Cost of Living Comparison Between Ljubljana and Maribor Cost of Living Comparison Between Ljubljana and Maribor

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,054 in Ljubljana versus $1,489 in Maribor.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,008 in Ljubljana versus $2,217 in Maribor.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,962 in Ljubljana versus $2,946 in Maribor.

Living in Ljubljana is roughly 38% more expensive than in Maribor, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ljubljana 54% above, Maribor 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.24 €15.06

$11.65 €10.18

47.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.7

$52.7 €46.08

31.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.45 €8.26

$9.21 €8.05

2.61%

Cappuccino

$2.58 €2.25

$2.57 €2.24

0.39%

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

$3.04 €2.66

$3.12 €2.72

-2.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.76 €1.54

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 €3.36

$3.54 €3.09

8.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 €4.02

$4.70 €4.11

-2.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.35 €1.18

9.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 €1.90

$1.64 €1.43

32.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 €2.52

$2.82 €2.46

2.13%

Eggs

$3.87 €3.38

$3.56 €3.11

8.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.38 €11.69

$13.44 €11.74

-0.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.70 €9.35

$8.73 €7.63

22.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.75 €11.14

$12.97 €11.33

-1.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 €1.77

$1.95 €1.70

3.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.77 €1.54

-0.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 €1.89

$2.22 €1.94

-2.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 €3.09

$3.51 €3.06

0.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.31 €1.15

4.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 €1.42

$1.64 €1.43

-1.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.68 €1.47

1.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 €0.86

$1.01 €0.88

-1.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.98 €5.22

$5.99 €5.23

-0.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.39 €7.33

$7.82 €6.83

7.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 €1.26

$1.47 €1.28

-1.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 €1.77

$2.01 €1.75

1.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 €1.28

$2.27 €1.98

-35.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.25 €36.92

$41.72 €36.45

1.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 €1.96

$1.79 €1.56

25.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 €1.02

$1.11 €0.97

5.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.99 €17.46

$19.68 €17.19

1.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.61 €1.41

8.07%

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

$28.9K €25.2K

$26.3K €23.0K

9.81%

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

$28.9K €25.3K

$28.1K €24.5K

2.94%

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

$279 €243

$276 €241

0.92%

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

$18.60 €16.25

$15.04 €13.14

23.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.84 €33.06

$34.08 €29.78

11.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 €46.09

$45.72 €39.95

15.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.04 €15.76

$11.50 €10.05

56.87%

Cinema Ticket

$9.12 €7.97

$8.31 €7.26

9.75%

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

$541 €473

$521 €455

3.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K €12.4K

$8,641 €7,550

64.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100.0 €87.3

$103 €89.6

-2.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.21 €40.37

$34.94 €30.53

32.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €90.8

$106 €92.8

-2.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 €121

$135 €118

2.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,002 €875

$530 €463

89.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$851 €743

$409 €357

108.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,070 €1,809

$943 €824

119.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 €1,283

$646 €564

127.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,373 €5,568

$3,236 €2,827

96.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,903 €4,284

$2,528 €2,209

93.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,018 €1,763

$1,890 €1,651

6.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

3.65

5.21%

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

Last update for Ljubljana: July 12, 2026

Last update for Maribor: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,002 in Ljubljana and $530 in Maribor. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ljubljana pays 7% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $69.0 in Ljubljana vs $53.0 in Maribor for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $278 per month, with Maribor cheaper across the board.

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 Maribor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maribor is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 7% higher in Ljubljana, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,002 in Ljubljana versus $530 in Maribor. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Maribor runs roughly 1% less than in Ljubljana. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $541 in Ljubljana versus $521 in Maribor. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,489 in Maribor versus $2,054 in Ljubljana, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Maribor but tight or insufficient in Ljubljana. The gap between the two cities makes Maribor the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Maribor is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ljubljana, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ljubljana and Maribor are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Maribor gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Ljubljana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.