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Living in Košice

Košice is a city in Slovakia. Košice had a population of 222,286 at the start of 2026. The median age was 44.8 years in 2026. A monthly estimate placed internet service at €18.42 in August 2026.

Last checked 2026-09-1922 sources

Population222,286people1 Jan 2026Official source · SK official material for population_total
Median gross salary (region)1,972EUR/month31 Dec 2025Official source · slovak.statistics.sk
Unemployment rate11.06%country median 4.1% — 167% aboveOfficial source · SK official material for unemployment_total_percent
PM2.5, annual mean16µg/m³31 Dec 2024Official source · EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — SK 2024 PM2.5 station data

Which Slovakia-wide rules apply when you move to Košice?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in SlovakiaNational rates and thresholds that apply in Košice.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

The purchase price was €1,874 per m² in 2021. Living space averaged 19 m² per person in 2011. The housing-vacancy rate was 4.94% in 2011.

What recurs every month6 published recurring costs, € per month
Košice recurring monthly costs, € per month

€ / month

Private kindergarten€395
Utilities, 85 m² flat€296
Fitness club€45
Transport pass€30
Mobile plan, 10 GB€19
Internet, 60 Mbps€18

Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.

Net rent across major citiesKošice highlighted among comparable cities
Net rent across major cities with Košice highlighted

net rent, € / m² / month

Žilina€4.83
Prešov€4.67
Nitra€3.93
MetricValuePeriodSource
Fitness club membership, monthly44.62 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo22Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Col Groceries Index Basket Eur Month60.8 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo22Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited18.42 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo22Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Private kindergarten, monthly394.8 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo22Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant9 eur3 Aug 2026Numbeo22Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB19 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo22Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Monthly transport pass30 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo22Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Basic utilities, 85 m² home296.1 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo22Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Housing Vacancy Rate Percent4.94 %2011SK official material for living_space_per_capita_m210Official
Rent Buy Price Eur Per M21,874 EUR/m²2021SK official material for living_space_per_capita_m210Official

Is Košice a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker50%strong on work, weak on safety · range 41–59%
Skilled employee56%strong on work, weak on safety · range 48–64%
Student51%strong on education, weak on safety · range 43–59%
Family48%strong on family, weak on safety · range 39–57%
Retirement49%strong on legal route, weak on admin · range 38–60%

Work and income

The unemployment rate was 11.1% in 2009. The primary employment category was “Employment (jobs) in mining, manufacturing, energy (NACE Rev. 2, B-E)” in 2020.

What is the unemployment rate in Košice?

The unemployment rate is about 11.1 % (2009).

  • Unemployment rate: 11.06 % · SK official material for unemployment_total_percent13
Unemployment across cities in SlovakiaUnemployment in Košice is 11.1%. Of 143 cities with data, 99 have unemployment of 0 to under 5%.

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Public employment offices2 count15 Sept 2026ÚPSVaR Košice — employment-service workplaces15Official
Median gross salary (regional)1,972 EUR/month31 Dec 2025slovak.statistics.sk14Official
Unemployment rate11.06 %country median 4.1%2009SK official material for unemployment_total_percent13Official
Unemployment rate over time9 published observations, 1991–2009

Unemployment rate rose 116.4% between 1991 and 2009, from 5.1% to 11.1%.

Public employment offices in Košice

ÚPSVaR Košice lists 2 public employment offices in Košice (checked 2026-09-16). Use the official office finder for addresses and appointments; registration and job search are also available online through the national service below.

Office count verified

Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family — Public employment service

Ústredie práce, sociálnych vecí a rodiny

Job SearchTraining
Search jobs
Open the Slovakia service overview

The office count comes from the service's own directory. Individual addresses and opening hours are not listed here yet. Sources checked through 16 Sept 2026.

Family and education

Students accounted for 8.51% of the population in 2020.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Public language course providers2 count31 Dec 2025Zoznam jazykovych skol poskytujucich bezplatne kurzy (VAIA, Ministry of Education free-course calls 1/2025 and 2/2025)18Official

School for children who move here. School is compulsory from age 6 to 16, and public school is free. Newly arrived pupils get support in the school language: jazykové kurzy pre deti cudzincov (language courses for children of foreigners, organised and funded by self-governing regions). How to enrol a child (minedu.sk).

A country-wide rule for Slovakia; Košice's school authority applies it locally.

Sources: eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu · 2025–2026.

Mobility and administration

Car density was 317.5 vehicles per 1,000 residents in 2021. A monthly transport pass was estimated at €30 in August 2026.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Destinations from nearest airport4 count3 Aug 2026OpenFlights6Official
Nearest airportKSC3 Aug 2026OurAirports7Official
Distance to nearest airport6 km3 Aug 2026OurAirports7Official
Public transport monthly pass30 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo22Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context

Language courses and integration in Košice

1 exact course-location record is linked to this city. Check the linked source for dates, availability and enrolment.

Verified locally
1verified local records
2publicly funded course providers
Check courses in KošiceHow the country programme works
Exact city-linked record checked 2026-08-10. Provider-supplied records are supplemental and are not presented as official accreditation.

Find courses near Košice

Climate and air quality

Annual precipitation was 645 mm in 2008. Annual PM2.5 was 16 µg/m³ at the end of 2024. Annual NO₂ was 32.3 µg/m³ in 2012. Annual PM10 was 27 µg/m³ in 2013.

Is the air quality good in Košice?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 16 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — SK 2024 PM2.5 station data4

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

MetricValuePeriodSource
NO₂ — annual mean32.3 µg/m³2012SK official material for air_quality_no2_annual_ug_m38Official
PM10 — annual mean27 µg/m³2013SK official material for air_quality_no2_annual_ug_m38Official
PM2.5 — annual mean16 µg/m³31 Dec 2024EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — SK 2024 PM2.5 station data4Official
Average daytime high by monthJan 1 · Feb 3.7 · Mar 9.9 · Apr 16.5 · May 21.2 · Jun 24.8 · Jul 26.6 · Aug 26.8 · Sep 21.2 · Oct 14.8 · Nov 8.2 · Dec 1.8 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV16Official
Average night-time low by monthJan -4.8 · Feb -3.6 · Mar 0 · Apr 5 · May 9.6 · Jun 13.2 · Jul 14.8 · Aug 14.6 · Sep 10.1 · Oct 5.3 · Nov 1.2 · Dec -3.3 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV16Official
Average temperature by monthJan -1.9 · Feb 0 · Mar 4.7 · Apr 10.9 · May 15.5 · Jun 19.2 · Jul 20.8 · Aug 20.5 · Sep 15.2 · Oct 9.7 · Nov 4.5 · Dec -0.7 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV16Official
Average precipitation by monthJan 25.7 · Feb 26.8 · Mar 23.6 · Apr 42.4 · May 69.4 · Jun 87.5 · Jul 93.5 · Aug 66.5 · Sep 50.1 · Oct 51.1 · Nov 40.2 · Dec 36.1 mm1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV16Official
Average sunshine by monthJan 57 · Feb 83.9 · Mar 155.5 · Apr 200.5 · May 239.9 · Jun 253.4 · Jul 258.9 · Aug 264.7 · Sep 189.4 · Oct 131 · Nov 66.7 · Dec 41 hours1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV16Official
G11 Annual Precipitation Mm645 mm2008SK official material for air_quality_no2_annual_ug_m38Official

Population and city profile

How many people live in Košice?

The published population was 222,286 people in January 2026. Source: SK official material for population_total11

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Cars per 1,000 residents317.5 cars/1000 residents2021SK official material for car_density_per_10009Official
Foreign-resident share1.3 %1 Jan 2026SK official material for population_total11Official
Foreign residents2,897 people1 Jan 2026SK official material for population_total11Official
Population222,286 people1 Jan 2026SK official material for population_total11Official
Students as a share of residents8.51 %2020SK official material for student_population_share_percent12Official
Population over time33 published observations, 1990–2026

Population fell 6.8% between 1990 and 2026, from 238,454 to 222,286.

Foreign residents over time11 published observations, 2012–2026

Foreign residents fell 15.6% between 2012 and 2026, from 3,434 to 2,897.

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Living space per resident19 m²/person2011SK official material for living_space_per_capita_m210Official
Median age44.8 years1 Jan 2026SK official material for population_total11Official
Primary Economic SectorEmployment (jobs) in mining, manufacturing, energy (NACE Rev. 2, B-E)2020SK official material for unemployment_total_percent13Official

Alternatives for people set on Košice

Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.

Bratislava as a Košice alternative in the same country

A move, not a commute, at 312 km, better on 4 of 7 metrics measured the same way, worse on 2.

  • Foreign residents: 4.0% Bratislava vs 1.3% Košice+210%
  • Unemployment: 3.3% Bratislava vs 11.1% Košice−71%
  • Residents: 480,902 Bratislava vs 222,286 Košice+116%
  • Median gross pay, region: €2,416 Bratislava vs €1,972 Košice+23%
  • Empty flats: 3.5% Bratislava vs 4.9% Košice−28%
  • Annual PM2.5: 12.0 µg/m³ Bratislava vs 16.0 µg/m³ Košice−25%
  • Nearest airport: 8.0 km Bratislava vs 6.0 km Košice+33%
Full comparisonMore about Bratislava

Brno as a Košice alternative in another country

A move, not a commute, at 343 km, better on 4 of 4 metrics measured the same way, worse on 0. Median gross pay, region and foreign residents cannot be compared like for like.

  • Median gross pay, region: €1,658 (2024) Brno vs €1,972 (2025) Košiceno percentage
  • Annual PM2.5: 13.9 µg/m³ Brno vs 16.0 µg/m³ Košice−13%
  • Foreign residents: 8.6% (2021) Brno vs 1.3% (2026) Košiceno percentage
  • Transport pass: €23 Brno vs €30 Košice−24%
  • Basic utilities, 85 m²: €266 Brno vs €296 Košice−10%
  • A meal out: €8 Brno vs €9 Košice−8%
Full comparisonMore about Brno

Cities near Košice

Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.

Alternative cities in Slovakia

Other cities in Slovakia to compare with Košice, nearest in population first.

All Slovakia cities
Petržalka112,118 residentsBratislava480,902 residentsPrešov81,223 residentsŽilina79,873 residentsNitra75,301 residentsBanská Bystrica73,054 residents

How does Košice compare?

Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Košice's.

Open the full comparison

Košice in rankings

#2 of 30 in Largest cities in Slovakia

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Košice when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Is Košice part of Prešov?

Košice is near Prešov, but the collected evidence does not establish that it is administratively part of the hub or an official satellite. It is about 32.3 km away by straight-line distance. Prešov city profile

Relationship type: Nearby Independent Place. Source5

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Košice?

The published population was 222,286 people in January 2026. Source: SK official material for population_total.

Is the air quality good in Košice?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 16 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — SK 2024 PM2.5 station data.

What is the unemployment rate in Košice?

The unemployment rate is about 11.1 % (2009). Source: SK official material for unemployment_total_percent.

What is the typical salary around Košice?

The median gross salary is 1,972 EUR/month. Source: slovak.statistics.sk.

How many foreign residents live in Košice?

2,897 people residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: SK official material for population_total.

How much is public transport in Košice?

A monthly transport pass is 30 EUR/month. This is a supplemental estimate, not an official municipal measurement. Source: Numbeo.

Is Košice a good place to live?

Košice may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

Is Košice part of Prešov?

Košice is near Prešov, but the collected evidence does not establish that it is administratively part of the hub or an official satellite. It is about 32.3 km away by straight-line distance.

Which cities are near Košice?

Čaňa, Moldava nad Bodvou are near Košice. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, September 19). Košice, Slovakia: population, rent, salary, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; version e72ef39823e5b5e9447152130e523868]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/sk/kosice/ Retrieved 2026-09-19. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_kosice-slovakia-population-rent-salary-cost-of-living_9cb389dfa95f,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Košice, Slovakia: population, rent, salary, cost of living},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-19},
  version = {e72ef39823e5b5e9447152130e523868},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/sk/kosice/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-19. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Košice, Slovakia: population, rent, salary, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/sk/kosice/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version e72ef39823e5b5e9447152130e523868; retrieved 2026-09-19; built 2026-09-19.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. download.geonames.org recorded crime data download.geonames.org · checked 2026-08-28
  2. ec.europa.eu place coordinates ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-28
  3. ec.europa.eu place coordinates ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-28
  4. EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — SK 2024 PM2.5 station data EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics · air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-29
  5. gisco-services.ec.europa.eu place coordinates gisco-services.ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-28
  6. OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
  7. OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
  8. SK official material for air_quality_no2_annual_ug_m3 ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-18
  9. SK official material for car_density_per_1000 ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-18
  10. SK official material for living_space_per_capita_m2 ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-18
Show 12 more sources
  1. SK official material for population_total krajskemesta.statistics.sk · checked 2026-07-18
  2. SK official material for student_population_share_percent ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-18
  3. SK official material for unemployment_total_percent ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-18
  4. slovak.statistics.sk slovak.statistics.sk · checked 2026-08-27
  5. ÚPSVaR Košice — employment-service workplaces ÚPSVaR Košice · upsvr.gov.sk · checked 2026-09-15
  6. WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-29
  7. zbgisws.skgeodesy.sk place coordinates zbgisws.skgeodesy.sk · checked 2026-08-28
  8. Zoznam jazykovych skol poskytujucich bezplatne kurzy (VAIA, Ministry of Education free-course calls 1/2025 and 2/2025) vaia.gov.sk · checked 2026-09-19
  9. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  10. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  11. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  12. Numbeo numbeo.com · checked 2026-08-03

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