Two ways to live while working away from home
A worker moving to another city for a job has essentially two options: a workers' hostel, or renting a flat (or a room in one). Both have their place - and which one pays off depends on how long you're staying, how many of you there are, and what your priorities are. Let's compare them in numbers.
Cost comparison
Hostel
- A bed in a shared room: 130 - 220 € per month
- Double room: 170 - 290 € / person
- Utilities, internet, bed linen, kitchen and washing machine usually included in the price
- Deposit: low or none, notice period of 2 weeks - 1 month
Renting a flat
- Studio / one-room flat: 400 - 700 € per month + utilities 100 - 180 €
- 2-3 room flat for a crew: 600 - 1 000 € + utilities (200 - 350 € per person)
- Security deposit: usually 1 - 2 months' rent up front
- Contracts are most often for a year, and ending early tends to be a problem
- Furniture and equipment are not a given
For a single person, a hostel is almost always cheaper. It gets interesting with a crew of 3-4 people renting a flat together - that's when a rental can compete on price with a double room in a hostel.
When a hostel makes sense
- A stay of weeks to months - no year-long contract, no hefty security deposit
- You don't know how long you'll stay - a short notice period is priceless
- You want one all-in amount with no hassle - utilities, internet and laundry included
- You're coming alone - you pay for a bed, not a whole flat
- Rotation work - many hostels can accommodate alternating rotations too
When renting a flat makes sense
- A stable job for years and certainty that you're staying in the city
- A crew of 3-4 colleagues who can split the flat and look after it together
- Privacy is your priority - your own kitchen and bathroom, no house rules
- Your family is joining you - hostels are built for workers, not for family life
What to watch out for with each option
With a hostel
Quality varies from place to place - so always do a viewing before paying, and insist on a written contract. Our hostel viewing checklist will help.
With a rental
Read the contract carefully: who pays for minor repairs, how utilities are settled, and under what conditions the security deposit is returned. Beware of rentals with no contract - without one you have no protection in a dispute, and no proof of address for the authorities either.
A practical example
Peter, a welder, is starting a 6-month project in Trnava:
- Hostel (double room): 220 € × 6 = 1 320 €, everything included, and after the project he simply leaves
- Studio flat: 500 € rent + 130 € utilities = 630 € × 6 = 3 780 € + a 1 000 € security deposit + the risk of a year-long contract
The difference: almost 2 500 € over six months. For a year-long stay with a crew of three colleagues in a shared 3-room flat, however, the numbers would look completely different - so always run the maths for your own situation.
Conclusion
Short-term and solo? Hostel. Long-term with a crew or family? Consider a flat. Most workers away from home end up choosing a hostel precisely for the flexibility and a single, transparent monthly amount. You'll find current listings with prices and photos in our overview of hostels across Slovakia - contact with the accommodation provider is direct and free of fees.