TL;DRLjubljana is 22% cheaper on rent ($1,118/mo vs $1,429/mo). Valencia has milder winters (45°F vs 30°F lows). Both are solid options for settling down — the spreadsheet won't save you from this one.

Too close to call — 77 vs 73. Ljubljana has a slight edge, but Valencia might suit you better depending on your priorities.

How the livability score breaks down

Ljubljana

Valencia

18.1/25

💰 Affordability

15.1/25

14.4/15

🔒 Violent Crime

14.3/15

7.8/10

🛡️ Perceived Safety

6.2/10

9.7/15

⚡ Internet

7.4/15

11.7/15

🗳️ Democracy

12.2/15

8.7/10

🗣️ English

6.3/10

9/10

☀️ Climate

8.2/10

8/10

📊 Stability

7.2/10

4.3/10

🚗 Road Safety

9.7/10

8.4/10

🕊️ Geopolitical Safety

7.7/10

Verdict delivered. Your move.

The winner's file

🇸🇮 Ljubljana

Full profile. Verify before you pack.

Due diligence

🇪🇸 Valencia

Every verdict deserves an appeal.

Plot twist

Barcelona vs Valencia

Someone else's dilemma, equally unsolvable.

Household

Ljubljana

Metric

Valencia

$701/mo

🛒

Living costs (no rent)

lower is better

$554/mo✓

—

🧳

Cost to land

lower is better

$6,867

86 / 100

🛡️

Settler safety

higher is better

85 / 100

✓0.6 / 100k

🔒

Homicides

lower is better

0.7 / 100k

—

🚗

Road deaths

lower is better

3.5 / 100k

✓78 / 100

🚨

Safety Index

higher is better

62 / 100

81°F

☀️

Summer high

personal taste

84°F

30°F

❄️

Winter low

personal taste

45°F

✓130 Mbps

⚡

Internet speed

higher is better

99 Mbps

—

🌬️

Air quality (PM2.5)

lower is better

8.2 μg/m³

—

🏥

Healthcare

higher is better

86 / 100

7.8 / 10

🗳️

Democracy

higher is better

8.1 / 10

4.4 / 9

🤝

Migrant acceptance

higher is better

7.4 / 9✓

50 / 100

🏳️‍🌈

Rainbow Index

higher is better

76 / 100✓

✓72/100

🗣️

Street English

higher is better

38/100

$57k

💼

GDP per capita (PPP)

higher is better

$58k

✓2.0% · Boringly steady

📈

Inflation

lower is better

2.8% · Boringly steady

—

⚡

Grid reliability

higher is better

70/100 — Mostly stable

—

🗽

Freedom House

higher is better

90/100

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

$311/mo cheaper on rent alone

🗳️

Democracy

Valencia

8.1/10 EIU index

🗣️

English

Ljubljana

higher proficiency score

Sun

How much sky you actually get

47% clear

Win

Spr

Sum

Fall

Sky clear

avg daytime

65% clear

Win

Spr

Sum

Fall

8.8h

Shortest day

Dec

9.4h

15.7h

Longest day

Jun

15.0h

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

tourism-techagritechautomotivedesign

—

Startup ecosystem

active

—

🇺🇸 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

Conditional (1+ yr)

pareja de hecho

—

Retiree visa

€2,400/mo

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

14 wk

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

On request up to 14 weeks. 2023 reform removed mandatory waiting period.

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

Hate crime law

Yes

Ljubljana vs Valencia — Common Questions

Is Ljubljana cheaper than Valencia?▾

Ljubljana is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $1118/month there vs $1429/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Ljubljana or Valencia?▾

Ljubljana is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Ljubljana has a rate of 0.57 per 100,000 and Valencia has 0.68 per 100,000.

Should I move to Ljubljana or Valencia?▾

Too close to call — 77 vs 73. Ljubljana has a slight edge, but Valencia might suit you better depending on your priorities. 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 Valencia?▾

Ljubljana: no specific remote work visa. Valencia: Spain Digital Nomad Visa (moderate requirements, 1 year (renewable to 5)). See each city's profile page for full requirements.

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

Ljubljana is easier for street-level English (72/100) than Valencia (38/100). 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 Valencia?▾

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $1118/month in Ljubljana, $1429/month in Valencia (Numbeo). That's 22% cheaper rent in Ljubljana.