Cost of Living Comparison Between Ljubljana and Novo Mesto Cost of Living Comparison Between Ljubljana and Novo Mesto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,021 in Ljubljana versus $1,513 in Novo Mesto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,984 in Ljubljana versus $2,202 in Novo Mesto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,947 in Ljubljana versus $2,892 in Novo Mesto.

Living in Ljubljana is roughly 34% more expensive than Novo Mesto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ljubljana 50% above, Novo Mesto 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.45 €15.03

$11.47 €9.88

52.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 €60.1

$35.22 €30.34

98.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 €8.10

$9.09 €7.83

3.41%

Cappuccino

$2.64 €2.27

$1.80 €1.55

46.67%

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

$3.04 €2.62

$2.35 €2.02

29.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 €1.70

$1.61 €1.38

22.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.91 €3.37

$3.29 €2.83

18.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

$2.82 €2.43

63.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.37 €1.18

13.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.61 €1.39

30.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 €2.52

$2.90 €2.50

0.69%

Eggs

$3.83 €3.30

$3.58 €3.09

6.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.09 €11.27

$13.73 €11.83

-4.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 €9.34

$8.80 €7.58

23.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.86 €11.08

$9.48 €8.17

35.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$1.69 €1.46

19.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.82 €1.57

-1.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.08 €1.80

1.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 €3.00

$3.40 €2.93

2.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.14 €0.99

18.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 €1.37

$1.52 €1.31

3.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.30 €1.12

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.81

$0.74 €0.64

27.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.19 €5.33

$5.86 €5.05

5.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.36 €7.21

$6.90 €5.95

21.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.40 €1.20

3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.80 €1.55

17.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 €1.28

$1.72 €1.49

-13.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.35 €36.49

$32.08 €27.64

32.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 €1.92

$1.70 €1.47

31.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 €0.97

$1.26 €1.09

-11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.82 €17.08

$28.48 €24.54

-30.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.60 €1.38

8.12%

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

$28.5K €24.5K

$26.5K €22.8K

7.44%

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

$28.4K €24.5K

$29.0K €24.9K

-1.83%

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

$278 €239

$306 €263

-9.11%

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

$18.47 €15.91

$11.75 €10.12

57.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.75 €33.39

$33.13 €28.55

16.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 €44.00

$29.13 €25.10

75.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.59 €16.02

$34.25 €29.51

-45.72%

Cinema Ticket

$9.51 €8.19

$7.86 €6.78

20.99%

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

$556 €479

$524 €452

6.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K €12.3K

$8,530 €7,349

67.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.7 €85.9

$91.0 €78.4

9.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.17 €39.78

$35.28 €30.40

30.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €91.0

$119 €103

-11.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 €117

$149 €128

-9.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 €883

$526 €453

94.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$845 €728

$433 €373

95.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,041 €1,758

$882 €760

131.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,438 €1,239

$757 €652

90.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,743 €5,810

$2,875 €2,477

134.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,053 €4,354

$3,364 €2,898

50.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,962 €1,690

$1,447 €1,247

35.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

3.3

16.36%

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

Last update for Ljubljana: June 8, 2026

Last update for Novo Mesto: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,024 in Ljubljana and $526 in Novo Mesto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ljubljana pays 36% 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: $70.0 in Ljubljana vs $35.00 in Novo Mesto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $296 vs $259 per month, with Novo Mesto 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 Novo Mesto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Novo Mesto is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Ljubljana pays 36% more on average, 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: $1,024 in Ljubljana versus $526 in Novo Mesto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Novo Mesto runs roughly 32% less than in Ljubljana. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $556 in Ljubljana versus $524 in Novo Mesto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,513 in Novo Mesto versus $2,021 in Ljubljana, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Novo Mesto but tight or insufficient in Ljubljana. The gap between the two cities makes Novo Mesto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Novo Mesto 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 Novo Mesto 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 Novo Mesto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Ljubljana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.