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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,021 per month in Ljubljana vs $1,969 in Dubrovnik, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,984 per month in Ljubljana vs $2,875 in Dubrovnik, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,947 per month in Ljubljana vs $3,782 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 50%, Dubrovnik by 47%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.45 €15.03

$17.24 €14.85

1.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 €60.1

$81.5 €70.2

-14.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 €8.10

$12.21 €10.52

-23.01%

Cappuccino

$2.64 €2.27

$3.61 €3.11

-26.87%

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

$3.04 €2.62

$4.89 €4.21

-37.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 €1.70

$3.70 €3.19

-46.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.91 €3.37

$6.83 €5.89

-42.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

$4.81 €4.15

-4.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.17 €1.01

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.52 €1.31

38.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 €2.52

$2.26 €1.94

29.20%

Eggs

$3.83 €3.30

$4.48 €3.86

-14.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.09 €11.27

$12.22 €10.53

7.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 €9.34

$12.49 €10.77

-13.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.86 €11.08

$10.59 €9.12

21.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$1.73 €1.49

16.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.73 €1.49

4.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.88 €1.62

12.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 €3.00

$2.63 €2.27

32.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.23 €1.06

9.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 €1.37

$0.87 €0.75

81.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.53 €1.32

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.81

$1.31 €1.13

-28.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.19 €5.33

$5.14 €4.43

20.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.36 €7.21

$4.57 €3.94

82.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.28 €1.10

13.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.84 €2.45

-25.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 €1.28

$2.61 €2.25

-42.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.35 €36.49

$56.9 €49.06

-25.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 €1.92

$3.00 €2.58

-25.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 €0.97

$1.14 €0.98

-1.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.82 €17.08

$7.60 €6.55

160.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.70 €1.46

1.76%

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

$28.5K €24.5K

$38.1K €32.8K

-25.33%

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

$28.4K €24.5K

$26.1K €22.5K

9.04%

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

$278 €239

$188 €162

47.74%

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

$18.47 €15.91

$23.50 €20.25

-21.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.75 €33.39

$26.75 €23.05

44.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 €44.00

$70.5 €60.7

-27.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.59 €16.02

$24.73 €21.31

-24.83%

Cinema Ticket

$9.51 €8.19

$8.52 €7.34

11.62%

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

$556 €479

$92.3 €79.5

502.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K €12.3K

$8,156 €7,027

75.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.7 €85.9

$74.8 €64.4

33.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.17 €39.78

$29.15 €25.12

58.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €91.0

$69.8 €60.2

51.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 €117

$81.6 €70.3

65.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 €883

$1,241 €1,069

-17.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$845 €728

$876 €755

-3.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,041 €1,758

$1,761 €1,517

15.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,438 €1,239

$1,237 €1,066

16.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,743 €5,810

$8,502 €7,325

-20.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,053 €4,354

$4,418 €3,806

14.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,962 €1,690

$1,537 €1,324

27.61%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Dubrovnik: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,024 in Ljubljana versus $1,241 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 28% 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 $70.0 in Ljubljana versus $82.0 in Dubrovnik. Groceries tell a different story – $296 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: $2,021 in Ljubljana, $1,969 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 $3,032 per month in Ljubljana and $2,954 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 34% less in Dubrovnik. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $556 per month in Ljubljana and $92.3 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 $1,969, than in Ljubljana at $2,021. 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 $1,969 in Dubrovnik to $2,021 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.