Cost of Living Comparison Between Ljubljana and Vrhnika Cost of Living Comparison Between Ljubljana and Vrhnika

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,197 in Ljubljana versus $1,775 in Vrhnika.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,156 in Ljubljana versus $2,582 in Vrhnika.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,114 in Ljubljana versus $3,389 in Vrhnika.

Living in Ljubljana is roughly 24% more expensive than in Vrhnika, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ljubljana 61% above, Vrhnika 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.88 €13.83

$11.81 €10.28

34.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.4 €61.3

$58.1 €50.6

21.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.76 €10.24

$9.12 €7.93

28.95%

Cappuccino

$2.96 €2.58

$3.10 €2.70

-4.52%

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

$3.16 €2.75

$3.40 €2.96

-7.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 €1.71

$1.96 €1.71

0.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.14 €3.61

$3.74 €3.26

10.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.08

$4.67 €4.07

0.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.22

$1.36 €1.19

2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 €1.99

$2.02 €1.76

13.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 €2.87

$2.98 €2.60

10.40%

Eggs

$4.03 €3.51

$3.95 €3.44

2.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.04 €13.09

$15.05 €13.10

-0.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 €9.09

$9.64 €8.39

8.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.88 €12.95

$15.09 €13.14

-1.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 €2.00

$2.34 €2.04

-1.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.51

$1.73 €1.51

0.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 €2.12

$2.41 €2.10

0.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.71 €3.23

$3.75 €3.26

-1.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.56 €1.36

-3.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 €1.41

$1.64 €1.43

-1.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 €1.63

$1.72 €1.50

8.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.81

$0.90 €0.78

4.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.46 €5.62

$5.92 €5.15

9.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 €6.84

$8.12 €7.07

-3.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 €1.28

$1.48 €1.29

-0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 €1.90

$2.20 €1.91

-0.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 €1.55

$1.36 €1.19

30.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.46 €37.83

$31.65 €27.55

37.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 €1.94

$1.79 €1.56

24.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.30 €1.13

4.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.28 €16.78

$19.72 €17.16

-2.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.74 €1.51

9.77%

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

$30.6K €26.7K

$30.1K €26.2K

1.95%

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

$26.1K €22.7K

$25.9K €22.5K

0.99%

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

$302 €263

$299 €260

0.97%

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

$17.18 €14.95

$17.35 €15.10

-0.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.49 €38.72

$39.13 €34.06

13.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 €48.94

$53.8 €46.82

4.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.04 €21.79

Cinema Ticket

$10.80 €9.40

$7.90 €6.87

36.71%

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

$680 €592

$527 €459

29.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K €12.7K

$11.7K €10.2K

23.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 €102

0.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.84 €40.77

$39.15 €34.07

19.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.8

$114 €99.6

-2.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 €129

$150 €130

-0.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 €995

$728 €634

57.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$917 €798

$587 €511

56.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,110 €1,837

$1,174 €1,022

79.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,466 €1,276

$978 €851

49.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,700 €5,832

$3,359 €2,924

99.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,027 €4,375

$3,430 €2,986

46.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,062 €1,795

$1,164 €1,013

77.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.61

3.29

9.73%

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

Last update for Ljubljana: September 12, 2026

Last update for Vrhnika: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,144 in Ljubljana and $728 in Vrhnika. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ljubljana pays 77% 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 $58.0 in Vrhnika for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $312 vs $304 per month, with Vrhnika 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 Vrhnika: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vrhnika is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 77% 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: $1,144 in Ljubljana versus $728 in Vrhnika. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Vrhnika runs roughly 37% less than in Ljubljana. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $680 in Ljubljana versus $527 in Vrhnika. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,775 in Vrhnika versus $2,197 in Ljubljana, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Vrhnika but tight or insufficient in Ljubljana. The gap between the two cities makes Vrhnika the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Vrhnika 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 Vrhnika 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 Vrhnika gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Ljubljana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.