If you want to open a business in Slovenia as a foreigner, you probably want to know how much you must pay annually to keep it running. As such, our local specialists have put together the guide below to help you understand the costs of having a Slovenian company.
Feel free to address our Slovenian company formation specialists for assistance in setting up and running a business.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Time frame to register a business | 2-3 working days |
|
Composition of the business registration costs |
-Registration fee, -legal and notary fees, -Articles of Association drafting. |
|
Maintenance costs |
-Accounting, -taxes, -social contributions, -virtual office/rent. |
| Special costs/fees to consider when opening a company in Slovenia as a foreigner | Social and health contributions for employees and shareholders. |
| Bureaucracy |
On the lower side |
| Availability of online business administration services |
The government actively promotes digital transformation. |
| Corporate Tax Rate |
22% (set to remain at this rate through 2028) |
| Particularities of the workforce |
Highly Skilled and Educated |
| Social contributions to pay as an employer |
Investors who open a company in Slovenia as a foreigner pay approximately 16.1% of the gross salary |
| Best performing industries |
-Automotive Industry, -Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals, -ICT, -Electronics and Electrical Engineering, -Tourism. |
| Possibility to open a business remotely in Slovenia (YES/NO) |
NO (only branch offices) |
| Restrictions on foreign investments |
Restrictions are minor, mostly in specific areas like the production and trading of armaments and certain financial services. |
| Support in opening a business in Slovenia as a foreigner |
Yes, our local agents, lawyers, and accountants provide full support. |
| Key business hubs |
Ljubljana (Capital), Maribor (Major industrial and university center), and Koper |
| Foreign Company Ownership | 100% foreign ownership is allowed |
Table of Contents
Regular costs to consider when you start a business in Slovenia
Setting up a business in Slovenia as a foreigner implies various legal and consultancy fees, however, there are also administration and maintenance costs that you need to consider after registration. Here are some of the latter:
- office costs, which range from EUR 30 for a basic virtual office and up to EUR 11-12 per sqm. if you want to rent commercial space in large cities like Ljubljana;
- utilities costs, which vary depending on the activities of your business;
- accounting costs, which start below EUR 100 per month, depending on the size of your company and package selected;
- license renewal fees must also be considered in certain cases, especially in sectors that require special business permits.
To these costs, you should also add social security contributions and payroll taxes that must be paid monthly.
Our specialists in company formation in Slovenia can offer more information on other costs you may incur when running a business here.
Below, we have an infographic on this topic:
An overview of the Slovenian business environment
Choosing to set up a business in Slovenia as a foreigner definitely has its advantages, and among them we present some of the most important:
- it is located in Central Europe, which enables your business to have excellent connectivity with countries all over Europe;
- according to a 2024 Eurostat survey, it has the 3rd largest forested area and 8th largest renewable freshwater resources, making it a great choice if you want to open a business in green energy, for example;
- it is divided into 12 statistical and 2 macro regions, the latter respecting the EU’s Regional Policy, which allows for reduced bureaucracy.
Slovenia is also characterized by political and economic stability with a focus on securing business-friendly regulations.
Workforce, another strength of Slovenia
Employees are a valuable resource for companies, and when you start a business in Slovenia as a foreigner, you can benefit from one of the most educated workforces in Europe. Specifically:
- most people have at least secondary education, while more than 1/3rd also have a university degree;
- the majority of the people have a good knowledge of using a computer;
- at European level, 92% of the Slovenian population speaks at least 2 foreign languages, while 67% of them also speak a third one;
- English, German, French, and Spanish are among the languages spoken here.
At the level of 2025, Slovenia has a total workforce of 1.06 million and an unemployment rate of a little over 4%.
With respect to the social contributions to pay as an employer, our Slovenian accountants can offer the necessary information.
We also have a video below:
Slovenia relies on exports
If you want to open a business in Slovenia as a foreigner, you can export most of your products, as foreign trade accounted for 186 % of its Gross Domestic Product, with access to more than 700 million customers across the European Union. Also, exports accounted for 84% of Slovenia’s GPD in countries like Germany, France, Italy, and Austria.
If you decide to set up a business and need support, you can contact our company formation specialists in Slovenia, who can assist not only with the registration process but also with consulting services that help you minimize your costs.