Townleap

Cost of Living: Ljubljana vs Moscow (2026)

Slovenia vs Russia — relocation comparison

Your passport:
Freelance setup
—
Самозанятый / ИП
  • No VAT exemption
  • €300/yr accountant
TL;DRLjubljana is 25% cheaper on rent ($1,118/mo vs $1,499/mo). Ljubljana is safer — homicide rate 0.6 vs 7.8 per 100k. Both cities require a personal relationship with your winter coat.
Ljubljana scores 77 to Moscow's 45 on livability — the gap is real. Moscow has its charms, but the numbers favor Ljubljana.
How the livability score breaks down
Ljubljana
Moscow
18.1/25
💰 Affordability
14.4/25
14.4/15
🔒 Violent Crime
7.2/15
7.8/10
🛡️ Perceived Safety
6.5/10
9.7/15
⚡ Internet
5.3/15
11.7/15
🗳️ Democracy
3.3/15
8.7/10
🗣️ English
5.7/10
9/10
☀️ Climate
8.7/10
8/10
📊 Stability
1.6/10
4.3/10
🚗 Road Safety
5.5/10
8.4/10
🕊️ Geopolitical Safety
0/10
Household
Ljubljana
Metric
Moscow
$701/mo
🛒
Living costs (no rent)
lower is better
$533/mo✓
—
🧳
Cost to land
lower is better
$5,522
✓86 / 100
🛡️
Settler safety
higher is better
5 / 100
✓0.6 / 100k
🔒
Homicides
lower is better
7.8 / 100k
—
🚗
Road deaths
lower is better
10.6 / 100k
✓78 / 100
🚨
Safety Index
higher is better
65 / 100
81°F
☀️
Summer high
personal taste
72°F
30°F
❄️
Winter low
personal taste
16°F
130 Mbps
⚡
Internet speed
higher is better
—
—
🌬️
Air quality (PM2.5)
lower is better
30 μg/m³
—
🏥
Healthcare
higher is better
72 / 100
✓7.8 / 10
🗳️
Democracy
higher is better
2.2 / 10
✓4.4 / 9
🤝
Migrant acceptance
higher is better
2.6 / 9
✓50 / 100
🏳️‍🌈
Rainbow Index
higher is better
2 / 100
✓72/100
🗣️
Street English
higher is better
32/100
✓$57k
💼
GDP per capita (PPP)
higher is better
$47k
✓2.0% · Boringly steady
📈
Inflation
lower is better
8.4% · Noticeable price creep
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
Ljubljana
$380/mo cheaper on rent alone
🔒
Safety
Ljubljana
0.6 homicides per 100k
🗳️
Democracy
Ljubljana
7.8/10 EIU index
☀️
Weather
—
81°F vs 72°F summers
🗣️
English
Ljubljana
higher proficiency score

Sun

How much sky you actually get

47% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
Sky clear
avg daytime
39% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
8.8h
Shortest day
Dec
7.0h
15.7h
Longest day
Jun
17.6h

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

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

Settler Essentials

—
Democracy trend
declining ↓
—
Inflation trend
improving ↑
—
Spouse works
⚠️ Needs a separate work permit
Recognized
izvenzakonska skupnost (extramarital community)
Partner pathway
—

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
10 wk
Gestational limit
12 wk

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

On request up to 12 weeks. Access increasingly restricted since 2023 with regional restrictions.

Source: Center for Reproductive Rights

LGBTQ+ Rights

Can you hold hands without doing a risk assessment first

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

Ljubljana vs Moscow — Common Questions

Is Ljubljana cheaper than Moscow?▾

Ljubljana is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $1118/month there vs $1499/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Ljubljana or Moscow?▾

Ljubljana is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Ljubljana has a rate of 0.57 per 100,000 and Moscow has 7.82 per 100,000.

Should I move to Ljubljana or Moscow?▾

Ljubljana scores 77 to Moscow's 45 on livability — the gap is real. Moscow has its charms, but the numbers favor Ljubljana. 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 Ljubljana or Moscow?▾

Ljubljana: no specific remote work visa. Moscow: Russia HQS Work Permit (ВКС) (moderate requirements, Up to 3 years (renewable)). See each city's profile page for full requirements.

Which has better weather, Ljubljana or Moscow?▾

Ljubljana is warmer in summer (81°F vs 72°F). Moscow 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 Ljubljana or Moscow without speaking the local language?▾

Ljubljana is easier for street-level English (72/100) than Moscow (32/100). 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 Ljubljana vs Moscow?▾

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $1118/month in Ljubljana, $1499/month in Moscow (Numbeo). That's 25% cheaper rent in Ljubljana.

Is Ljubljana or Moscow better for democracy and rule of law?▾

Ljubljana scores 7.8/10 on the EIU Democracy Index vs 2.2/10 for Moscow. 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.

Let the algorithm judge you

2 min quiz — surprisingly accurate

Quiz →