Townleap

Cost of Living: Kosice vs Ljubljana (2026)

Slovakia vs Slovenia — relocation comparison

Your passport:
Kosice
Ljubljana
$965/mo
Rent
$1118/mo
72/100
Livability
77/100
79/100
Safety
86/100
85 Mbps
Internet
130 Mbps

Sourced from Numbeo · Updated May 2026

TL;DRKosice is 14% cheaper on rent ($965/mo vs $1118/mo). Ljubljana is safer — homicide rate 0.6 vs 1.1 per 100k. Both cities require a personal relationship with your winter coat.
Ljubljana edges ahead 77 to 72. Kosice isn't far behind — it depends what matters to you.
Household
Kosice
Metric
Ljubljana
$965/mo
🏠
Rent (1BR centre)
$1118/mo
$637/mo
🛒
Living costs (no rent)
$701/mo
1.1 / 100k
🔒
Homicides
0.6 / 100k
32 / 100
🚨
Crime perception
lower is better
22 / 100
26°C
☀️
Summer high
27°C
-4°C
❄️
Winter low
-1°C
85 Mbps
Internet speed
130 Mbps
7.2 / 10
🗳️
Democracy
7.8 / 10
58/100
🗣️
Street English
100/100
$48k
💼
GDP per capita
$57k
2.8% · Boringly steady
📈
Inflation
2.0% · Boringly steady
72 / 100
🏅
Livability Score
77 / 100
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
Kosice
$153/mo cheaper on rent alone
🔒
Safety
Ljubljana
0.6 homicides per 100k
🗳️
Democracy
Ljubljana
7.8/10 EIU index
🗣️
English
Ljubljana
higher proficiency score

Sun

How much sky you actually get

46% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
Sky clear
avg daytime
47% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
8.2h
Shortest day
Dec
8.8h
16.1h
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)

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

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

31/100
Rainbow Index
50/100
Not recognized
Marriage
Legal
Not allowed
Adoption
Joint adoption
Yes
Job protection
Yes
Yes
Hate crime law
Yes

Source: Rainbow Europe (ILGA-Europe)

The Short Version

  • Rent is 14% cheaper in Kosice ($965/mo vs $1118/mo for a 1BR city centre).
  • Summers are slightly warmer in Ljubljana (27°C vs 26°C).
  • Ljubljana is safer by homicide rate (0.6 vs 1.1 per 100k).
  • Ljubljana scores higher on democracy (7.8 vs 7.2 / 10 EIU).
  • Street-level English is easier in Ljubljana (100/100 vs 58/100).

Kosice vs Ljubljana — Common Questions

Is Kosice cheaper than Ljubljana?

Kosice is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $965/month in Kosice vs $1118/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Kosice or Ljubljana?

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

Should I move to Kosice or Ljubljana?

Ljubljana edges ahead 77 to 72. Kosice 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.

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

Ljubljana is easier for street-level English (100/100) than Kosice (58/100). 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 Kosice vs Ljubljana?

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $965/month in Kosice, $1118/month in Ljubljana (Numbeo). That's 14% cheaper rent in Kosice.

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

Ljubljana scores 7.8/10 on the EIU Democracy Index vs 7.2/10 for Kosice. Both are functional democracies, though the gap matters if you're planning to stay long enough to care about local politics.

Plot twist: other matchups exist

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

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