Staré mesto / centrum
Historic core with Renaissance buildings after the 1521 fire, pedestrian zone, institutions and City Hall nearby.
€650–€750 for a 2-bedroom (55–59 m²)
Who it suits: for those who critically need to walk to institutions
Žilina Region
Žilina: A Guide for Foreigners
What you need to know about living Žilina: where to look for housing and work, where to go for documents, and how to travel to Ukraine.
AVERAGE PAY IN THE REGION
1 431 €
AVERAGE PAY IN THE CITY
≈1 548 €
UKRAINIANS WITH TEMPORARY PROTECTION
4,941 in the district
Žilina is Slovakia's fourth-largest city: 79,873 inhabitants in 80 km², twenty city districts, the confluence of three rivers, and first mentioned in writing in 1208. But for job seekers, something else is more important: it's the country's automotive cluster.
The Kia Slovakia plant in Teplička nad Váhom, ten kilometers from the city, Mobis in Gbeľany, Schaeffler in Kysucké Nové Mesto, Sungwoo Hitech in Žilina itself — three to four thousand employees in the largest ones. Plus a university whose profile (transport, mechanical engineering, IT, security) directly matches this cluster.
There are 13,444 people with temporary protection registered in the Žilina region, and 4,941 in the Žilina district. This is the second-largest Ukrainian community among non-Slovak regions, and at the same time, unemployment is lower and salaries are higher here than in the east of 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.
Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment
410–670 €/month
median 570 €; 17 listings, average area 37 m²
Rent for a 2-bedroom apartment
470–890 €/month
median 680 €; 77 listings, average area 56 m². New buildings — up to 1,100 €
Monthly public transport pass
26 € (concession 20 €)
transferable — 41 €. Annual 237 €, concession 166 €
DPMŽ · tariff from 10.01.2025
Annual public transport pass for residents
200 € for 365 days
special tariff PCL Extra — only for those with permanent residence in Žilina
DPMŽ · tariff from 10.01.2025
Unemployment — region
4,72 %
noticeably lower than in the east of the country. No separate figure for the district
financer.sk · February 2026, according to ÚPSVaR
Ukrainians with temporary protection
4,941 in the district
13,444 in the region, 148,413 in Slovakia. Updated weekly
MV SR · 19.07.2026
Foreigners by statistics
1,174 people
including 630 from the EU. Temporary protection is not included in demographics — hence the gap with the figure above
ŠÚ SR · 01.01.2026
Average for Slovakia
1,611 € gross
statistics do not provide a separate official figure for the Žilina region for this period — see the "What's Not Here" section
ŠÚ SR · Q1 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”.
Prices are from a market snapshot on 07/25/2026 for two-bedroom apartments. Žilina is luckier than other cities: here, listings are signed with 'sídlisko' (housing estate), so the location is tied to real districts, not made up.
Vlčince
The city's largest housing estate: panel buildings plus new complexes with garages. Widest selection of rental properties.
€655–€850 (54–61 m², modern complexes)
Who it suits: for families who want new buildings and parking
Solinky
Large housing estate on a southern slope with developed infrastructure — schools, kindergartens, shops nearby.
€670–€700 (50 m², after reconstruction)
Who it suits: for those seeking a balance of price and infrastructure
Hájik
The youngest large housing estate, on a hill. Cheapest segment of two-bedroom apartments in the market snapshot.
€550–€600 (50–52 m²)
Who it suits: for whom price is the main criterion
Hliny
Housing estates Hliny I–VIII close to the center: buildings from the 1960s–80s, lots of greenery.
Who it suits: for those who want to be near the center, but cheaper
Brodno · Budatín · Bytčica · Trnové
Brodno, Budatín, Bytčica, Trnové, Považský Chlmec, Strážov, Bánová, and others — former villages within the city, closer to the exits and to the factories in Teplička and Gbely.
Who it suits: for those who work at factories outside the city and have a car
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.
Žilina is about the car factory plus suppliers. A practical consequence for newcomers: many manufacturing jobs without high language requirements, but most of them are not in the city itself, but in Teplička nad Váhom, Gbely, or Kysucké Nové Mesto. Transportation to these places is part of the job question.
Kia Slovakia
automotive industry
3 000–3 999Teplička nad Váhom, approx. 10 km from the city — the region's main plant
Schaeffler Kysuce
auto components, bearings
3 000–3 999Kysucké Nové Mesto
FNsP Žilina
healthcare
2 000–2 999the largest employer in the city itself
Mobis Slovakia
modules for Kia
2 000–2 999Gbeľany near Žilina
SUNGWOO HITECH Slovakia
auto components, stamping
250–499in the city itself
Stredoslovenská energetika
energy
250–499head office in the city
Žilinská univerzita
education and science
6 faculties: transport, mechanical engineering, IT, security
Latest jobs Žilina
All jobs in this city →Order picking with a scanner — METRO (Žilina)
METRO Cash & Carry
ŽilinaDohodaFull-time
ApplyPosted 9 days ago
from 1 090 € / month hourly 6.5 €/hour
No Slovak neededApply without a CVWeekly advances
Apply
Posted 9 days ago
Salesperson, Kaufland
Kaufland Slovenská republika v.o.s.
ŽilinaTPPFull-time
ApplyPosted 11 days ago
1 200 – 1 400 € / month + 13th salary; weekend/evening supplements; employee discounts
Apply
Posted 11 days ago
Assembly Operator – Automotive Production
HMSK-AGENCY (nábor pre Kia Slovakia)
ŽilinaTPPFull-time
ApplyPosted 52 days ago
1 311 – 1 900 € / month + 13th and 14th salary, production bonus €320/quarter, meal vouchers €6.60, signing bonus up to €200
No Slovak neededVia an agencyTransport to work
Apply
Posted 52 days ago
Where to look for vacancies
State offers – on sluzbyzamestnanosti.gov.sk and at ÚPSVaR on Hurbanova 16 (closed on Thursdays). Large employers – Kia, Mobis, Schaeffler, the hospital – have their own career sections. Our offers – in the vacancies section.
Education: school, nursery, diploma
Where to go with a child, and what to do with a foreign diploma.
University of Žilina – aligned with the region's profile
University of Žilina has six faculties: security, electrical engineering and IT, transport operation and economics, management and informatics, civil engineering and mechanical engineering, plus the institute of mediamatics. This is a rare case of a direct link "university → factory in the region": the university's profile matches the automotive cluster.
City programs – in our education catalog.
Ukrainian school – the nearest one is in Prešov
We did not find a Ukrainian or Saturday school in Žilina. The only state school in Slovakia with Ukrainian as the language of instruction is Spojená škola T. Ševčenka in Prešov, which is at the other end of the country, about 320 km away.
Enrollment in a Slovak school: applications for the first grade are usually in April, for kindergarten – in May; specific dates are announced annually by the city and the school itself. We have not confirmed them from official sources, so check the school's website.
City transport
Tickets, passes and distances, taken from the operator's official fares.
Annual pass for €200 – if you are registered here
A regular annual pass costs €237, but for a person with permanent residence in Žilina, the special PCL Extra tariff applies – €200 for 365 days. Monthly – €26, reduced fare €20, transferable (which the whole family can use in turns) – €41.
This is one of the cheapest city tariffs among the regional cities of Slovakia.
Registration at the migration police: when you can choose another city
The Ministry of Interior's reservation system opens slots at different depths: temporary protection – 21 days in advance, first foreigner application – 40 days, and those with a valid document and BOK code – 60 days.
An important detail that saves months: applications for granting temporary stay, national visa, and EU citizen registration can be submitted at any office in the country – meaning, where a free slot appears sooner. However, extensions of stay, long-term, and permanent residence can only be processed at the competent office according to your registered address.
Travelling to Ukraine from Žilina
Prices and times are a dated snapshot of the market, not an offer.
The short version
- 01Žilina stands at the confluence of three rivers – Váh, Kysuca, and Rajčanka, at an altitude of 345 meters.
- 02First written mention – 1208; the historic center was rebuilt after a great fire in 1521.
- 03The city consists of 20 city parts, most of which were former villages.
- 04The Kia plant operates nearby – the main automotive production facility in the region, employing three to four thousand people.
- 05In the Žilina region, there are 13,444 Ukrainians with temporary protection – more than in the Prešov region, with lower unemployment.
- 06The university's profile – transport, mechanical engineering, IT, and security – exactly matches what the region produces.
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 Žilina
Registration for temporary protection and document issuance — on Thursdays. Serves the districts of Žilina, Považská Bystrica, Bytča, Čadca, and Kysucké Nové Mesto.
- Address
- Janka Kráľa 4, 010 40 Žilina
- Phone
- +421 961 403 205 · +421 961 403 216
- 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
Aggregators mention another address on Bánovská cesta — it is not in the official list of the Ministry of Interior, do not go there. The department does not publish an email, only a "Pošli správu" (Send message) form.
Official page →ÚPSVaR Žilina — employment service
Registration as a job seeker, material need assistance, state child benefits. Outreach points: Bytča (Hlinkova 1220, 041/2447100), Kysucké Nové Mesto (Litovelská 606, 041/2446100), Rajecké Teplice (Nám. SNP 2/2, 041/2442311).
- Address
- Hurbanova 16, 010 01 Žilina
- Phone
- 041/2440300
- 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 Customer Center
Unlike Bratislava and Košice, in Žilina, the Matrika (registry office) is in the City Hall itself, one address. Local taxes and fees, the cashier, the building authority, and environmental services are also here.
- Phone
- 041/706 31 11
- kc_informator@zilina.sk
- Hours
- Mon, Tue, Thu 7:30 AM–3:30 PM · Wed 7:30 AM–5:00 PM · Fri 7:30 AM–2:00 PM
🔴 The "úradné hodiny" (office hours) page on the city's website is outdated — it still shows the COVID-era schedule. Check the customer center page. And keep in mind: the application for residency (ohlasovňa pobytu) is not accepted at the City Hall, but at the customer center of a separate authority.
Official page →RÚŠS Žilina — Recognition of Education
Recognition of Ukrainian education documents, methodological supervision of schools. There are no separate hours specifically for recognition, as in Prešov.
- Phone
- 041/32 26 701
- Hours
- Mon–Thu 8:00 AM–3:00 PM · Fri 8:00 AM–2:00 PM
This is not the place to register a child for school — enrollment is handled by the school itself and the City Hall.
Official page →FNsP Žilina Hospital
The largest hospital in the region and the city's largest employer. Emergency reception — manager tel. 041 5110 226, information 041 5110 499. Patient visiting hours daily 2:00 PM–4:00 PM.
- Phone
- +421 41 5110 111
We do not state that the emergency room is open 24/7 — the official page does not use this wording. What is confirmed: after 10:00 PM for adults and after 8:00 PM for children, they are treated here (see the section on evening assistance).
Official page →Urgent Care APS
Adults are seen on the ground floor of the polyclinic, building H; children on the ground floor of the pediatric polyclinic, building B, entrance through the main entrance of the pediatric department.
- Hours
- Adults: Mon–Fri 4:00 PM–10:00 PM, weekends and holidays 7:00 AM–10:00 PM · Children: Mon–Fri 4:00 PM–8:00 PM, weekends 8:00 AM–8:00 PM
After 10:00 PM, the hospital's emergency reception treats adults, and after 8:00 PM, the pediatrics department treats children. This is stated directly on the provider's website. In case of life threat — 155.
Official page →Frequently asked questions about the city
Where to go in Žilina for temporary protection?+
At the police department for foreigners at Janka Kráľa 4, phone numbers +421 961 403 205 and +421 961 403 216.
Registration for dočasné útočisko (temporary protection) and application for a document are accepted on Thursdays, 7:30 AM–2:00 PM – this is the official unified schedule for all of Slovakia. Appointments for these services open 21 days in advance.
The department serves not only the city: Žilina, Považská Bystrica, Bytča, Čadca, and Kysucké Nové Mesto. However, residents of Martin or Liptovský Mikuláš belong to Ružomberok.
How much does it cost to rent an apartment in Žilina?+
As of July 25, 2026, one-room apartments were asking €410–€670 (median €570, average area 37 m²), two-room apartments – €470–€890 (median €680, 56 m², 77 listings).
By districts: the cheapest is in Hájik (€550–€600 for a two-room apartment), the center and Vlčince are more expensive (€650–€850), new buildings like Wellpark can reach up to €1,100 with all utilities included.
Some listings include "vrátane energií" (including utilities), others calculate utilities separately – it can be around €120 per person on top of rent. Ask about this before signing.
Where to find a job in Žilina without Slovak?+
The biggest chance is the automotive cluster: the Kia plant in Teplička nad Váhom, Mobis in Gbeľany, Schaeffler in Kysucké Nové Mesto, Sungwoo Hitech in Žilina itself. This is manufacturing where language requirements are lower, and shifts are organized.
Consider the geography: most of these jobs are outside the city, so the question "how to get to the shift" needs to be resolved along with the job question – employers often provide transportation.
Registration as a job seeker is at ÚPSVaR on Hurbanova 16, but not on Thursdays: it's a non-reception day. Current offers – in the vacancies section.
Where to go in the evening with a child if they have a fever?+
To the pediatric emergency room at Vojtecha Spanyola 1740/43, phone +421 41 5110 855. It's on the first floor of the pediatric clinic, building B, entrance through the main entrance of the pediatric department. Open Mon–Fri 4:00 PM–8:00 PM, on weekends and holidays 8:00 AM–8:00 PM.
After 8:00 PM, the child is admitted to the pediatrics department of the same hospital – this is what the provider's website states.
For adults, the emergency room is open longer: Mon–Fri 4:00 PM–10:00 PM, weekends from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM, building H, phone +421 41 7233 383. After 10:00 PM – urgent admission. In case of life threat – 155.
How many Ukrainians are in Žilina?+
In the Žilina district – 4,941 people with temporary protection, in the region 13,444, in all of Slovakia 148,413 (as of July 19, 2026).
At the same time, demographic statistics show only 1,174 foreigners in the city. This is not a contradiction: temporary protection is not counted as "residence" in terms of population statistics, so these people are not included in demographics.
The Žilina region is one of the most attractive in terms of ratio: there are more Ukrainians here than in the Prešov region, with lower unemployment (4.72%) and higher salaries.
Before you set off
Thursday is the day for temporary protection at the police and, at the same time, a non-reception day at ÚPSVaR. Registration for dočasné útočisko (temporary protection) is accepted on Thursdays until 2:00 PM, and the employment service is closed to visitors on this day. Plan for two trips.
Residents of Martin, Liptovský Mikuláš, and Dolný Kubín do not travel here. The Žilina region is served by two police departments for foreigners: Žilina (Žilina, Považská Bystrica, Bytča, Čadca, Kysucké Nové Mesto) and Ružomberok — the rest of the region's districts.
Useful links
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.