Townleap

Cost of Living: Cork vs Ljubljana (2026)

Ireland vs Slovenia — relocation comparison

Your passport:
Cork
Ljubljana
$2,005/mo
Rent

1BR centre

$1,118/mo
2 yr
PR path
Freelance setup
Sole Trader
  • VAT-free under €40k
  • 4% social
  • €1000/yr accountant
WiseStripe

Sourced from Numbeo · Updated May 2026

TL;DRLjubljana is 44% cheaper on rent ($1,118/mo vs $2,005/mo). Cork scores 9.2 vs 7.8 on democracy. Both are solid options for settling down — the spreadsheet won't save you from this one.
Ljubljana edges ahead 77 to 72. Cork isn't far behind — it depends what matters to you.
Household
Cork
Metric
Ljubljana
$798/mo
🛒
Living costs (no rent)
lower is better
$701/mo
90 / 100
🛡️
Settler safety
higher is better
86 / 100
0.7 / 100k
🔒
Homicides
lower is better
0.6 / 100k
2.8 / 100k
🚗
Road deaths
lower is better
63 / 100
🚨
Safety Index
higher is better
78 / 100
66°F
☀️
Summer high
personal taste
81°F
39°F
❄️
Winter low
personal taste
30°F
Internet speed
higher is better
130 Mbps
9.2 / 10
🗳️
Democracy
higher is better
7.8 / 10
57 / 100
🏳️‍🌈
Rainbow Index
higher is better
50 / 100
100/100
🗣️
Street English
higher is better
100/100
$133k
💼
GDP per capita
higher is better
$57k
2.1% · Boringly steady
📈
Inflation
lower is better
2.0% · Boringly steady
97/100
🗽
Freedom House
higher is better
See exactly what you keep after taxes in each city

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

💰
Cost of Living
Ljubljana
$887/mo cheaper on rent alone
🗳️
Democracy
Cork
9.2/10 EIU index
☀️
Weather
66°F vs 81°F summers

Sun

How much sky you actually get

28% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
Sky clear
avg daytime
47% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
7.9h
Shortest day
Dec
8.8h
16.6h
Longest day
Jun
15.7h

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

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

Settler Essentials

Democracy trend
Moderate
🇺🇸 Your visa
Easy
EU visa
Complex
RU visa
Easy
UA visa
Recognized (2+ yr)
de facto partner
Partner pathway
Recognized
izvenzakonska skupnost (extramarital community)

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
10 wk

On request up to 12 weeks since 2018 referendum. Mandatory 3-day waiting period.

On request up to 10 weeks. From 10-20 weeks, approval by a medical committee required.

Source: Center for Reproductive Rights

LGBTQ+ Rights

Can you hold hands without doing a risk assessment first

Legal
Marriage
Legal
Joint adoption
Adoption
Joint adoption
Yes
Job protection
Yes
Yes
Hate crime law
Yes

Cork vs Ljubljana — Common Questions

Is Cork cheaper than Ljubljana?

Ljubljana is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $1118/month there vs $2005/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Cork or Ljubljana?

Ljubljana is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Cork has a rate of 0.65 per 100,000 and Ljubljana has 0.57 per 100,000.

Should I move to Cork or Ljubljana?

Ljubljana edges ahead 77 to 72. Cork isn't far behind — it depends what matters to you. 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, Cork or Ljubljana?

Ljubljana is warmer in summer (81°F vs 66°F). Cork has milder summers, which suits those who prefer cooler weather. Climate preference is personal — use the weather section above to compare seasons.

What's the cost of rent in Cork vs Ljubljana?

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $1118/month in Ljubljana, $2005/month in Cork (Numbeo). That's 44% cheaper rent in Ljubljana.

Is Cork or Ljubljana better for democracy and rule of law?

Cork scores 9.2/10 on the EIU Democracy Index vs 7.8/10 for Ljubljana. That puts it in 'full democracy' territory — free press, independent courts, the works.

Plot twist: other matchups exist

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

Let the algorithm judge you

2 min quiz — surprisingly accurate

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