Townleap

Cost of Living: Bologna vs Kosice (2026)

Italy vs Slovakia — relocation comparison

Your passport:
Bologna
Kosice
$1,130/mo
Rent

1BR centre

$965/mo
5 yr
PR path
—
Impatriati Regime, Regime Forfettario, New Residents Flat Tax, 7% Retiree Flat Tax
Tax breaks

Open incentive regimes for newcomers

—
Freelance setup
Regime Forfettario
  • VAT-free under €85k
  • 26% social
  • €1000/yr accountant
WiseStripe
—

Sourced from Numbeo · Updated May 2026

TL;DRKosice is 15% cheaper on rent ($965/mo vs $1,130/mo). Bologna is safer — homicide rate 0.6 vs 1.1 per 100k. Both are solid options for settling down — the spreadsheet won't save you from this one.
Bologna and Kosice are almost suspiciously well-matched. Flip a coin.
How the livability score breaks down
Bologna
Kosice
18/25
💰 Affordability
19.6/25
14.4/15
🔒 Violent Crime
13.9/15
5.1/10
🛡️ Perceived Safety
6.8/10
5.3/15
⚡ Internet
6.4/15
11.4/15
🗳️ Democracy
10.8/15
5.4/10
🗣️ English
7.8/10
7.2/10
☀️ Climate
9.6/10
9/10
📊 Stability
7.2/10
8.8/10
🚗 Road Safety
4.3/10
7.4/10
🕊️ Geopolitical Safety
7.5/10
Household
Bologna
Metric
Kosice
$724/mo
🛒
Living costs (no rent)
lower is better
$637/mo✓
$6,884
🧳
Cost to land
lower is better
—
80 / 100
🛡️
Settler safety
higher is better
79 / 100
✓0.6 / 100k
🔒
Homicides
lower is better
1.1 / 100k
5.0 / 100k
🚗
Road deaths
lower is better
—
51 / 100
🚨
Safety Index
higher is better
68 / 100✓
88°F
☀️
Summer high
personal taste
79°F
36°F
❄️
Winter low
personal taste
25°F
—
⚡
Internet speed
higher is better
85 Mbps
15 μg/m³
🌬️
Air quality (PM2.5)
lower is better
—
85 / 100
🏥
Healthcare
higher is better
—
7.6 / 10
🗳️
Democracy
higher is better
7.2 / 10
✓6.5 / 9
🤝
Migrant acceptance
higher is better
2.5 / 9
25 / 100
🏳️‍🌈
Rainbow Index
higher is better
31 / 100✓
29/100
🗣️
Street English
higher is better
58/100✓
✓$62k
💼
GDP per capita (PPP)
higher is better
$48k
✓1.0% · Practically frozen
📈
Inflation
lower is better
2.8% · Boringly steady
87/100
🗽
Freedom House
higher is better
—
See exactly what you keep after taxes in each city

Sources: Numbeo · UNODC · Ookla · WHO · EIU · Gallup · World Bank · Freedom House · Updated May 2026

💰
Cost of Living
Kosice
$165/mo cheaper on rent alone
🔒
Safety
Bologna
0.6 homicides per 100k
🗳️
Democracy
Bologna
7.6/10 EIU index
☀️
Weather
—
88°F vs 79°F summers
🗣️
English
Kosice
higher proficiency score

Sun

How much sky you actually get

50% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
Sky clear
avg daytime
46% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
8.9h
Shortest day
Dec
8.2h
15.5h
Longest day
Jun
16.1h

Sun clocks out before 5pm in both cities come December. Plan accordingly.

Source: WeatherSpark (clear-sky share of daytime hours)

Settler Essentials

Democracy trend
—
stable →
Inflation trend
—
Moderate
🇺🇸 Your visa
—
Easy
EU visa
—
Complex
RU visa
—
Easy
UA visa
—
Not recognized
unione civile / convivenza di fatto (no immigration rights)
Partner pathway
Not recognized
druh/družka (informal — no legal recognition)

Visa stamps:Easy <90 daysModerate 3–6 moComplex 6+ mo

Sources: EIU · Freedom House · Startup Genome · official immigration portals

Reproductive Rights

Because your body shouldn't need a visa too

On request
Abortion access
On request
12 wk
Gestational limit
12 wk

On request up to 90 days. 7-day waiting period. High rates of conscientious objection limit practical access.

On request up to 12 weeks. Mandatory 48-hour waiting period. For genetic reasons, permitted up to 24 weeks.

Source: Center for Reproductive Rights

LGBTQ+ Rights

Can you hold hands without doing a risk assessment first

Civil union
Marriage
Not recognized
Step-child only
Adoption
Not allowed
Yes
Job protection
Yes
No
Hate crime law
Yes

Bologna vs Kosice — Common Questions

Is Bologna cheaper than Kosice?▾

Kosice is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $965/month there vs $1130/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Bologna or Kosice?▾

Bologna is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Bologna has a rate of 0.57 per 100,000 and Kosice has 1.12 per 100,000.

Should I move to Bologna or Kosice?▾

Bologna and Kosice are almost suspiciously well-matched. Flip a coin. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Which has better weather, Bologna or Kosice?▾

Bologna is warmer in summer (88°F vs 79°F). Kosice has milder summers, which suits those who prefer cooler weather. Climate preference is personal — use the weather section above to compare seasons.

Can I live in Bologna or Kosice without speaking the local language?▾

Kosice is easier for street-level English (58/100) than Bologna (29/100). That's the score that matters for doctors, landlords, and bureaucracy. Office English can still run higher than street English in both cities.

What's the cost of rent in Bologna vs Kosice?▾

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $965/month in Kosice, $1130/month in Bologna (Numbeo). That's 15% cheaper rent in Kosice.

Plot twist: other matchups exist

Maybe the real city was the comparisons we made along the way.

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