Cost of Living Comparison Between Ljubljana and Waterloo, IA Cost of Living Comparison Between Ljubljana and Waterloo, IA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,031 in Ljubljana versus $1,877 in Waterloo, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,004 in Ljubljana versus $2,558 in Waterloo, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,978 in Ljubljana versus $3,240 in Waterloo, IA.

Living in Ljubljana is roughly 8% more expensive than Waterloo, IA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ljubljana 51% above, Waterloo, IA 39% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.11 €14.56

$18.23 $18.23

-6.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 €60.0

$64.9 $64.9

8.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.41 €8.01

$9.93 $9.93

-5.24%

Cappuccino

$2.67 €2.27

$5.21 $5.21

-48.75%

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

$3.14 €2.67

$2.73 $2.73

15.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 €1.72

$2.47 $2.47

-18.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.90 €3.32

$6.06 $6.06

-35.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 €3.96

$6.84 $6.84

-32.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 €1.33

$1.03 $1.03

51.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 €1.79

$1.85 $1.85

13.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 €2.38

$1.68 $1.68

66.67%

Eggs

$3.83 €3.26

$2.86 $2.86

33.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.44 €11.43

$9.36 $9.36

43.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.74 €9.14

$6.36 $6.36

68.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.04 €11.10

$12.79 $12.79

1.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 €1.66

$3.69 $3.69

-47.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 €1.50

$1.22 $1.22

44.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 €1.83

$3.31 $3.31

-35.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.52 €3.00

$4.48 $4.48

-21.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 €1.13

$1.17 $1.17

13.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 €1.39

$2.11 $2.11

-22.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 €1.41

$1.91 $1.91

-13.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 €0.86

$1.57 $1.57

-35.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.19 €5.27

$7.91 $7.91

-21.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.50 €6.38

$13.25 $13.25

-43.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 €1.20

$1.76 $1.76

-19.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 €1.74

$1.77 $1.77

15.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 €1.29

$2.05 $2.05

-26.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.24 €36.80

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 €1.98

$5.05 $5.05

-54.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 €0.99

$1.37 $1.37

-15.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.38 €16.49

$29.75 $29.75

-34.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 €1.51

$0.83 $0.83

113.25%

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

$29.4K €25.1K

$36.1K $36.1K

-18.52%

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

$29.1K €24.7K

$25.7K $25.7K

12.97%

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

$281 €239

$202 $202

38.77%

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

$18.40 €15.66

$48.26 $48.26

-61.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.48 €32.74

$59.8 $59.8

-35.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 €43.52

$43.64 $43.64

17.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 €15.60

Cinema Ticket

$9.34 €7.95

$13.97 $13.97

-33.14%

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

$543 €462

$1,453 $1,453

-62.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K €11.9K

$29.8K $29.8K

-52.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €87.5

$39.03 $39.03

163.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.55 €39.61

$42.28 $42.28

10.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €88.2

$58.3 $58.3

77.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 €115

$129 $129

5.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,001 €852

$854 $854

17.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$822 €699

$755 $755

8.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,070 €1,762

$2,037 $2,037

1.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,458 €1,241

$863 $863

69.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,529 €5,556

$1,508 $1,508

333.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,927 €4,193

$1,481 $1,481

232.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,947 €1,657

$3,582 $3,582

-45.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

6.43

-40.28%

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

Last update for Ljubljana: April 12, 2026

Last update for Waterloo, IA: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,001 in Ljubljana and $854 in Waterloo, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Waterloo, IA pays 84% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71 in Ljubljana vs $65 in Waterloo, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $280 per month, with Waterloo, IA 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 Waterloo, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Waterloo, IA is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Waterloo, IA earns 84% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,001 in Ljubljana versus $854 in Waterloo, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $543 in Ljubljana versus $1,453 in Waterloo, IA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Waterloo, IA – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $71.0 in Ljubljana. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,877 in Waterloo, IA versus $2,031 in Ljubljana, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Waterloo, IA but tight or insufficient in Ljubljana. The gap between the two cities makes Waterloo, IA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Waterloo, IA 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 Waterloo, IA 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 Waterloo, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Ljubljana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.