Cost of living in Slovakia, prices and what it is like to live for an Expat, quality of life / hardship, and compare cost of living for Expatriates as at October 2023.

What is it like to live in Slovakia?

Climate: The climate is temperate with cool summers and cold, cloudy, humid winters.

Language: The official language is Slovak. As a Slavic language most foreigners will find it difficult to understand and learn, though a few basic words will be appreciated. English as a business language is increasingly commonplace, particularly in Bratislava, although German is more common throughout the country. Russian is widely understood but many Slovaks will refuse to speak it. Hungarian is widely spoken in the south, along the border with Hungary. However, relations between Hungarians and Slovaks are traditionally tense and members of both communities prefer not speak each other's language.

Religion: Christianity.

Economy: The economy of Slovakia increasingly resembles a developed country. The Slovak economy has been considered a tiger economy. Slovakia has been a EU member state since 2004 and adopted the euro currency at the beginning of 2009.

Inflation: 8.84% for Slovakia as at August 2023.

Money: The currency of Slovakia is the Euro (EUR). ATMs are common in major urban areas, however not all international cards are accepted. Major credit cards are accepted at most shops and restaurants.

Tax: In Slovakia is based on the current personal income tax rates which are progressive up to 25%.

Population: 5.5 Million (2022 est.)

Expat Life: Expatriate dress code is relatively conservative in the form of suits. Address people by their professional titles followed by the last name. Men are referred to as 'pan' and women 'pani' followed by their last name. In Slovakia it is not advisable to address anyone by their first name in a business setting, unless told otherwise. The safety risk for expatriates in Slovakia is low. Risks include petty crime, car theft, sporadic ethnic tensions and low-scale violence.

Health Care: Health care facilities vary as some hospitals are under maintained. Doctors are generally very good. The cost of treatment for expatriates from outside the EU can be high.

Slovakia covers all areas within the country other than Bratislava.

Cost Of Living

What is the cost of living in Slovakia?

The cost of living for expatriates in Slovakia as at October 2023 is average in comparison to other places in the world, with an overall Cost of Living Index (COLI), for all 13 basket groups, of 59.45 (New York =100). We have collected prices for the same items, world wide, based on Expat spending norms, in or closest to the location, and converted them to $USD so that we can compare the cost of 13 different baskets in 780 global locations. For each basket, compared to New York, the equivalent cost in Slovakia is as follows:

1) Alcohol and/or Tobacco: Cost is average for items such as beer, spirits, wine and tobacco related products such as cigarettes. A basket costing USD$1,000 in New York costs USD$630. Average price in a store for a midrange bottle of wine is USD$7.12, domestic/local beer (500ml) USD$2.56, imported/international beer (330ml) USD$1.94 and a pack of 20 cigarettes is USD$6.41.

2) Clothing: Cost is average for items such as business, casual and children's clothing and footwear. A basket costing USD$1,000 in New York costs USD$740. Average price for an international brand of mens jeans is USD$61, a quality international brand of running shoes USD$76, mens leather shoes suitable for office wear USD$87 while a medium size international summer dress from a global chain store is USD$33.

3) Communication: Cost is average for various communication costs such as home telephone rental, internet subscription, mobile service provider tariff and data costs. A basket costing USD$200 in New York costs USD$174. Average price for a monthly standard plan internet subscription is USD$20, while the benchmark mobile tariff is USD$36.16 per minute.

4) Education: Cost is average for items such as creche / pre-school fees, primary school fees, high school fees and tertiary study fees. A basket costing USD$30,000 in New York costs USD$25500. Average annual private international school fee (excluding extras) USD$16,603 for Primary School, and USD$18,476 for High School.

5) Furniture & Appliances: Cost is average for items such as dining table and chairs, home entertainment, kitchen appliances, and sofas. A basket costing USD$2,500 in New York costs USD$1800. Average price for a 6kg front loader Washing Machine is USD$657, and USD$564 for a 46+'' LED UHD TV.

6) Groceries: Cost is average for items such as consumables, cleaning products, dairy, fresh fruit & vegetables, general food products, snacks, soft drinks. A basket costing USD$1,000 in New York costs USD$680. Average grocery prices in a major international retail store for 1 kg apples is USD$0.94, 1 kg oranges USD$1.13, 1 head lettuce USD$1.70, 1 kg potatos USD$0.61, 1 kg boneless, skinless, chicken breast USD$3.99, 1 kg cheddar cheese USD$6.50, 1 dozen large eggs USD$3.72, 500g loaf white bread USD$1.47, 1 L full cream milk USD$4.67, and 1.5 L water USD$0.94.

7) Healthcare: Cost is low for general heath care, doctor visits, hospital stays, non-prescription medicine, and medical insurance. A basket costing USD$1,000 in New York costs USD$560. Average healthcare cost for a private practice Doctor visit for an uninsured patient is USD$45, and a private hospital stay per day including nursing care, medications, diagnostic tests, food, and related costs is USD$1,388.

8) Household Accommodation: Cost is low for items such as apartment rent, house rent, property purchase, mortgage rate, and utilities. A basket costing USD$5,000 in New York costs USD$1500. Average expatriate house / apartment rent for a secure upmarket unfurnished apartment (3 bedrooms) is USD$2,170 in a central location, and USD$1,343 in a suburban location, per month, excluding utilities.

9) Miscellaneous: Cost is high for items such as dry cleaning, linen, magazines, newspapers, office supplies, and postage stamps. A basket costing USD$500 in New York costs USD$510. Average price for dry cleaning (1 mens 2 pc suit) is USD$9.95, while an international newspaper is USD$3.06.

10) Personal Care: Cost is average for items such as cosmetics, hair care, and toiletries. A basket costing USD$500 in New York costs USD$340. Average cost for a mens haircut and blow dry is USD$27, while a womens hair colour, cut and blow dry - medium length is USD$135.

11) Recreation & Culture: Cost is high for items such as books, cinema, sport and theatre tickets. A basket costing USD$500 in New York costs USD$370. Average price for a latest release international cinema ticket (average of on and off peak where applicable) for one adult is USD$10.69, and an international fitness, recreation or sports club membership cost for one adult is USD$46 per month.

12) Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels: Cost is average for items such as hotel daily room rates, meals and beverages in a restaurant, and take away food and beverages. A basket costing USD$1,000 in New York costs USD$610. Average cappuccino price (regular, medium) is USD$2.91, coke/pepsi (330ml) USD$2.25, burger meal (international franchise or similar) USD$9.97, and a mid-range international restaurant meal for 2 USD$49.86.

13) Transport: Cost is average for items such as fuel (petrol/gasoline), car hire, public transport, vehicle purchase and maintenance. A basket costing USD$1,000 in New York costs USD$730. Average average price over the last year for highest available octane petrol / gasoline (1L) is USD$6.64, while the benchmark car sedan purchase price including taxes/duties for a compact / small / economy vehicle (1.4 L) is USD$21,913.

How does the cost of living in Slovakia compare?

Slovakia is -15.1% cheaper than USA for groceries, -49.8% cheaper for household costs than UK, and 43.7% more expensive for transport costs than India.

What is the quality of life / hardship in Slovakia?

Slovakia is ranked as a high degree of hardship location.The hardship premium for Slovakia for an expat from Australia, is for example 20%, i.e. host location (Slovakia) premium of 30% minus home (Australia) location premium of 10%.

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