Housing
So you’ve decided to move to Slovenia but aren’t sure where to live or how housing works. Life in cities and rural areas differs greatly in lifestyle and prices. City life is more private and anonymous, while village life is closely connected—neighbors often know each other well and help one another, sometimes even sharing house keys or watering plants. It is common for doors to be left unlocked during the day and for people to stop by unannounced..
Housing in Numbers
safety
Slovenia ranks 9th out of 163 countries based on low conflict, crime, and social stability
homeowners
In 2024 Slovenia had 75% homeowners, Germany the lowest with 57% homeowners and Romania the highest with 94% homeowners
(EU average 68% homeowners)€/m2
Price for a used apartment in 2025 nationwide in Slovenia is €3,000 m2 and in Ljubljana €4,900 m2.
value increase
Value of apartments and houses increased on average by 109 % from 2019 and rents increased by 73 % from 2015
(EU average 55%).
Useful Information
Address registration
When you arrive in Slovenia or move to a new address, you must register your place of residence. This requires proof of your right to stay there, such as a lease agreement, the owner’s consent, or proof of ownership or use.
Slovenia distinguishes between temporary and permanent addresses. Foreigners can register a permanent address only after five years of continuous residence and obtaining a Permanent Residence Permit (refugees are an exception).
Until then, you will have two registered addresses: a permanent address (from) abroad and a temporary address in Slovenia. The temporary address is essential for administrative matters such as tax registration, child benefits, and kindergarten subsidies. The permanent address abroad is only an administrative formality and does not require active registration.
I know this can be confusing, my foreign husband had the same questions at the beginning, but it all worked out 😊.
Contracts
A rental contract defines the rights and obligations of the tenant (najemnik) and the landlord (lastnik or najemodajalec). Standard contracts are regulated by housing law and must include certain mandatory elements (Housing Act: Stanovanjski zakon – SZ-1-NPB8).
- Monthly rent payments
- A security deposit equal to one or two monthly rents
- Utilities paid separately (electricity, water, gas, maintenance, TV/internet, and communal costs in shared apartments)
- The landlord is responsible for repairing or replacing broken appliances, unless the tenant caused the damage
- Apartments/houses are often fully or partially furnished for rent or buying.
Inspection list or Written record
Unlike in some countries (Netherlands, Switzerland, France), written inspection lists are not common in Slovenia. There may be a brief check of the property at contract signing, but it is often informal.
To avoid issues with your security deposit, it’s best to create a simple written record of the property’s condition, signed by both you and the landlord or agency, and supported with photos.
I introduced inspection list to the landlord when renting my last apartment in Slovenia, and it made moving out and getting my deposit back much easier. 😊
House Rules
Source: Schengen visa info
Real Estate Agencies
Renting/Buying
Slovenia has a diverse spectrum of small-medium sized real estates agencies.
Mr. Anže Lenče, Director
Anže has over 15 years of experience in real estate in Slovenia and Croatia. He has lived and worked abroad and now lives in Ljubljana with his international family, giving him a deep understanding of the needs of foreign clients.
Legal services
Ms. Maja Pihlar, Lawyer
Ms. Pihlar is a specialist in property rentals and purchases. She lives and works in Ljutomer (northeastern Slovenia) and has decades of experience in legal matters, including contracts, regulations, renting, and buying property in Slovenia.
Did you know?
When renting an apartment or upon a private visit, it is expected to remove your shoes at the entrance, you will receive guest slippers to walk inside.
In Slovenia, the term garden usually refers to a vegetable garden, ( the UK/NL – ornamental garden). This tradition is very common and is handed down through generations.
It is still common, especially in the countryside, to have multi-generational houses, with grandparents living on the ground floor and the younger generation on the upper floor, often with a separate entrance.
Get in touch
Expat Support
Expat consultancy, Urška Celner Gabrielse s.p.
Ljubljana, Slovenia
+386 51 673 373
info@liveinslovenia.si