Cost of Living Comparison Between Ljubljana and Slovenska Bistrica Cost of Living Comparison Between Ljubljana and Slovenska Bistrica

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,111 in Ljubljana versus $1,739 in Slovenska Bistrica.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,086 in Ljubljana versus $2,537 in Slovenska Bistrica.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,062 in Ljubljana versus $3,335 in Slovenska Bistrica.

Living in Ljubljana is roughly 21% more expensive than in Slovenska Bistrica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ljubljana 58% above, Slovenska Bistrica 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.87 €14.17

$13.65 €12.18

16.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 €60.3

$55.4 €49.40

21.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.07 €9.88

$9.17 €8.18

20.72%

Cappuccino

$2.90 €2.58

$2.98 €2.66

-2.68%

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

$3.22 €2.87

$3.15 €2.81

2.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 €1.76

$1.90 €1.70

3.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.94 €3.52

$3.56 €3.18

10.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 €3.95

$4.62 €4.12

-4.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 €1.23

$1.27 €1.13

7.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 €1.98

$1.89 €1.69

16.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 €2.87

$2.80 €2.50

15.00%

Eggs

$4.11 €3.67

$3.79 €3.38

8.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.98 €13.37

$14.67 €13.09

2.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.17 €9.08

$9.50 €8.48

7.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.01 €13.40

$14.29 €12.76

5.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €2.04

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.54

$1.76 €1.57

-2.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 €2.02

$2.28 €2.04

-0.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 €3.21

$3.58 €3.20

0.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 €1.33

$1.50 €1.34

-0.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 €1.45

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 €1.53

$1.71 €1.52

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.80

$0.86 €0.76

3.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.34 €5.66

$5.86 €5.23

8.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.91 €7.06

$7.88 €7.04

0.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 €1.26

$1.41 €1.26

0.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 €1.95

$2.08 €1.85

5.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 €1.52

$1.52 €1.36

11.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.46 €37.01

$33.62 €30.01

23.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 €1.92

$1.66 €1.48

29.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 €1.11

$1.32 €1.17

-5.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.30 €17.23

$18.94 €16.91

1.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.69

$1.73 €1.55

9.83%

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

$29.6K €26.4K

$29.5K €26.3K

0.40%

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

$25.1K €22.4K

$24.8K €22.2K

1.15%

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

$287 €256

$286 €255

0.49%

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

$16.33 €14.58

$16.49 €14.72

-0.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.49 €37.93

$37.83 €33.76

12.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 €48.67

$53.7 €47.94

1.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.60 €21.96

Cinema Ticket

$10.49 €9.36

$8.08 €7.21

29.83%

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

$661 €590

$500 €446

32.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K €12.4K

$11.3K €10.1K

23.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 €104

$117 €104

-0.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.02 €39.29

$37.44 €33.42

17.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 €97.3

$109 €97.7

-0.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 €130

$143 €128

2.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,123 €1,002

$749 €669

49.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$884 €789

$621 €554

42.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,077 €1,854

$989 €883

109.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 €1,277

$1,022 €913

39.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,421 €5,732

$3,603 €3,216

78.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,816 €4,299

$3,556 €3,174

35.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,001 €1,786

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.56

3.29

8.21%

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

Last update for Ljubljana: October 5, 2026

Last update for Slovenska Bistrica: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,123 in Ljubljana and $749 in Slovenska Bistrica. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $67.0 in Ljubljana vs $55.0 in Slovenska Bistrica for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 vs $293 per month, with Slovenska Bistrica 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 Slovenska Bistrica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Slovenska Bistrica is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,167 in Ljubljana and $2,608 in Slovenska Bistrica to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,123 in Ljubljana versus $749 in Slovenska Bistrica. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Slovenska Bistrica runs roughly 23% less than in Ljubljana. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $661 in Ljubljana versus $500 in Slovenska Bistrica. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,739 in Slovenska Bistrica versus $2,111 in Ljubljana, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Slovenska Bistrica but tight or insufficient in Ljubljana. The gap between the two cities makes Slovenska Bistrica the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Slovenska Bistrica 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 Slovenska Bistrica 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 Slovenska Bistrica gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Ljubljana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.