Townleap

Cost of Living: Krakow vs Ljubljana (2026)

Poland vs Slovenia — relocation comparison

Your passport:
Krakow
Ljubljana
$976/mo
Rent

1BR centre

$1,118/mo
5 yr
PR path
—
Freelance setup
JDG
  • VAT-free under €47k
  • €450/yr accountant
WiseStripe
—

Sourced from Numbeo · Updated May 2026

TL;DRKrakow is 13% cheaper on rent ($976/mo vs $1,118/mo). Both cities require a personal relationship with your winter coat.
Krakow and Ljubljana are almost suspiciously well-matched. Flip a coin.
How the livability score breaks down
Krakow
Ljubljana
19.5/25
💰 Affordability
18.1/25
14.6/15
🔒 Violent Crime
14.4/15
7.5/10
🛡️ Perceived Safety
7.8/10
6.6/15
⚡ Internet
9.7/15
11.1/15
🗳️ Democracy
11.7/15
8.3/10
🗣️ English
8.7/10
9.2/10
☀️ Climate
9/10
6.2/10
📊 Stability
8/10
7.9/10
🚗 Road Safety
4.3/10
7.1/10
🕊️ Geopolitical Safety
8.4/10
Household
Krakow
Metric
Ljubljana
✓$639/mo
🛒
Living costs (no rent)
lower is better
$701/mo
$4,044
🧳
Cost to land
lower is better
—
82 / 100
🛡️
Settler safety
higher is better
86 / 100
✓0.4 / 100k
🔒
Homicides
lower is better
0.6 / 100k
6.5 / 100k
🚗
Road deaths
lower is better
—
75 / 100
🚨
Safety Index
higher is better
78 / 100
73°F
☀️
Summer high
personal taste
81°F
25°F
❄️
Winter low
personal taste
30°F
88 Mbps
⚡
Internet speed
higher is better
130 Mbps✓
27.7 μg/m³
🌬️
Air quality (PM2.5)
lower is better
—
73 / 100
🏥
Healthcare
higher is better
—
7.4 / 10
🗳️
Democracy
higher is better
7.8 / 10✓
4.2 / 9
🤝
Migrant acceptance
higher is better
4.4 / 9
18 / 100
🏳️‍🌈
Rainbow Index
higher is better
50 / 100✓
68/100
🗣️
Street English
higher is better
72/100✓
$51k
💼
GDP per capita (PPP)
higher is better
$57k✓
3.8% · Boringly steady
📈
Inflation
lower is better
2.0% · Boringly steady✓
65/100 — Patchy
⚡
Grid reliability
higher is better
—
82/100
🗽
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
Krakow
$142/mo cheaper on rent alone
🗳️
Democracy
Ljubljana
7.8/10 EIU index
☀️
Weather
—
73°F vs 81°F summers
🗣️
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
8.1h
Shortest day
Dec
8.8h
16.4h
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

improving ↑
Democracy trend
—
improving ↑
Inflation trend
—
software-itbpogame-devtourism
Industries
—
active
Startup ecosystem
—
Moderate
🇺🇸 Your visa
—
Easy
EU visa
—
Moderate
RU visa
—
Easy
UA visa
—
✅ Partner can work immediately
Spouse works
—
Not recognized
konkubinat (informal — no legal recognition)
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

Life-threatening only
Abortion access
On request
—
Gestational limit
10 wk

Near-total ban since 2021. Only permitted for life/health threat or rape/incest. One of Europe's most restrictive.

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

Not recognized
Marriage
Legal
Not allowed
Adoption
Joint adoption
Yes
Job protection
Yes
No
Hate crime law
Yes

Krakow vs Ljubljana — Common Questions

Is Krakow cheaper than Ljubljana?▾

Krakow is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $976/month there vs $1118/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Krakow or Ljubljana?▾

Krakow is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Krakow has a rate of 0.38 per 100,000 and Ljubljana has 0.57 per 100,000.

Should I move to Krakow or Ljubljana?▾

Krakow and Ljubljana 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.

Is it easier to get residency in Krakow or Ljubljana?▾

Krakow: Poland Temporary Residence (moderate requirements, Up to 3 years). Ljubljana: no specific remote work visa. See each city's profile page for full requirements.

Which has better weather, Krakow or Ljubljana?▾

Ljubljana is warmer in summer (81°F vs 73°F). Krakow 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 Krakow vs Ljubljana?▾

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $976/month in Krakow, $1118/month in Ljubljana (Numbeo). That's 13% cheaper rent in Krakow.

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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