Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Novo Mesto and Ljubljana

For one person, living is cheaper in Novo Mesto: $1,476 a month against $2,104 in Ljubljana, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

71

Cost of Living Index in Novo Mesto
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Novo Mesto Living Index
102

Cost of Living Index in Ljubljana
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Ljubljana Living Index

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Novo Mesto

🇸🇮 Slovenia

$1,476

/mo nomad

Ljubljana

🇸🇮 Slovenia

$2,104

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Novo Mesto and in Ljubljana

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,476 in Novo Mesto versus $2,104 in Ljubljana.

Novo Mesto $1,476
Ljubljana $2,104

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,163 in Novo Mesto versus $3,149 in Ljubljana.

Novo Mesto $2,163
Ljubljana $3,149

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,851 in Novo Mesto versus $4,194 in Ljubljana.

Novo Mesto $2,851
Ljubljana $4,194

Living in Novo Mesto costs roughly 30% less than in Ljubljana, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Novo Mesto 8% above, Ljubljana 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.07 €9.92

$15.86 €14.21

-30.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.99 €30.46

$66.3 €59.4

-48.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 €7.88

$11.33 €10.15

-22.33%

Cappuccino

$1.81 €1.62

$2.85 €2.56

-36.49%

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

$2.20 €1.97

$3.07 €2.75

-28.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.38

$1.89 €1.69

-18.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 €2.76

$3.83 €3.43

-19.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 €2.46

$4.37 €3.92

-37.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 €1.13

$1.32 €1.19

-4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 €1.65

$2.20 €1.97

-16.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.87 €2.57

$3.09 €2.76

-7.12%

Eggs

$3.77 €3.37

$3.92 €3.51

-3.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.23 €11.86

$14.57 €13.06

-9.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.33 €8.36

$9.67 €8.67

-3.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.12 €8.17

$14.54 €13.03

-37.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 €1.47

$2.25 €2.01

-27.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.55

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.80

$2.31 €2.07

-12.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.46 €3.10

$3.45 €3.09

0.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 €0.98

$1.49 €1.34

-26.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 €1.31

$1.56 €1.40

-5.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 €1.08

$1.72 €1.54

-30.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 €0.66

$0.85 €0.76

-14.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.67 €5.08

$6.11 €5.48

-7.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.70 €6.00

$7.66 €6.86

-12.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.24

$1.39 €1.24

-0.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.59

$2.18 €1.95

-18.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.34 €1.20

$1.69 €1.52

-20.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.74 €30.23

$41.77 €37.43

-19.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 €1.48

$2.22 €1.99

-25.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 €1.24

$1.25 €1.12

11.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.09 €25.18

$18.81 €16.85

49.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 €1.42

$1.80 €1.61

-11.67%

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

$29.4K €26.3K

-0.12%

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

$23.8K €21.4K

$24.7K €22.1K

-3.30%

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

$282 €253

$289 €259

-2.18%

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

$11.39 €10.21

$15.95 €14.29

-28.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.78 €34.75

$38.66 €34.64

0.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.8 €45.48

$51.3 €45.96

-1.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.15 €30.60

$24.20 €21.68

41.12%

Cinema Ticket

$7.98 €7.15

$10.25 €9.18

-22.15%

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

$506 €453

$643 €576

-21.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K €10.2K

$13.7K €12.3K

-16.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.0 €81.5

$113 €101

-19.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.17 €33.31

$43.11 €38.63

-13.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 €107

$110 €98.3

9.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 €133

$143 €128

3.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 €444

$1,149 €1,029

-56.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 €376

$907 €813

-53.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 €748

$2,366 €2,121

-64.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$727 €651

$1,623 €1,454

-55.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,847 €2,551

$6,815 €6,107

-58.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,214 €2,880

$5,052 €4,527

-36.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,410 €1,264

$1,940 €1,738

-27.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.29

3.52

-6.53%

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

Last update for Novo Mesto: October 25, 2026

Last update for Ljubljana: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Novo Mesto

$419 28.4%

Ljubljana

$907 43.1% 116% $488

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Novo Mesto

$333 22.5%

Ljubljana

$343 16.3% 3.2% $11

Groceries & Markets

Novo Mesto

$259 17.5%

Ljubljana

$298 14.2% 15.3% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Novo Mesto

$178 12.1%

Ljubljana

$184 8.7% 3% $5.4

Eating Out

Novo Mesto

$173 11.7%

Ljubljana

$243 11.5% 40.8% $70

Sport & Entertainment

Novo Mesto

$67 4.5%

Ljubljana

$72 3.4% 7.6% $5.1

Getting Around

Novo Mesto

$48 3.2%

Ljubljana

$57 2.7% 19.5% $9.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $495 in Novo Mesto and $1,149 in Ljubljana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ljubljana pays 38% 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: $34 in Novo Mesto vs $66 in Ljubljana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $259 vs $298 per month, with Novo Mesto cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇸🇮 Novo Mesto

🇸🇮 Ljubljana

🕒 Local time

10:27 10:27 AM

Same time as Novo Mesto

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

23,200

285,604 Capital

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Novo Mesto Ljubljana 58 km

From you

Novo Mesto
Ljubljana

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Novo Mesto vs Ljubljana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Novo Mesto is about 30% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Novo Mesto. 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: $495 in Novo Mesto versus $1,149 in Ljubljana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Novo Mesto runs roughly 19% less than in Ljubljana. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $506 in Novo Mesto versus $643 in Ljubljana. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,476 in Novo Mesto versus $2,104 in Ljubljana, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Novo Mesto but tight or insufficient in Ljubljana. The gap between the two cities makes Novo Mesto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Novo Mesto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Ljubljana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.