Cost of Living Comparison Between Ljubljana and Nova Gorica Cost of Living Comparison Between Ljubljana and Nova Gorica

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,050 in Ljubljana versus $1,307 in Nova Gorica.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,027 in Ljubljana versus $2,069 in Nova Gorica.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,004 in Ljubljana versus $2,831 in Nova Gorica.

Living in Ljubljana is roughly 57% more expensive than in Nova Gorica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ljubljana is 54% above, Nova Gorica is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.09 €14.80

$10.58 €9.17

61.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 €60.1

$52.8 €45.73

31.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.01 €7.80

$9.44 €8.17

-4.56%

Cappuccino

$2.55 €2.21

$1.76 €1.52

44.89%

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

$3.14 €2.72

$2.71 €2.35

15.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 €1.77

$1.63 €1.41

25.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.73 €3.23

$2.91 €2.52

28.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.11

$4.69 €4.06

1.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.36 €1.18

14.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.18 €1.89

$1.64 €1.42

32.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.78 €2.41

$2.34 €2.02

18.80%

Eggs

$3.79 €3.28

$2.79 €2.42

35.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 €11.33

$17.66 €15.29

-25.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.00 €9.52

$5.64 €4.88

95.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.87 €11.15

$8.83 €7.64

45.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 €1.71

$2.03 €1.75

-2.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.80 €1.56

-0.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 €1.91

$2.28 €1.97

-3.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.35 €2.90

$2.35 €2.03

42.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 €1.14

$0.56 €0.49

133.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 €1.37

$2.27 €1.96

-29.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 €1.48

$2.07 €1.79

-17.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 €0.81

$0.54 €0.47

72.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.10 €5.28

$6.19 €5.36

-1.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.68 €7.51

$8.02 €6.94

8.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 €1.23

$1.18 €1.02

20.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$3.20 €2.77

-35.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 €1.28

$0.78 €0.67

89.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.24 €36.58

$21.67 €18.77

94.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.30 €1.99

$1.78 €1.54

29.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 €1.01

$1.28 €1.11

-8.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.30 €16.72

$11.80 €10.22

63.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.50

$1.60 €1.39

8.12%

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

$29.1K €25.2K

$27.1K €23.5K

7.39%

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

$29.1K €25.2K

$21.7K €18.8K

34.08%

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

$277 €240

$176 €153

57.11%

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

$19.11 €16.55

$11.48 €9.95

66.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.47 €33.31

$11.59 €10.04

231.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 €45.14

$52.6 €45.54

-0.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.23 €15.79

$23.11 €20.01

-21.12%

Cinema Ticket

$9.15 €7.92

$8.34 €7.22

9.71%

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

$545 €472

$523 €453

4.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K €12.4K

$8,736 €7,565

64.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.5

$57.1 €49.43

80.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.26 €40.06

$22.95 €19.88

101.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €90.6

$116 €100

-9.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 €117

$118 €102

14.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 €880

$619 €536

64.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$828 €717

$442 €382

87.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 €1,755

$1,087 €941

86.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,475 €1,277

$854 €739

72.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,350 €5,499

$3,051 €2,643

108.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,932 €4,271

$2,206 €1,910

123.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,963 €1,700

$1,629 €1,411

20.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

3.37

13.95%

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

Last update for Ljubljana: July 28, 2026

Last update for Nova Gorica: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,016 in Ljubljana and $619 in Nova Gorica. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ljubljana pays 20% 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 Nova Gorica for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $296 vs $249 per month, with Nova Gorica 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 Nova Gorica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nova Gorica is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 20% 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: $1,016 in Ljubljana versus $619 in Nova Gorica. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Nova Gorica runs roughly 95% less than in Ljubljana. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $545 in Ljubljana versus $523 in Nova Gorica. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,307 in Nova Gorica versus $2,050 in Ljubljana, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nova Gorica but tight or insufficient in Ljubljana. The gap between the two cities makes Nova Gorica the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nova Gorica 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 Nova Gorica 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 Nova Gorica gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Ljubljana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.