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: $2,021 in Ljubljana versus $1,656 in Slovenska Bistrica.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,984 in Ljubljana versus $2,482 in Slovenska Bistrica.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,947 in Ljubljana versus $3,309 in Slovenska Bistrica.

Living in Ljubljana is roughly 22% more expensive than Slovenska Bistrica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ljubljana 50% above, Slovenska Bistrica 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.45 €15.03

$13.81 €11.90

26.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 €60.1

$51.2 €44.12

36.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 €8.10

$9.08 €7.82

3.52%

Cappuccino

$2.64 €2.27

$2.63 €2.27

0.38%

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

$3.04 €2.62

$3.14 €2.70

-3.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 €1.70

$1.86 €1.60

6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.91 €3.37

$3.37 €2.90

16.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

$4.68 €4.03

-1.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.32 €1.13

18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.61 €1.38

30.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 €2.52

$2.89 €2.49

1.04%

Eggs

$3.83 €3.30

$3.56 €3.07

7.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.09 €11.27

$13.43 €11.57

-2.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 €9.34

$8.88 €7.65

22.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.86 €11.08

$13.05 €11.24

-1.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$1.95 €1.68

3.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.70 €1.46

5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.23 €1.92

-5.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 €3.00

$3.34 €2.88

4.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.31 €1.13

3.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 €1.37

$1.61 €1.39

-1.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.72 €1.48

-1.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.81

$1.00 €0.86

-6.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.19 €5.33

Wine (Bottle)

$8.36 €7.21

$7.11 €6.12

17.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.39 €1.20

4.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.09 €1.80

0.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 €1.28

$1.43 €1.23

4.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.35 €36.49

$32.02 €27.59

32.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 €1.92

$1.73 €1.49

28.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 €0.97

$1.16 €1.00

-3.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.82 €17.08

$19.70 €16.97

0.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.67 €1.44

3.59%

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

$28.5K €24.5K

$26.4K €22.8K

7.72%

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

$28.4K €24.5K

$29.0K €25.0K

-2.16%

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

$278 €239

$281 €242

-1.27%

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

$18.47 €15.91

$14.65 €12.62

26.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.75 €33.39

$32.94 €28.38

17.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 €44.00

$51.3 €44.22

-0.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.59 €16.02

Cinema Ticket

$9.51 €8.19

$8.01 €6.90

18.73%

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

$556 €479

$514 €443

8.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K €12.3K

$8,525 €7,345

68.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.7 €85.9

$104 €89.3

-3.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.17 €39.78

$35.01 €30.17

31.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €91.0

$103 €89.1

2.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 €117

$135 €116

0.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 €883

$674 €581

51.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$845 €728

$524 €451

61.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,041 €1,758

$1,110 €957

83.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,438 €1,239

$966 €833

48.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,743 €5,810

$3,460 €2,981

94.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,053 €4,354

$3,330 €2,869

51.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,962 €1,690

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Slovenska Bistrica: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,024 in Ljubljana and $674 in Slovenska Bistrica. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in Ljubljana vs $51.0 in Slovenska Bistrica for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $296 vs $276 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 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,032 in Ljubljana and $2,484 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: $1,024 in Ljubljana versus $674 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 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 $514 in Slovenska Bistrica. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,656 in Slovenska Bistrica versus $2,021 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 22% less than in Ljubljana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.