Staré mesto
Historic center with Slovakia's longest market square, pedestrian zone, institutions. The customer center and Matrika (registry office) are also here at Jarková 26.
Who it suits: for those who critically need to walk to institutions
Prešov Region
Prešov: A Guide for Foreigners
What you need to know about living Prešov: where to look for housing and work, where to go for documents, and how to travel to Ukraine.
AVERAGE PAY IN THE REGION
1 306 €
AVERAGE PAY IN THE CITY
≈1 430 €
UKRAINIANS WITH TEMPORARY PROTECTION
5,424 in the district
Prešov (in Slovak Prešov, often "Presov" in searches) is Slovakia's third-largest city: 81,223 inhabitants as of January 1, 2026. It is one of the largest cities closest to the Ukrainian border — about 109 km to the Vyšné Nemecké crossing, and only 31 km to Košice.
The main economic feature of the city may seem like a contradiction, but it is not. The Prešov region has the lowest average salary in Slovakia — €1,306 compared to €1,611 nationwide — and at the same time, the fastest salary growth: +10.8% nominally and +6.8% in real terms in the first quarter of 2026. For someone choosing between cities, this means one simple thing: it is cheaper to live here and the earning ceiling is lower, but the gap with the rest of the country is closing the fastest.
And the main reason why a Ukrainian family might choose Prešov: it hosts Slovakia's only school with Ukrainian as the language of instruction — from the first grade to the final exams, in a state school. This is not available in any other city in the country.
Useful links for newcomers
The city in numbers
Every figure carries its source and period. Where a number comes from listings rather than official statistics, it is marked as a market snapshot.
1-room apartment rental
€380–€690/month
median €580; 18 listings, average area 39 m²
2-room apartment rental
€500–€800/month
median ≈€680; 63 listings, average area 54 m²
Monthly pass
€32 (concession €19)
zone I — city. Network including suburbs — €36 / €22
dpmp.sk · tariff from 01/01/2026
Single ticket
1,00 € / 1,20 €
20 and 60 minutes in zone I; cheaper by card or app — €0.85 and €1.05
dpmp.sk · tariff from 01/01/2026
Average salary — Prešov region
€1,306 gross
lowest among all Slovak regions (nationwide — €1,611), but growing fastest: +10.8%
ŠÚ SR · Q1 2026
Unemployment — region
6,74 %
by region; the worst district in the region is Kežmarok, 11.8%. There is no separate figure for the Prešov district.
financer.sk · January 2026, according to ÚPSVaR
Ukrainians with temporary protection
5,424 in the district
in the region — 11,676, nationwide — 148,413. The figure is updated weekly.
MV SR · 19.07.2026
Foreigners by statistics
1,229 people
this is not an error or a contradiction to the figure above — temporary protection is not considered "residence" in the demographic sense
ŠÚ SR · 01.01.2026
Districts: where to look for a place
A short description of each district — what the housing is like and who it suits. We deliberately do not rank a “best district”.
Prešov is administratively divided into 7 city parts, but in everyday life people orient themselves by housing estates. It was not possible to honestly link prices to specific districts: the classifieds portal lists streets, and matching a street to a district 'by eye' is how false figures appear.
Sekčov
The city's largest housing estate and a separate self-governing part: panel buildings, shopping centers, its own customer center at Zemplínska 9.
Who it suits: for families looking for the widest choice of rental properties
Sídlisko II, III, duklianskych hrdinov
Panel housing estates from the 1960s–80s: dense development, schools and kindergartens within walking distance, good transport.
Who it suits: for those seeking a balance of price and transport
Mier, Šidlovec, Dúbrava, Nižná Šebastová
Northern part of the city: more private housing and greenery, further from the center.
Who it suits: for those who want quiet and have a car
Solivar, Soľná Baňa, Šváby
Southeastern part. Here is Solivar — salt mines and a salt works, a national cultural monument.
Who it suits: for those working at the southern exit
Šalgovík
A separate city part in the northeast, next to the industrial park of the same name.
Who it suits: for those working in the industrial park
Work: who is hiring here
The city's largest employers, with their industry and size taken from official sources. Headcount is given as a range — that is how the registers publish it.
The city's profile is hospital, automotive components, and precision mechanics plus a university. The largest employer here is not a factory, but the hospital: 3–4 thousand employees.
FNsP J. A. Reimana Prešov
healthcare
3 000–3 999the city's largest employer
Lear Corporation Seating Slovakia
automotive components — seats
1 000–1 999
Prešovská univerzita v Prešove
education and science
500–999
Mesto Prešov
self-government
500–999
SPINEA, s.r.o.
precision mechanics — gearboxes
250–499Haniska pri Prešove
KE Prešov Elektrik · CEMM THOME SK
manufacturing, electrical engineering
250–499 each
Dopravný podnik mesta Prešov
city transport
250–499
Latest jobs Prešov
All jobs in this city →Delivery Driver – Goods Distribution (Agreement)
PrešovDohodaPart-time
ApplyPosted 22 days ago
6 – 8 € / hour hourly 6.00–7.50 €/hour; agreement (Dohoda), morning hours
No Slovak neededApply without a CV
Apply
Posted 22 days ago
Caregiver — full-time care for a senior (with accommodation)
PrešovTPPFull-time
ApplyPosted 36 days ago
1 000 – 1 300 € / month + free accommodation; schedule by agreement
With housingSuitable for women
Apply
Posted 36 days ago
Záborské Industrial Park — the main industrial zone
The city's only fully prepared industrial park: 246 thousand m², 9 investors, over 90% employment, with full operation — more than 1,250 jobs. Among the firms: Garrett Motion (turbochargers), Prysmian Kablo (cables), LEYARD EUROPE (electronics), AWU Precision, MSK-Mont.
Source →Where to look for vacancies
Public offers — on sluzbyzamestnanosti.gov.sk and at the ÚPSVaR on Slovenskej 87. The largest employers — the hospital, DPMP, and the university — publish vacancies on their own websites. Our offers — in the vacancies section.
Education: school, nursery, diploma
Where to go with a child, and what to do with a foreign diploma.
Ukrainian school — the only one in Slovakia
Spojená škola T. Ševčenka with Ukrainian as the language of instruction — a primary school plus a gymnasium in one state institution. Founded back in 1935/36, it has been operating on Sládkovičova since 2005. There is electronic enrollment for the 1st grade via the school's website; partners — UNHCR, UNICEF, "Rusíni-Ukrajinci SR".
A child can study in Ukrainian from the first grade to the final exams — and this does not exist anywhere else in the country.
Four universities, ten faculties
The city hosts Prešovská univerzita (8 faculties), the University of Technology and Economics, the Faculty of Production Technologies of the Technical University of Košice, and the VŠZaSP sv. Alžbety institute. A unique detail for the country: within the state university, there are both Greek Catholic and Orthodox theological faculties — this is directly relevant to the Ukrainian audience. City programs — in our education catalog.
Kindergarten and school: deadlines and procedure
Kindergarten applications are accepted by the city in May (in 2025, from May 2 to 16), directors' decisions by June 30. A mandatory attachment is a pediatrician's certificate of health and vaccinations. You can submit in person, by mail, by e-mail with a scan of the signed application, or through the school information system.
Enrollment for the 1st grade of school is announced by each school itself, usually in April. The city has created an interactive map of schools with school districts — it shows which school you belong to by address.
Healthcare: where to go when you are ill
The important thing is to know in advance what is open in the evening and at night, and where to take a child.
Where to go in the evening — and what to do after 10 PM
Until 10 PM, APS at Volgogradska 4785/6 is open: adults until 10 PM, children until 8 PM (on weekends, from the morning). An examination costs about €2 — according to local media, not from an official source.
After 10 PM, APS is closed, and only the hospital emergency room at Jána Hollého 14 or calling 155 is available. This is the most important thing to know in advance: do not look for an "on-call clinic" at night, as there isn't one.
Family Doctor
The procedure is national: you sign an `agreement for the provision of healthcare services` with your chosen doctor. The region's registry of facilities is on the official portal e-vuc.sk. There is no separate city instruction.
City transport
Tickets, passes and distances, taken from the operator's official fares.
DPMP Trams and Buses
Prešov is one of three cities in Slovakia with trams: 8 tram lines and 44 bus lines. A 20-minute ticket in the city costs €1.00, a 60-minute ticket costs €1.20; it's cheaper by card or in the app (€0.85 and €1.05). A day pass costs €5.00.
An important distinction: the fare is divided into Zone I (city) and the entire network. A 30-day pass costs €32 in Zone I and €36 for the network — those living in Ľubotice or Haniske buy the network pass.
To the border and to neighboring cities
The Vyšné Nemecké crossing is about 109 km away by road. Košice is 31 km to the south, Poprad is 70 km to the west, Bardejov is 32 km to the north. Highways: D1 to the south and west, R4 towards Svidník.
The nearest airports are Košice (31 km) and Poprad-Tatry (70 km).
Travelling to Ukraine from Prešov
Prices and times are a dated snapshot of the market, not an offer.
Ukrainian community
Who offers free help, where the churches are and where to go for advice. Only what an official source confirms.
Support centers — with addresses and hours
Support Center Prešov operates in two offices: Sabinovská 1 (+421 51 285 80 37, Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–4:00 PM) and Svätoplukova 11 (+421 910 842 594, Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–4:30 PM). They help with housing, work, school, documents, and psychological support — for free.
Greek Catholic Charity — daily help
Main Office — Hlavná 2, Prešov. Domov nádeje for children and families: Jarková 79, 0904 738 513, Mon–Fri 9:00 AM–10:00 AM and 2:00 PM–4:00 PM. Low-threshold day center: Pod Táborom 33, 0910 852 033 — the warehouse accepts only food products. Pastoral Center Sekčov: Martina Benku 7, Mon–Fri 6:00 PM–7:00 PM.
Churches and minority
Prešov is the seat of the Slovak Greek Catholic Metropolitanate (bishopric since 1815, archdiocese since 2008) and at the same time the center of the Orthodox Diocese with a cathedral. According to the 2021 census, about 1.87% of residents declared Rusyn or Ukrainian nationality — meaning the community did not start here in 2022, it is historical.
IOM Migration Information Center
MIC IOM operates in all regional cities, including Prešov, but consultations are provided by phone and mail: hotline +421 850 211 478. We do not publish the address of the Prešov office — the contact page could not be verified.
The short version
- 01Prešov is the third most populous city in Slovakia: 81,223 inhabitants as of January 1, 2026.
- 02This region has the lowest average salary among all regions — and at the same time the fastest salary growth in the country.
- 03The city is home to the only school in Slovakia with Ukrainian as the language of instruction, founded in 1935/36.
- 04The first written mention of the city is 1247, in a charter by King Bela IV.
- 05Solivar — salt mines within the city, a national cultural monument since 1972.
- 06The Prešov police department for foreigners covers 10 districts — from Bardejov to Poprad and Kežmarok.
- 07Statistics show 1,229 foreigners in the city, and Ukrainians with temporary protection in the district — 5,424. Both numbers are correct: temporary protection is not counted as permanent residence.
Where to go: addresses, opening hours, phone numbers
Every address and every opening time comes from the office's own website and was checked on 2026-07-25. Before a long trip it is still worth calling: schedules change without notice.
Oddelenie cudzineckej polície PZ Prešov
Registration for temporary protection and document issuance — on Thursdays. Tuesdays and Thursdays are for national visas and their extensions.
- Phone
- +421 961 803 205
- Hours
- Mon 7:30 AM–3:30 PM · Tue 7:30 AM–3:00 PM · Wed 7:30 AM–3:30 PM · Thu 7:30 AM–2:00 PM · Fri 7:30 AM–3:30 PM
The office serves 10 districts: Prešov, Bardejov, Sabinov, Stará Ľubovňa, Poprad, Kežmarok, Levoča, Stropkov, and Vranov nad Topľou. However, Humenné, Snina, and Medzilaborce are not served here, but by Michalovce, even though they are in the same region. Email is not published, only the "Pošli správu" (Send Message) form.
Official page →ÚPSVaR Prešov — employment office
Registration as a job seeker, dávka v hmotnej núdzi (material need allowance), child benefits, job openings. There is an outreach job center in Sabinov — 051 2442999.
- Address
- Slovenská 87, 080 28 Prešov
- Phone
- 051 2440999
- po@upsvr.gov.sk
- Hours
- Mon, Tue 8:00 AM–12:00 PM and 1:00 PM–3:00 PM · Wed 8:00 AM–12:00 PM and 1:00 PM–5:00 PM · Thu — closed · Fri 8:00 AM–12:00 PM
City Hall Client Center (and Matrika - Registry Office)
Unlike Bratislava and Košice, in Prešov the Matrika (registry office) is the city itself, one address. The building authority is also here; the cash desk is nearby, Jarková 24. Two more customer centers: NS Družba (Námestie Kráľovnej pokoja 3) and Sekčov (Zemplínska 9).
- Address
- Jarková 26, 080 01 Prešov
- Hours
- Mon 8:00–16:00 · Tue 8:00–15:00 · Wed 8:00–17:00 · Thu — closed · Fri 8:00–12:00
The city's legal address is Hlavná 2907/73, but people are received at Jarková. The School Office is located at Hlavná.
Official page →RÚŠS Prešov — document nostrification
Recognition of Ukrainian certificates and diplomas, issues of child's school enrollment. This is a state institution — do not confuse it with the city's School Office at Hlavná 2907/73 (051/3100 101), which is responsible for the city's schools and school districts.
- Phone
- 051/32 26 902
- skolstvo@russ-po.sk
- Hours
- Mon, Tue, Fri 8:00–14:00 · Wed 8:00–15:00 · Thu — closed. Nostrifications — Mon, Tue, Fri 8:00–14:00
FNsP J. A. Reiman Hospital
The largest hospital in the region and the city's largest employer. Urgent internal medicine admission — Internistický monoblok, first floor, tel. +421 51 7011482, Mon–Fri 07:00–15:00.
- Phone
- +421 51 7011111
- Hours
- Call center — 24/7
Email nemocnica@fnsppresov.sk — do not use for appointment booking, as stated on the hospital's website.
Official page →Urgent Care APS — adults and children
This is where you go in the evening and on weekends when your family doctor is closed, but the condition is not critical.
- Hours
- Adults: Mon–Fri 16:00–22:00, Sat–Sun 07:00–22:00 · Children: Mon–Fri 16:00–20:00, Sat–Sun 08:00–20:00
After 10 PM APS is closed. At night — only the emergency room at the hospital on Jána Hollého 14 or 155 / 112. APS moved here on October 1, 2024 — old addresses online are outdated.
Official page →Centrum podpory Prešov — Greek Catholic Charity
Free help with housing, work, school, and documents; psychosocial support. The network's second office is at Svätoplukova 11, +421 910 842 594, Mon–Fri 08:00–16:30.
- Address
- Sabinovská 1, Prešov
- Phone
- +421 51 285 80 37
- Hours
- Mon–Fri 08:00–16:00
Frequently asked questions about the city
Where is the Foreigners' Police in Prešov and When to Register Temporary Protection?+
Address — Ľubochnianska 2, phone +421 961 803 205.
Registration for Dočasné útočisko (Temporary Protection) and application for a document — on Thursdays, 7:30 AM–2:00 PM. This is the official schedule, the same for all Slovak branches, and Thursday is the shortest day.
The branch serves 10 districts — from Bardejov to Poprad, so there are many people on Thursdays. Come in the morning. The branch has no email, only the "Pošli správu" (Send Message) form on the MV SR website.
Does the Prešov police serve my district?+
Yes, if you live in one of these ten: Prešov, Bardejov, Sabinov, Stará Ľubovňa, Poprad, Kežmarok, Levoča, Stropkov, Svidník, Vranov nad Topľou.
And no, if you are from Humenne, Snina, or Medzilaborce — they belong to the branch in Michalovce (Jána Hollého 53/46), even though it's the same Prešov region. This is the most common confusion in this region.
Is there a school with Ukrainian language in Prešov?+
Yes — and it is the only such school in all of Slovakia. Spojená škola T. Ševčenka (T. Shevchenko United School), Sládkovičova 4, phone 051/758 1785.
It is a state school that combines a primary school and a gymnasium: a child can study in Ukrainian from the first grade to the final exams. The school has been operating since 1935/36, has electronic registration for the first grade through its website, and partnerships with UNHCR and UNICEF.
It is important to understand: Slovak school education is mandatory, and online learning at a Ukrainian school does not replace it.
How much does it cost to rent an apartment in Prešov?+
As of July 25, 2026, listings asked for €380–€690 for a 1-bedroom (median €580, average area 39 m²) and €500–€800 for a 2-bedroom (median around €680, 54 m²).
For comparison: in Bratislava, a 2-bedroom costs significantly more than €800. Prešov is one of the cheapest regional cities in the country, and this compensates for the lowest salary in the country.
Some listings include "vrátane energií" (including utilities), some — separately (in one of them, the advance payment for electricity and gas is indicated as "approx. €35"). Ask about this first.
Is it true that Prešov has the lowest salaries in Slovakia?+
In the region — yes. The average salary in the Prešov region is €1,306 gross for the first quarter of 2026, the lowest figure among all regions (nationwide — €1,611).
But the second half of the same statistic is more important: the region showed the fastest growth in the country — +10.8% nominal and +6.8% real. This means the gap is narrowing, and faster than anywhere else.
It should also be understood that "low salary in the region" primarily concerns the poorer districts around (Kežmarok with 11.8% unemployment), not the city itself. Official statistics do not publish separate figures for the city.
Where to go with a child in the evening if they have a fever?+
To the children's emergency APS at Volgogradská 4785/6, phone 0918 104 512. It operates Mon–Fri 4:00 PM–8:00 PM, on weekends and holidays 8:00 AM–8:00 PM.
After 8:00 PM, the children's APS is closed — the emergency reception at the hospital on Jána Hollého 14 or calling 155 remains. For adults, APS operates an hour or two longer: until 10:00 PM, and on weekends from 7:00 AM.
An examination costs about €2 — we saw this figure only in local media, so consider it a guideline.
How many Ukrainians live in Prešov?+
In the Prešov district — 5,424 people with temporary protection as of July 19, 2026, in the region 11,676, nationwide 148,413.
And here is a conflict that surprises many: official demographic statistics see only 1,229 foreigners in the city. This is not a mistake. Temporary protection is not "residence" in the sense of population statistics, so these people are simply not included in demographics.
Temporary protection figures are updated weekly, so any figure is only meaningful with a date.
Who helps Ukrainians in Prešov for free?+
Centrum podpory Prešov (Support Center Prešov) — two offices: Sabinovská 1 (+421 51 285 80 37, Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–4:00 PM) and Svätoplukova 11 (+421 910 842 594, Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–4:30 PM). They help with housing, work, school, documents, and psychological support.
Greek Catholic Charity runs Domov nádeje (Home of Hope) for children and families (Jarková 79), a low-threshold day center (Pod Táborom 33), and a pastoral center in Sekčov (Martina Benku 7).
State consultations — IOM Migration Information Centre hotline: +421 850 211 478.
Before you set off
Thursday is the day for temporary protection, until 2:00 PM. Registration for dočasné útočisko (temporary protection) and the application for a document are officially tied to Thursday — this is the only schedule for all offices in the country. And it is the shortest day of the week.
Thursday is a non-reception day at three institutions. ÚPSVaR (Office of Labor, Social Affairs and Family), the city hall, and RÚŠS (Regional Office of Public Health) do not accept visitors on Thursdays. This means the day the police register asylum is the day the other institutions are closed to visitors. Plan two separate trips.
Useful links
Official city websiteOpening hours of the mayor's office and addresses of customer centersPolice for foreigners — contacts and responsibilitiesTemporary protection statisticsRÚŠS Prešov — Nostrifikácia (official recognition of foreign diplomas)T. Shevchenko Ukrainian SchoolGreek Catholic Charity — Help for UkrainiansPublic Transport Fares
Other cities
All cities →
Official pay statistics at city level barely exist in Slovakia, so we show the region and say which one. Office addresses and prices in the guide always carry a source and a date of checking — without those they do not appear here at all.