Cost of Living Comparison Between Ljubljana and Dubrovnik Cost of Living Comparison Between Ljubljana and Dubrovnik

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,015 per month in Ljubljana vs $1,961 in Dubrovnik, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,035 per month in Ljubljana vs $2,877 in Dubrovnik, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,056 per month in Ljubljana vs $3,794 in Dubrovnik, rent included.

Ljubljana costs about 3% more than Dubrovnik, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ljubljana and Dubrovnik sit above the global median – Ljubljana by 51%, Dubrovnik by 46%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.22 €14.74

$17.51 €14.99

-1.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.2 €58.4

$82.0 €70.2

-16.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.23 €7.90

$12.29 €10.52

-24.90%

Cappuccino

$2.55 €2.18

$3.46 €2.96

-26.30%

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

$3.06 €2.62

$4.81 €4.12

-36.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 €1.79

$3.76 €3.21

-44.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.91 €3.34

$6.87 €5.88

-43.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 €3.88

$4.55 €3.89

-0.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 €1.32

$1.17 €1.00

31.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 €1.86

$1.51 €1.29

43.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.82 €2.41

$2.33 €1.99

21.03%

Eggs

$3.99 €3.42

$4.33 €3.71

-7.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.10 €11.22

$12.59 €10.77

4.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.06 €9.47

$12.23 €10.47

-9.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.76 €10.92

$10.57 €9.05

20.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.75 €1.50

10.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.48

$1.70 €1.45

1.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 €1.84

$1.97 €1.68

9.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.51 €3.01

$2.67 €2.28

31.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.23 €1.05

11.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 €1.39

$0.81 €0.69

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.58 €1.36

3.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 €0.82

$1.31 €1.12

-26.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.07 €5.19

$5.34 €4.57

13.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.52 €6.44

$4.65 €3.98

61.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.33 €1.14

10.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 €1.74

$2.87 €2.46

-29.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 €1.26

$2.63 €2.25

-43.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.27 €37.04

$56.1 €48.03

-22.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 €1.92

$3.16 €2.71

-29.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.13 €0.97

1.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.56 €16.74

$7.30 €6.25

167.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.50

$1.76 €1.51

-0.57%

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

$28.5K €24.4K

$38.5K €33.0K

-26.04%

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

$28.8K €24.7K

$25.9K €22.2K

11.14%

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

$286 €244

$187 €160

52.89%

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

$18.70 €16.01

$23.35 €19.99

-19.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.00 €32.53

$26.73 €22.88

42.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 €45.07

$70.1 €60.0

-24.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.28 €15.64

$24.69 €21.13

-25.96%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.74

$8.63 €7.39

4.75%

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

$540 €463

$93.7 €80.2

476.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K €12.2K

$8,019 €6,864

77.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €86.1

$75.2 €64.4

33.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.38 €39.70

$29.40 €25.16

57.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.4

$68.9 €59.0

51.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 €118

$79.8 €68.3

73.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 €861

$1,236 €1,058

-18.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$823 €704

$882 €755

-6.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,074 €1,775

$1,706 €1,460

21.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,473 €1,261

$1,217 €1,042

21.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,440 €5,512

$8,477 €7,256

-24.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,943 €4,231

$4,430 €3,792

11.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,910 €1,635

$1,518 €1,300

25.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

4.66

-17.60%

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

Last update for Ljubljana: April 26, 2026

Last update for Dubrovnik: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,005 in Ljubljana versus $1,236 in Dubrovnik. 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 26% higher in Ljubljana, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Ljubljana versus $82.0 in Dubrovnik. Groceries tell a different story – $295 in Ljubljana vs $273 in Dubrovnik – so Dubrovnik 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 Dubrovnik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,015 in Ljubljana, $1,961 in Dubrovnik – roughly 3% apart. Ljubljana costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,023 per month in Ljubljana and $2,941 in Dubrovnik. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 30% less in Dubrovnik. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $540 per month in Ljubljana and $93.7 in Dubrovnik. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Dubrovnik, where all-in costs run around $1,961, than in Ljubljana at $2,015. In Dubrovnik 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 $1,961 in Dubrovnik to $2,015 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 Dubrovnik. 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.