Ljubljana vs Ostrava
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Ostrava edges it, 69 to 68, winning 4 of the 9 factors. Ljubljana is stronger on nothing outright; Ostrava on cost of living. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Small, green and car-free at the centre
Full Ljubljana profile →Where to stay in Ljubljana →Post-industrial Czech city with rock-bottom rents
Full Ostrava profile →Where to stay in Ostrava →Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Ljubljana | Ostrava |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 32 | 46 ✓ |
| Safety | 85 | 88 ✓ |
| Healthcare | 84 ✓ | 79 |
| Internet | 77 ✓ | 74 |
| Visa ease | 76 | 78 ✓ |
| Getting there & around | 63 | 67 ✓ |
| Climate | 25 | 25 |
| Air quality | 79 ✓ | 76 |
| Quality of life | 93 ✓ | 86 |
Cost
| Metric | Ljubljana | Ostrava |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one person | $2,049 | $1,433 ✓ |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | $596 |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Ljubljana | Ostrava |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 0.71 | 0.61 ✓ |
| Political stability (0–100) | 81 | 83.5 ✓ |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 84 ✓ | 83 |
| Life expectancy | 80.4 yrs ✓ | 77.1 yrs |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Ljubljana | Ostrava |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 58.8 Mbps ✓ | 46.9 Mbps |
| Upload | 19.3 Mbps | 21.3 Mbps ✓ |
Visa
| Metric | Ljubljana | Ostrava |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | Digital nomad temporary residence permit | Digital Nomad Program (long-term visa for business or other purposes) |
| Minimum income for the visa | $3,806/mo | $3,386/mo ✓ |
| Entry, US passport | 90 days | 90 days |
| Entry, EU passport | unlimited | unlimited |
| Entry, UK passport | 90 days | 90 days |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Ljubljana | Ostrava |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 29 | 67 ✓ |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 5 ✓ | 3 |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 4 ✓ |
Climate and air
| Metric | Ljubljana | Ostrava |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 3 | 3 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 14.5 µg/m³ ✓ | 16 µg/m³ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Ljubljana or Ostrava?
- Ostrava is cheaper: about $1,433 per month versus $2,049 for one person.
- Is Ljubljana or Ostrava safer?
- Ostrava scores higher on safety (88 vs 85), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Ljubljana or Ostrava?
- Ljubljana: a measured median of 58.8 Mbps versus 46.9 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year); UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Nostos long-stay visa guides; Starlink availability map. Dataset 2026.10.7. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.