Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ljubljana and Žalec

For one person, living is cheaper in Žalec: $1,662 a month against $2,104 in Ljubljana, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

102

Cost of Living Index in Ljubljana
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Ljubljana Living Index
80

Cost of Living Index in Žalec
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Žalec Living Index

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Ljubljana

🇸🇮 Slovenia

$2,104

/mo nomad

Žalec

🇸🇮 Slovenia

$1,662

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ljubljana and in Žalec

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ljubljana and in Žalec actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,104 in Ljubljana versus $1,662 in Žalec.

Ljubljana $2,104
Žalec $1,662

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,149 in Ljubljana versus $2,398 in Žalec.

Ljubljana $3,149
Žalec $2,398

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,194 in Ljubljana versus $3,135 in Žalec.

Ljubljana $4,194
Žalec $3,135

Living in Ljubljana is roughly 27% more expensive than in Žalec, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ljubljana 55% above, Žalec 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.86 €14.25

$9.89 €8.89

60.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.3 €59.6

$40.50 €36.38

63.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.33 €10.18

$8.01 €7.20

41.45%

Cappuccino

$2.85 €2.56

$1.86 €1.67

53.23%

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

$3.07 €2.76

$3.08 €2.77

-0.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 €1.70

$1.64 €1.48

15.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.83 €3.44

$3.85 €3.46

-0.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 €3.93

$4.04 €3.63

8.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.19

$1.31 €1.17

0.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 €1.98

$2.28 €2.04

-3.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 €2.77

$1.81 €1.63

70.72%

Eggs

$3.92 €3.52

$3.90 €3.50

0.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.57 €13.09

$9.20 €8.27

58.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.67 €8.69

$9.39 €8.44

2.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.54 €13.06

$14.62 €13.14

-0.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 €2.02

$1.95 €1.75

15.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.56

$1.67 €1.50

3.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 €2.08

$1.95 €1.76

18.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 €3.10

$2.86 €2.57

20.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 €1.34

$0.99 €0.89

50.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 €1.40

$0.83 €0.74

87.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 €1.54

$1.42 €1.28

21.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.76

$0.74 €0.67

14.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.11 €5.49

$6.11 €5.48

Wine (Bottle)

$7.66 €6.88

$6.65 €5.98

15.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.25

$1.43 €1.29

-2.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 €1.96

$1.90 €1.71

14.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 €1.52

$1.34 €1.21

26.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.77 €37.52

$33.78 €30.35

23.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 €1.99

$1.93 €1.74

15.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 €1.12

$1.32 €1.18

-5.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.81 €16.89

$19.31 €17.34

-2.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 €1.62

$1.65 €1.48

9.09%

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

$29.4K €26.4K

$29.6K €26.5K

-0.55%

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

$24.7K €22.1K

$24.8K €22.3K

-0.62%

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

$289 €259

$281 €253

2.63%

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

$15.95 €14.33

$16.25 €14.59

-1.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.66 €34.73

$28.07 €25.22

37.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 €46.08

$65.2 €58.6

-21.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.20 €21.74

Cinema Ticket

$10.25 €9.21

$10.01 €8.99

2.40%

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

$643 €578

$648 €582

-0.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K €12.3K

$13.8K €12.4K

-0.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 €101

$94.4 €84.8

19.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.11 €38.72

$36.06 €32.39

19.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €98.6

$109 €98.2

0.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 €128

$124 €112

15.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 €1,032

$721 €647

59.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$907 €815

$605 €544

49.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,366 €2,126

$1,157 €1,039

104.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 €1,458

$1,003 €901

61.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,815 €6,122

$3,263 €2,931

108.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,052 €4,538

$3,212 €2,886

57.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,940 €1,742

$1,501 €1,349

29.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.52

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

Last update for Ljubljana: October 25, 2026

Last update for Žalec: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ljubljana

$907 43.1%

Žalec

$605 36.4% 33.3% $302

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ljubljana

$343 16.3%

Žalec

$326 19.6% 5.1% $18

Groceries & Markets

Ljubljana

$298 14.2%

Žalec

$262 15.8% 12% $36

Eating Out

Ljubljana

$243 11.5%

Žalec

$172 10.3% 29.3% $71

Clothing & Footwear

Ljubljana

$184 8.7%

Žalec

$164 9.9% 10.9% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Ljubljana

$72 3.4%

Žalec

$85 5.1% 18.7% $13

Getting Around

Ljubljana

$57 2.7%

Žalec

$48 2.9% 16.4% $9.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,149 in Ljubljana and $721 in Žalec. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ljubljana pays 29% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $66 in Ljubljana vs $40 in Žalec for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $262 per month, with Žalec cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇸🇮 Ljubljana

🇸🇮 Žalec

🕒 Local time

16:07 4:07 PM

Same time as Ljubljana

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

285,604 Capital

5,000

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.11 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Žalec: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Žalec is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and clothing. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 29% 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: $1,149 in Ljubljana versus $721 in Žalec. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Žalec runs roughly 19% less than in Ljubljana. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

Childcare runs $643 in Ljubljana versus $648 in Žalec. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Žalec gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ljubljana and Žalec 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 Žalec 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.