Townleap

Cost of Living: Ljubljana vs Stockholm (2026)

Slovenia vs Sweden — relocation comparison

Your passport:
Ljubljana
Stockholm
$1,118/mo
Rent

1BR centre

$1,816/mo
—
PR path
5 yr
Freelance setup
—
Enskild firma
  • VAT-free under €7k
  • 29% social
  • €1000/yr accountant
WiseStripe

Sourced from Numbeo · Updated May 2026

TL;DRLjubljana is 38% cheaper on rent ($1,118/mo vs $1,816/mo). Ljubljana is safer — homicide rate 0.6 vs 1.1 per 100k. Both cities require a personal relationship with your winter coat.
Ljubljana and Stockholm are almost suspiciously well-matched. Flip a coin.
How the livability score breaks down
Ljubljana
Stockholm
18.1/25
💰 Affordability
11.4/25
14.4/15
🔒 Violent Crime
13.9/15
7.8/10
🛡️ Perceived Safety
5.4/10
9.7/15
⚡ Internet
14.2/15
11.7/15
🗳️ Democracy
14.1/15
8.7/10
🗣️ English
8.6/10
9/10
☀️ Climate
7.7/10
8/10
📊 Stability
7.2/10
4.3/10
🚗 Road Safety
10/10
8.4/10
🕊️ Geopolitical Safety
7.2/10
Household
Ljubljana
Metric
Stockholm
✓$701/mo
🛒
Living costs (no rent)
lower is better
$908/mo
—
🧳
Cost to land
lower is better
$3,990
86 / 100
🛡️
Settler safety
higher is better
85 / 100
✓0.6 / 100k
🔒
Homicides
lower is better
1.1 / 100k
—
🚗
Road deaths
lower is better
2.1 / 100k
✓78 / 100
🚨
Safety Index
higher is better
54 / 100
81°F
☀️
Summer high
personal taste
68°F
30°F
❄️
Winter low
personal taste
25°F
130 Mbps
⚡
Internet speed
higher is better
190 Mbps✓
—
🌬️
Air quality (PM2.5)
lower is better
4.7 μg/m³
—
🏥
Healthcare
higher is better
83 / 100
7.8 / 10
🗳️
Democracy
higher is better
9.4 / 10✓
4.4 / 9
🤝
Migrant acceptance
higher is better
7.9 / 9✓
50 / 100
🏳️‍🌈
Rainbow Index
higher is better
64 / 100✓
72/100
🗣️
Street English
higher is better
71/100
$57k
💼
GDP per capita (PPP)
higher is better
$72k✓
✓2.0% · Boringly steady
📈
Inflation
lower is better
2.8% · Boringly steady
—
⚡
Grid reliability
higher is better
93/100 — Reliable
—
🗽
Freedom House
higher is better
99/100
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
$698/mo cheaper on rent alone
🔒
Safety
Ljubljana
0.6 homicides per 100k
🗳️
Democracy
Stockholm
9.4/10 EIU index
☀️
Weather
—
81°F vs 68°F summers

Sun

How much sky you actually get

47% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
Sky clear
avg daytime
40% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
8.8h
Shortest day
Dec
6.1h
15.7h
Longest day
Jun
18.6h

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

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

Settler Essentials

—
Democracy trend
stable →
—
Inflation trend
improving ↑
—
Industries
fintechgamingictlife-sciences
—
Startup ecosystem
hub
—
🇺🇸 Your visa
Moderate
—
EU visa
Easy
—
RU visa
Complex
—
UA visa
Moderate
—
Spouse works
✅ Partner can work immediately
Recognized
izvenzakonska skupnost (extramarital community)
Partner pathway
Recognized
sambo

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
18 wk

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

On request up to 18 weeks. Between 18-22 weeks requires board approval.

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

Ljubljana vs Stockholm — Common Questions

Is Ljubljana cheaper than Stockholm?▾

Ljubljana is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $1118/month there vs $1816/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Ljubljana or Stockholm?▾

Ljubljana is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Ljubljana has a rate of 0.57 per 100,000 and Stockholm has 1.10 per 100,000.

Should I move to Ljubljana or Stockholm?▾

Ljubljana and Stockholm 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 Ljubljana or Stockholm?▾

Ljubljana: no specific remote work visa. Stockholm: Sweden Self-Employment Permit (complex process, 2 years (renewable)). See each city's profile page for full requirements.

Which has better weather, Ljubljana or Stockholm?▾

Ljubljana is warmer in summer (81°F vs 68°F). Stockholm 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 Ljubljana vs Stockholm?▾

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $1118/month in Ljubljana, $1816/month in Stockholm (Numbeo). That's 38% cheaper rent in Ljubljana.

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

Stockholm scores 9.4/10 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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