champaign, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Ljubljana versus $49.00 in Champaign, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $294 in Ljubljana vs $308 in Champaign, IL – so Ljubljana wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ljubljana vs Champaign, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,031 in Ljubljana, $1,981 in Champaign, IL – roughly 2% apart. Ljubljana costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,046 per month in Ljubljana and $2,972 in Champaign, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Champaign, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Ljubljana – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Ljubljana and $49.00 in Champaign, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Champaign, IL, where all-in costs run around $1,981, than in Ljubljana at $2,031. In Champaign, IL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ljubljana it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ljubljana has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,981 in Champaign, IL to $2,031 in Ljubljana. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Champaign, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ljubljana makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.