CrossBorders

Brno vs Ljubljana

Ljubljana's car-free centre, green riverbanks and Plečnik bridges create a polished pedestrian setting. Brno is a little more workaday, with a tidy historic core around Freedom Square and lower rents.

How to read a row

The grey shape is all 283 cities; each row says whether lower or higher is better. Ratings out of 10 are our reviewed estimates; the rest is published data. How we measure

Brno
Czechia
Ljubljana
Slovenia

The choice in one minute

Brno makes sense if

  • You want the easier housing and budget equation in this comparison.
  • You want the broader career options in this comparison.

Ljubljana makes sense if

  • A calmer day-to-day safety profile matters most to you.
  • Access to stronger healthcare matters most to you.
  • You want the deeper culture and food scene.

What matters to you

Set how much each area counts. The ranking updates as you go. Climate and values are left out because there is no better or worse there, only your taste.

Money
Nature & outdoors
City life
Safety & health
Work & family
Moving & settling in
  1. 1Ljubljana70

    Leads on nature & outdoors and city life; stands out for mountains and hiking.

  2. 2Brno64

    Leads on money; stands out for lower income tax and easier house-hunting.

Scores out of 100, averaged from the areas you weighted. For a ranking built around your own situation, take the quiz.

Side by side

Money

Rent on a new lease, everyday prices and tax.

Section score out of 100
Brno73Ljubljana68
One-bedroom rent
Per month, new lease, citywide
$135/mo$2,444/mo
  • Brno$800/mo
  • Ljubljana$932/mo
Rent as share of local pay
One-bedroom rent vs. typical net local pay
21%120%
  • Brno~43%
  • Ljubljana~39%, leads
Everyday prices
Excluding rent · United States = 100
25131
  • Brno72
  • Ljubljana75
Income tax + social contributions
Range: average-wage rate to top marginal rate; the dot marks its midpoint
0%46%
  • Brno21–23%, leads
  • Ljubljana36–50%

Climate

The year month by month. Whether it suits you is yours to judge.

Daytime highs and night-time lows, °C
0°10°20°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecBrnoLjubljana

Solid line: average daytime high. Dashed: night-time low. Point at the chart for any month; point at a city name to shade its range.

Bright days
Under 80% cloud and under 1 mm rain
30 days347 days
  • Brno180 days
  • Ljubljana184 days
Muggy days
Days that feel sticky (dew point)
0 days365 days
  • Brno15 days, leads
  • Ljubljana33 days
Air pollution
Annual mean fine particles (PM2.5)
4.6 µg/m³84 µg/m³
  • Brno12.5 µg/m³
  • Ljubljana15.4 µg/m³

Nature & outdoors

How easily you get to water, mountains and green space.

Section score out of 100
Ljubljana75Brno51
Beach & sea
110
  • Brno2/10
  • Ljubljana4/10, leads
Mountains
110
  • Brno4/10
  • Ljubljana8/10, leads
City parks
110
  • Brno7/10
  • Ljubljana8/10, leads
Weekend escapes
110
  • Brno7/10
  • Ljubljana10/10, leads

City life

Getting around on foot, food, culture and the feel of the streets.

Section score out of 100
Ljubljana78Brno67
Walkability
110
  • Brno7/10
  • Ljubljana8/10, leads
Public transport
110
  • Brno7/10, leads
  • Ljubljana6/10
Restaurants
110
  • Brno6/10
  • Ljubljana8/10, leads
Public spaces
110
  • Brno7/10
  • Ljubljana9/10, leads

Safety & health

Crime, how safe people feel, and the care you would get.

Section score out of 100
Ljubljana77Brno74
Homicide rate
Per 100,000 residents per year
0.247
  • Brno0.8
  • Ljubljana0.6
Feels safe day to day
110
  • Brno8/10
  • Ljubljana9/10, leads
Healthcare quality
110
  • Brno7/10
  • Ljubljana8/10, leads
English-speaking care
110
  • Brno7/10
  • Ljubljana7/10

Work & family

Jobs, working culture, schools and raising kids.

Section score out of 100
Brno64Ljubljana64
Job market
110
  • Brno6/10
  • Ljubljana6/10
Jobs in English
110
  • Brno6/10
  • Ljubljana7/10, leads
Work–life balance
110
  • Brno7/10
  • Ljubljana8/10, leads
Schools
110
  • Brno7/10
  • Ljubljana7/10

Moving & settling in

Visas, language, paperwork and staying connected.

Section score out of 100
Ljubljana57Brno54
Visa & residence difficulty
Typical case; your passport changes this
110
  • Brno5/10
  • Ljubljana5/10
Language barrier
For an English speaker
110
  • Brno4/10
  • Ljubljana4/10
Openness to newcomers
110
  • Brno5/10
  • Ljubljana6/10, leads
Flight connections
110
  • Brno5/10
  • Ljubljana6/10, leads

Society & values

Where each city sits. There is no right end of these scales.

Social attitudes
ConservativeLiberal
  • Brno7/10
  • Ljubljana7/10
LGBTQ+ acceptance
LowHigh
  • Brno7/10
  • Ljubljana7/10
Diversity
HomogeneousDiverse
  • Brno5/10
  • Ljubljana5/10
Religion in public life
ReligiousSecular
  • Brno9/10
  • Ljubljana8/10

Life in each city

Daily life

Brno

Brno is small enough to feel manageable, and its streets are unusually easy to use without a car. Walkability and mixed-use neighbourhoods are strong, while compact homes and a slow tempo limit the appeal for anyone seeking a bigger-city buzz.

Ljubljana

Mixed-use streets make errands simple. The trade-off is limited housing space and a very slow tempo, so residents seeking metropolitan intensity may find the city too quiet.

Safety

Brno

Violent crime is very low, petty street crime is mild even by Czech standards, and walking home late rarely feels like a gamble. Traffic is orderly and the country is politically stable.

Ljubljana

Violent crime is rare, the streets feel calm well after dark, and traffic is comparatively orderly. Newcomers tend to relax into the place quickly, and parents in particular flag how easy it is to let children roam.

Work and healthcare

Brno

English-language roles and remote work are available, although neither the market nor professional networks have the depth of a large hub. Solid, dependable public healthcare without being a standout.

Ljubljana

English-language work exists, and remote work is a workable route, although professional networks and the technology scene are thinner than in larger regional hubs. Public healthcare is solid and out-of-pocket costs stay low, which keeps the system accessible.

Culture and public life

Brno

The cafe scene is excellent, nightlife is lively thanks to a big student population, and there is a strong sense of local Moravian identity, wine country included. Brno is an orderly, tidy Czech city with a well-kept centre and handsome squares like Freedom Square anchoring a walkable historic core.

Ljubljana

An outsized cafe culture anchors daily life, with riverside terraces busy in any decent weather. Ljubljana is notably clean and green, its car-free centre pristine, its pedestrianised riverbanks and Plecnik bridges among Europe's most elegant public spaces.

Summary

Ljubljana suits someone who wants riverside cafes and a pristine centre within an easy walk. Brno is the practical pick for a smaller-city routine with lower rents.

Read on

Which of these fits you?

These numbers treat everyone the same. The quiz weighs them by your budget, climate taste, family and work, and ranks all 283 cities for you.

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