Moving to Slovakia from United Kingdom

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United Kingdom to Slovakia — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from United Kingdom to Slovakia, you would find that Slovakia is 33.6% cheaper than United Kingdom overall. A £55,958 salary in United Kingdom would need to be roughly €44,473 in Slovakia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Slovak. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from United Kingdom to Slovakia.

What does your salary buy?

£55,958 €44,473

To maintain the same standard of living in Slovakia

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 23.6% less

Groceries

pay 5.2% less

Transportation

pay 35.5% less

Housing

pay 44.6% less

Childcare

pay 65.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 43.4% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 GBP = 1.17 EUR (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in Slovakia cost about 29% less than cities in United Kingdom.

United Kingdom

Bath 63%
Slough 61%

Slovakia

Zilina 42%
Nitra 40%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from United Kingdom to Slovakia, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
16 ↑ 167% vs 2022

people moved from United Kingdom to Slovakia · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Slovakia?

Top countries of origin for Slovakia's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How United Kingdom and Slovakia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

GB
1.0
SK
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GB
2.4
SK
6.4

United Kingdom generally does better on safety, though Slovakia leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

GB
$6,606
SK
$3,230
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

GB
31.7
SK
36.8

Slovakia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

GB
13.0
SK
30.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GB
4.2t
SK
5.5t

United Kingdom performs better than Slovakia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

GB
41.4
SK
33.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GB
14.3%
SK
2.4%

United Kingdom generally does better on infrastructure, though Slovakia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

GB
4.1%
SK
5.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GB
$54,100
SK
$39,300

United Kingdom generally does better on employment & economy, though Slovakia leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

GB
81.9 yrs
SK
78.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GB
3.8
SK
4.8

United Kingdom performs better than Slovakia across all family life metrics.

Data: HM Revenue & Customs, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

London Rain: 22.0 in/yr (558 mm)
60° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Bratislava Rain: 22.6 in/yr (574 mm)
61° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months London Bratislava
Jan–Mar 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) 44°/30°F (7°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) 71°/51°F (22°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) 78°/58°F (26°/15°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) 49°/37°F (9°/3°C)
View all months
Month London Bratislava
Jan 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) 38°/27°F (3.1°/-2.8°C)
Feb 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) 42°/29°F (5.8°/-1.7°C)
Mar 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) 52°/35°F (11.1°/1.7°C)
Apr 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.0°C)
May 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) 71°/51°F (21.8°/10.6°C)
Jun 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.4°C)
Jul 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) 82°/61°F (27.8°/16.2°C)
Aug 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) 82°/61°F (27.6°/15.9°C)
Sep 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) 71°/53°F (21.9°/11.5°C)
Oct 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) 60°/44°F (15.6°/6.6°C)
Nov 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) 48°/37°F (9.0°/2.7°C)
Dec 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) 39°/29°F (3.7°/-1.5°C)

Data: Met Office Met Office, Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Kingdom and Slovakia. To live, work, or study long-term in Slovakia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Slovakia's immigration authority.

United Kingdom passport

United Kingdom passport holder visiting Slovakia

Visa Free
United Kingdom passport holders can enter Slovakia without a visa.
Slovakia passport

Slovakia passport holder visiting United Kingdom

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Slovakia passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United Kingdom.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Slovakia than United Kingdom?

Generally yes: Slovakia runs about 32% cheaper than United Kingdom on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Slovakia?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a £55,958 comparable salary, that's around €11,118 in Slovakia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Slovakia?

With 33.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Slovakia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in United Kingdom and Slovakia.

Is Slovakia safe for expats?

United Kingdom generally does better on safety, though Slovakia leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Slovakia is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.0 in United Kingdom.

How is healthcare in Slovakia compared to United Kingdom?

Slovakia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in health coverage index. There are 36.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Slovakia, compared to 31.7 in United Kingdom. Slovakia scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Kingdom: 88).

What's the weather like in Slovakia compared to United Kingdom?

The average high temperature in Bratislava is 61°F, compared to 60°F in London. Bratislava receives around 22.6 in of rainfall per year, while London gets 22.0 in.

What language do they speak in Slovakia?

The official language in Slovakia is Slovak. In United Kingdom, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

GB SK
Population 67,791,400 5,431,252
Currency British Pound Sterling (£) Euro (€)
Languages English Slovak
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +44 +421
Time zones 9 1
Emergency number 999 112