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 39.2% cheaper than United Kingdom overall. A £56,000 salary in United Kingdom would need to be roughly €40,400 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.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Slovakia cheaper than United Kingdom?

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 39.3% less

Groceries

pay 10.7% less

Transportation

pay 40.2% less

Housing

pay 49.1% less

Childcare

pay 62.9% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 45.3% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 GBP = 1.19 EUR (October 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.

What salary do you need in Slovakia?

What does your salary buy?

£56,000 → €40,400

To maintain the same standard of living in Slovakia

Calculate with your salary →

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 41% less than cities in United Kingdom.

United Kingdom

Surrey 79%
Harrow 74%
Ealing 72%
Wigan 68%

Slovakia

Poprad 42%
Trnava 40%
Trencin 40%
Zilina 38%

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 World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

GB
1.1
SK
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GB
2.4
SK
6.4

United Kingdom performs better than Slovakia across all safety metrics.

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 World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

GB
33.0
SK
37.0

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 World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

GB
42.2
SK
33.8
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

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 World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

GB
4.8%
SK
5.4%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

GB
$57,602
SK
$28,544

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

GB
81.4 yrs
SK
78.4 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GB
4.1
SK
5.3

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

Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), HM Revenue & Customs (2016), Tax Directorate, Slovakia (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Slovakia vs United Kingdom

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

Can you move from United Kingdom to Slovakia?

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 39% 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 £56,000 comparable salary, that's around €10,100 in Slovakia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Slovakia?

With 33.8 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 performs better than Slovakia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Slovakia is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 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 37.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Slovakia, compared to 33.0 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 69,487,000 5,413,813
Currency British Pound Sterling (£) Euro (€)
Languages English Slovak
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +44 +421
Time zones 9 1
Emergency number 999 112