For a remote worker with a Russian passport, Spain beats Slovenia on almost every point in 2026. Spain’s digital nomad permit is granted for up to three years from inside the country and leads to permanent residence, while Slovenia’s is issued for one year with no renewal. Russian citizens cannot buy property in Slovenia, and Slovenian citizenship requires giving up Russian citizenship.
Slovenia is a small EU and Schengen country between Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia: about 2.1 million people, the euro, 47 km of coastline and the Alps an hour from the capital. Since 21 November 2025 it has had a residence permit for digital nomads, and people have started to consider it as an alternative to Spain. Below is a comparison of what decides a move: the basis for residence, the path to permanent residence and a passport, taxes, housing and everyday life.
Slovenia or Spain: a comparison for moving
| What we compare | Slovenia | Spain |
|---|---|---|
| Status for remote work | digital nomad permit for up to 1 year, not renewable; reapply after 6 months | digital nomad residence permit: up to 3 years straight away when applying from Spain, then a 2-year renewal |
| Income for nomads | twice the average net wage in Slovenia — €3,390 a month based on July 2026 data; the amount moves with wages | from €2,849 a month — 200% of the minimum wage |
| Residence on passive income | no separate route | from €2,400 a month, without the right to work |
| Permanent residence | after 5 consecutive years of temporary residence and a Slovene exam at A2; 5 consecutive years cannot be reached on nomad status | after 5 years, no language requirement |
| Citizenship | 10 years of residence, the last 5 continuous; giving up previous citizenship is mandatory | 10 years; Russians declare renunciation of their previous citizenship |
| Buying property as a Russian citizen | not allowed: Russia is named explicitly by the Slovenian government | allowed, no nationality restrictions |
| Tax for new residents | no special regime, general scale 16–50% | Beckham regime: 24% on income up to €600,000 for six years |
| Sea and climate | 47 km of coast, continental climate with cold winters | almost 8,000 km of coast including islands, Mediterranean climate |
Slovenia’s digital nomad permit: 2026 conditions
The temporary residence permit for digital nomads has applied since 21 November 2025 under article 51.a of the Slovenian Aliens Act. It is granted to a non-EU national who works remotely for an employer or clients outside Slovenia or runs their own business abroad. You cannot work on the Slovenian labour market with this status.
- Income: at least twice the average net wage in Slovenia. Based on the latest statistics office figure — €1,695.34 for July 2026 — that is €3,390 a month; the threshold is recalculated as the average wage changes.
- Term: up to one year with no renewal. A new permit can be requested no earlier than six months after the previous one ends.
- Family: a spouse and children can move straight away, with no waiting period.
- Where to apply: at a Slovenian embassy or consulate, or, if you are already legally in the country, at any administrative unit. Russians need a visa to enter; the embassy in Moscow accepts residence applications.
The main difference from Spain is not the threshold but what comes next. The Slovenian status ends after a year, and 5 consecutive years for permanent residence cannot be built on it. Spain’s nomad permit is renewed, counts towards permanent residence and citizenship, and is granted for up to three years straight away when you apply from inside Spain. How nomad visas work in other countries and where Russians are refused is covered in our ranking of digital nomad visa countries.
Slovenian residence for Russians: other routes
The first residence permit in Slovenia is always temporary, and the administrative unit where you live decides. For an applicant with a Russian passport, five routes are realistic.
- Employment. A single work and residence permit: the first one for the length of the employment contract, but no more than two years; renewals for up to three years. The employment service gives its consent.
- Your own company (d.o.o.). A director needs a company that, for six months before the application, has employed and insured at least one person, or has had turnover of at least €10,000 a month into a Slovenian account for six months in a row. For a new company — an investment of at least €50,000 in its business. These requirements come from the law on employment of foreigners and are worth checking with a lawyer before applying.
- Self-employment (s.p.). You can only apply after a year of continuous legal residence in Slovenia, so it does not work as a first route.
- Study. A permit for the length of the programme, but no more than a year, renewable.
- Family reunification. The relative in Slovenia must have lived there for a year on temporary residence and hold a permit for at least another year, or have permanent residence. A draft amendment under discussion would raise this to three years.
Slovenia has no separate residence permit for people living on passive income. In Spain that is the non-working residence permit: from €2,400 a month for the main applicant. For a family with capital and foreign income, this often decides the choice.
Permanent residence and citizenship
Slovenian permanent residence is granted after five years of continuous temporary residence. Since 1 November 2024 it requires a Slovene language exam at A2. Years of study count at half, and nomad status, because of its mandatory break, does not allow five consecutive years.
Slovenian citizenship by naturalisation comes after 10 years of residence, the last five continuous, with a Slovene exam. The key condition for Russians: you must give up your previous citizenship and prove it. In Spain citizenship also takes 10 years, but it requires Spanish rather than Slovene, and Russians declare renunciation of their previous citizenship rather than going through a release procedure.
Taxes: Slovenia’s general scale versus the Beckham regime
A Slovenian tax resident is someone who lives in the country for more than 183 days a year or has their centre of vital interests there. Personal income tax in 2026 follows a scale of 16, 26, 33, 39 and 50%, with a general allowance of €5,551.93 a year. The Slovenian tax administration has no special regime for incoming professionals like Spain’s Beckham regime.
- Dividends, interest, capital gains: 25%. For capital gains the rate falls with the holding period: 20% after 5 years, 15% after 10 years and 0 after 15 years.
- Letting property: 25% of income after standard expenses of 10%.
- Inheritance and gifts: no tax for children and a spouse; 5–39% for others, depending on the degree of kinship and the amount.
- Compulsory health contribution: €39.36 a month from 1 March 2026.
In Spain, a new resident who moves to work or run a business can choose the Beckham regime: 24% on income up to €600,000 a year for six years, and foreign investment income is not taxed in Spain under it. With income of €150,000 a year or more, the difference from the top Slovenian rate of 50% is tens of thousands of euros a year. Taxes on owning property and wealth in Spain depend on the region — see Property taxes in Spain.
Housing and capital
A Russian citizen cannot buy property in Slovenia: the Slovenian government explicitly lists Russia among countries whose citizens do not acquire ownership of real estate, except by inheritance on a reciprocal basis. You can only rent. For a sense of prices: the median price of flats sold in Ljubljana in 2025 exceeded €5,000 per m² for the first time; on the coast it was €4,810 and nationally about €3,200.
In Spain there are no nationality restrictions on buying a home: Russians buy flats and houses like other foreigners. The tax on resale purchases is higher than Slovenia’s 2% and depends on the region, but the home stays yours and covers the housing requirement when you apply for residence. The process and costs are in Buying a house in Spain.
The banking restriction is the same in both countries: under the EU sanctions regulation a bank does not accept deposits over €100,000 from a Russian citizen who has no residence or permanent residence permit in an EU country. With a residence permit the restriction does not apply.
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Life in Slovenia: pros and cons
Pros: safety and a calm pace, nature — the Alps, lakes and the sea within a couple of hours, Italy and Austria close by, a clean environment. The average net wage is €1,695 a month, the population is about 2.1 million, and foreigners make up about 11%.
Cons: you need the language for permanent residence, not only for citizenship; cold winters; expensive housing in Ljubljana while Russians cannot buy; a small Russian-speaking community and few international schools outside the capital.
Spain offers more choice: dozens of cities from Valencia and Málaga to Barcelona and the islands, a mild climate almost everywhere on the coast and a large Russian-speaking community. What life in Spain is like and what it costs is covered in Standard of living in Spain.
What to choose
- Slovenia suits you if you have a contract with a Slovenian employer, are ready to learn Slovene, value the Alps and being in the centre of Europe, and do not need to own your home.
- Spain suits remote workers and entrepreneurs, families with capital and passive income, and anyone who wants to buy a home, get permanent residence in 5 years without a language exam and an EU passport in 10.
If you are comparing countries for a move with your family and capital, plan the order of steps in advance — before selling assets and changing tax residence. Where to start in Spain is covered in our overview of all ways to get a Spanish residence permit. If Italy is also on your list, read Italy or Spain.
Frequently asked questions
Can a Russian citizen get Slovenia’s digital nomad permit?
Yes, there are no nationality restrictions: you need income of at least twice the average net wage in Slovenia — about €3,390 a month — and work for an employer or clients outside the country. The permit is granted for up to a year with no renewal; you can reapply after six months. Russians need a visa to enter.
Can a Russian citizen buy a flat in Slovenia?
No. The Slovenian government lists Russia among countries whose citizens cannot acquire real estate, except by inheritance on a reciprocal basis. Spain has no such restrictions.
After how many years do you get permanent residence in Slovenia?
After five years of continuous temporary residence and with a Slovene exam at A2. Digital nomad status does not work for this: it is not renewable, so five consecutive years cannot be built on it.
How can a Russian citizen get Slovenian citizenship?
By naturalisation — after 10 years of residence, the last five continuous, with a Slovene exam. A mandatory condition is giving up Russian citizenship.
Which is better for moving: Slovenia or Spain?
For a remote worker, an entrepreneur or a family with capital, Spain usually fits better: a nomad permit for up to three years with renewal, a residence permit for passive income, property purchase without restrictions and the Beckham regime. Slovenia suits those with a contract from a Slovenian employer who are ready to learn Slovene.
Key points on moving to Slovenia or Spain
- Slovenia’s nomad permit lasts a year with no renewal and does not lead to permanent residence; Spain’s lasts up to three years, is renewable and counts towards permanent residence.
- Slovenia has no residence permit for passive income; Spain does.
- Russians cannot buy property in Slovenia; in Spain they can.
- Slovenian citizenship requires giving up Russian citizenship, and permanent residence requires Slovene at A2.
- Taxes: in Slovenia the general scale goes up to 50%, in Spain the Beckham regime is 24%.
Sources
- Government of Slovenia: residence permit for digital nomads, 21.11.2025
- Uradni list 32/2025: amendments to the Aliens Act, art. 51.a
- Statistical Office of Slovenia: average wage, July 2026
- Government of Slovenia: acquisition of real estate by foreigners
- Government of Slovenia: Slovene A2 for permanent residence from 01.11.2024
- Government of Slovenia: citizenship
- Employment Service of Slovenia: single permit
- Financial Administration of Slovenia: income from capital
- Embassy of Slovenia in Moscow: visa information
- EU Regulation 833/2014, art. 5b
- Slovenia or Spain: a comparison for moving
- Slovenia’s digital nomad permit: 2026 conditions
- Slovenian residence for Russians: other routes
- Permanent residence and citizenship
- Taxes: Slovenia’s general scale versus the Beckham regime
- Housing and capital
- Life in Slovenia: pros and cons
- What to choose
- Frequently asked questions
- Key points on moving to Slovenia or Spain
- Sources
