Cost of Living Comparison Between Ljubljana and Žalec Cost of Living Comparison Between Ljubljana and Žalec

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,031 in Ljubljana versus $1,609 in Žalec.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,021 in Ljubljana versus $2,407 in Žalec.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,012 in Ljubljana versus $3,205 in Žalec.

Living in Ljubljana is roughly 26% more expensive than Žalec, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ljubljana 52% above, Žalec 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.11 €14.72

$12.77 €10.98

33.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.5 €58.9

$42.39 €36.47

61.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.34 €8.03

$8.02 €6.90

16.46%

Cappuccino

$2.55 €2.19

$2.00 €1.72

27.50%

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

$3.16 €2.72

$3.02 €2.59

4.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.79 €1.54

11.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.74 €3.22

$3.49 €3.00

7.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 €3.94

$2.85 €2.45

60.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 €1.28

$1.49 €1.29

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.79

$2.18 €1.87

-4.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 €2.40

$1.58 €1.36

76.58%

Eggs

$3.94 €3.39

$3.97 €3.41

-0.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.14 €11.30

$11.37 €9.78

15.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.91 €9.38

$9.13 €7.85

19.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.90 €11.10

$12.61 €10.85

2.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$1.13 €0.97

75.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.52 €1.31

12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 €1.83

$2.00 €1.72

6.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 €2.93

$2.96 €2.55

14.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.29 €1.11

4.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$0.89 €0.77

84.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 €1.42

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.80

$0.72 €0.62

30.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 €5.03

$6.06 €5.22

-3.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 €7.09

$7.09 €6.10

16.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 €1.22

$1.40 €1.20

1.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.02 €1.74

-0.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 €1.26

$1.47 €1.27

-0.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.46 €37.38

$31.24 €26.87

39.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 €1.96

$2.04 €1.76

11.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 €0.96

$1.11 €0.95

0.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.97 €17.18

$19.32 €16.62

3.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.71 €1.47

-0.58%

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

$28.5K €24.5K

-0.08%

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

$28.1K €24.2K

$26.2K €22.6K

7.08%

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

$283 €244

$278 €239

1.99%

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

$18.81 €16.18

$18.26 €15.71

3.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.61 €32.35

$28.56 €24.57

31.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 €43.79

$65.4 €56.2

-22.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.03 €15.51

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.91

$9.27 €7.98

-0.76%

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

$550 €473

$551 €474

-0.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K €12.3K

$13.9K €12.0K

2.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.9

$97.9 €84.2

4.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.49 €39.99

$37.49 €32.25

24.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.6

$102 €88.1

1.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 €117

$127 €109

7.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 €865

$670 €576

50.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$820 €706

$533 €458

53.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,046 €1,760

$1,137 €978

80.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,473 €1,267

$961 €827

53.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,622 €5,696

$3,570 €3,071

85.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,097 €4,385

$2,900 €2,495

75.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,980 €1,703

$1,542 €1,327

28.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

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

Last update for Ljubljana: June 1, 2026

Last update for Žalec: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ljubljana and $670 in Žalec. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ljubljana pays 28% 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: $68.0 in Ljubljana vs $42.00 in Žalec for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $260 per month, with Žalec 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 Žalec: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Žalec is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Ljubljana pays 28% more on average, 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: $1,006 in Ljubljana versus $670 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 39% less than in Ljubljana. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $550 in Ljubljana versus $551 in Žalec. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,609 in Žalec versus $2,031 in Ljubljana, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Žalec but tight or insufficient in Ljubljana. The gap between the two cities makes Žalec the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Žalec 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 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 26% less than in Ljubljana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.