Key Facts
Government type: Parliamentary democracy
Capital: Ljubljana
Total Area: 20,273km²
Population: 2,061,085
GDP Per Capita (PPP) $20,849
Official languages: Slovenian, Hungarian, Italian and German are all spoken in the border regions. Bosnian, Serbian and Croatian are understood by approximately 60% of the population with English being widely understood by business people and students.
Religions: Catholic 53%, Muslim 2.6%, Orthodox 2.2%, Protestant 0.9%, people of faith belonging to no religion 3.7%, Atheists, 30.1%, did not want to say 7%
Country code: +386
Currency: Euro
Voltage: 220 V
Brief Overview
In 1991, The Republic of Slovenia gained its independence from the former Yugoslavia. It is the country that connects the Alps and the Mediterranean. Bordered by Hungary, Italy, Croatia and Austria, Slovenia has been heavily influenced both architecturally and culturally by this mix and is truly a country for all tastes. It also boasts a 43km coastline which stretches from Italy to Croatia.
The Republic of Slovenia is a parliamentary democracy and constitutional republic. Power is shared between a directly elected president, a prime minister and a bicameral parliament. It is made up of a 90-member National Assembly and the National Council. The Constitutional Court has the highest power of review of legislation to ensure its consistency with Slovenia’s constitution. Its nine judges are elected by the National Assembly for a single nine year term.
Slovenia is noted as being a developed country and advanced to the 25 rank of 49 advanced economies for the 2013 period. It is also a founding member of the World Trade Organisation, member of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism and held a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council between 1991 and 1999. In 2004, it became the first transitional country to advance from borrower status to donor partner at the World Bank.
In 2008 Slovenia also held the presidency of the EU Council.
Culture
Slovenia is one of those rare countries, if not the only in the world, where culture day is a national holiday. Culture plays a historic and socially significant role in modern Slovenia.This is shown by the various wealth of well-developed networks of cultural institutions, organisations and associable easily comparable to the most wealthiest and progressive countries in Europe. Its orchestra, the Slovenian Philharmonic, is the oldest in Europe, more than 300 years old. Slovenia boasts numerous festivals such as the Jazz Festival, International Film Festival, Bled Nights and many more as well as a host of opera and ballet performances held at the famous Cankarjev Dom, Drama, Youth Theatre and Puppet Theatre.
Jože Plečnik is one of the most famous of Slovenian architects and whose buildings, bridges can be seen throughout Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana. He was a pioneer of modern Slovene and European architecture.
As well as architecture, opera and ballet, Slovenia also celebrates two of its major writers and poets, France Prešeren and Primož Trubar. Prešeren’s work played a role in the development of the first real national political programme, helping to form the Slovene national identity, whereby Trubar’s work was the first to be published in Slovenia in 1550, making Slovenia a member of the European family of literary languages.
Rental Market
The rental market in Slovenia can be confusing for expatriates as the properties descriptions are not always very accurate.
The rental sector generally booms in the summer and ends in late October/November. Prices vary greatly according to location, time of year, length of tenancy agreement and whether it’s being offered furnished or non-furnished. An equally sized apartment in the centre of Ljubljana can often be found much cheaper outside the city borders. Also, some properties which are of a high end including saunas, Jacuzzis etc. can sometimes be found cheaper than the low end properties.
During the boom months as mentioned above, means that properties are being let quickly, and expatriates will often face competition from other prospective tenants: there is very little room for negotiation and expatriates need to be prepared to compromise and make decisions quickly.
Standard Tenancy: 1 year
Security Deposit: Yes, usually equivalent to 1 to 2 months rent
Holding Deposit: Required to secure a property, referencing not normally taken
Real Estate Commission: Commission is paid by the landlord and the tenant to the letting agent
Utilities: Tenants responsibility, not included within rent (although sometimes it can be included within the rent, but not always common)
Healthcare
The Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia was founded in 1992, a public institute bound by statute to provide compulsory healthcare. It comprises of 10 regional units and 45 branch offices.
During a temporary stay in Slovenia, insured persons from an EU Member State will be able to claim medical services with public health institutions and private doctors who have signed a contract with the HIIS on the basis of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Medical services may be claimed at the primary level in health centres and from General Practitioners.
In case of a medical emergency, an insured person may go directly to the nearest hospital.
EU citizens, who are paid in Slovenia, will also be given a Slovenian Health Insurance Card, giving them access to all the range of care in Slovenia (publically).
Additional cover is normally provided through the assignees employer or an existing health insurance policy.
Further information on Slovene Health Services can be obtained here.
Schools
There are a number of international schools in Slovenia who cover the complete range of educational requirements from pre-school, nursery, primary, secondary and college.
A number of these schools are also qualified to provide education to children with various learning disabilities although an informal interview is recommended to gauge the range of care required for the child.
In international schools classes are taught mainly in English with the option of joining in with the Slovene language groups to enable children to better integrate in their host country.
Numerous extracurricular activities are offered, although not always on the school premises at a nearby sports centre.
Prices per year often vary between the schools and discounts are often given where more than one child attends the same school. School uniforms can be optional and not all students are required to wear one.
This relocation guide to Slovenia offers expats and HR professionals essential information on housing, healthcare, and everyday life in one of Europe’s greenest and most livable countries.
Government type: Parliamentary democracy
Capital: Ljubljana
Total Area: 20,273km²
Population: 2,061,085
GDP Per Capita (PPP) $20,849
Official language: Slovenian.
Hungarian, Italian and German are all spoken in the border regions. Bosnian, Serbian and Croatian are understood by approximately 60% of the population with English being widely understood by business people and students.
Religions: Catholic 53%, Muslim 2.6%, Orthodox 2.2%, Protestant 0.9%, people of faith belonging to no religion 3.7%, Atheists, 30.1%, did not want to say 7%
Country code: +386
Currency: Euro
Voltage: 220 V
In 1991, The Republic of Slovenia gained its independence from the former Yugoslavia.
It is the country that connects the Alps and the Mediterranean.
Bordered by Hungary, Italy, Croatia and Austria, Slovenia has been heavily influenced both architecturally and culturally by this mix and is truly a country for all tastes.
It also boasts a 43km coastline which stretches from Italy to Croatia.
The Republic of Slovenia is a parliamentary democracy and constitutional republic.
Power is shared between a directly elected president, a prime minister and a bicameral parliament. It is made up of a 90-member National Assembly and the National Council.
The Constitutional Court has the highest power of review of legislation to ensure its consistency with Slovenia’s constitution.
Its nine judges are elected by the National Assembly for a single nine-year term.
Slovenia is noted as being a developed country and advanced to the 25 rank of 49 advanced economies for the 2013 period.
It is also a founding member of the World Trade Organisation, a member of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism, and held a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council between 1991 and 1999.
In 2004, it became the first transitional country to advance from borrower status to donor partner at the World Bank. In 2008 Slovenia also held the presidency of the EU Council.
For personalised support, check out our key relocation services, expat-focused solutions, or explore broader relocation trends across the CEE region.
Slovenia is one of those rare countries, if not the only in the world, where culture day is a national holiday.
Culture plays a historic and socially significant role in modern Slovenia.
This is shown by the various wealth of well-developed networks of cultural institutions, organisations and associable easily comparable to the wealthiest and most progressive countries in Europe.
Its orchestra, the Slovenian Philharmonic, is the oldest in Europe, more than 300 years old.
Slovenia boasts numerous festivals such as the Jazz Festival, International Film Festival, Bled Nights and many more as well as a host of opera and ballet performances held at the famous Cankarjev Dom, Drama, Youth Theatre and Puppet Theatre.
Jože Plečnik is one of the most famous of Slovenian architects whose buildings and bridges can be seen throughout Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana.
He was a pioneer of modern Slovene and European architecture.
As well as architecture, opera, and ballet, Slovenia also celebrates two of its major writers and poets, France Prešeren and Primož Trubar.
Prešeren’s work played a role in the development of the first real national political program, helping to form the Slovene national identity, whereas Trubar’s work was the first to be published in Slovenia in 1550, making Slovenia a member of the European family of literary languages.
As we explore Slovenia’s path from Yugoslav republic to modern EU member in this relocation guide to Slovenia, we see how its history influences today’s progressive society.
The rental market in Slovenia can be confusing for expatriates, as the property descriptions are not always very accurate.
The rental sector generally booms in the summer and ends in late October/November.
Prices vary greatly according to location, time of year, length of tenancy agreement, and whether it’s being offered furnished or non-furnished.
An equally sized apartment in the centre of Ljubljana can often be found much cheaper outside the city borders.
Also, some properties that are high-end, including saunas, Jacuzzis, etc., can sometimes be found cheaper than the low-end properties.
From the capital Ljubljana to scenic towns along the Alps, this relocation guide to Slovenia outlines rental trends and housing options for newcomers in 2025.
During the boom months as mentioned above, properties are let quickly, and expatriates will often face competition from other prospective tenants.
There is very little room for negotiation and expatriates need to be prepared to compromise and make decisions quickly.
There are a number of international schools in Slovenia that cover the complete range of educational requirements from pre-school, nursery, primary, secondary and college.
A number of these schools are also qualified to provide education to children with various learning disabilities although an informal interview is recommended to gauge the range of care required for the child.
In international schools classes are taught mainly in English with the option of joining in with the Slovene language groups to enable children to better integrate in their host country.
Numerous extracurricular activities are offered, although not always on the school premises at a nearby sports centre.
Prices per year often vary between the schools and discounts are often given where more than one child attends the same school. School uniforms can be optional and not all students are required to wear one.
The Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia was founded in 1992, a public institute bound by statute to provide compulsory healthcare.
It is generally comprised of 10 regional units and 45 branch offices.
During a temporary stay in Slovenia, insured persons from an EU Member State will be able to claim medical services with public health institutions and private doctors who have signed a contract with the HIIS on the basis of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
Medical services may be claimed at the primary level in health centres and from General Practitioners.
In case of a medical emergency, an insured person may go directly to the nearest hospital.
EU citizens, who are paid in Slovenia, will also be given a Slovenian Health Insurance Card, giving them access to all the range of care in Slovenia (publically).
Additional cover is normally provided through the assignees employer or an existing health insurance policy.
Further information on Slovene Health Services can be obtained here.
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