Cost of Living Comparison Between Banja Luka and Lome Cost of Living Comparison Between Banja Luka and Lome

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,157 per month in Banja Luka vs $1,049 in Lome, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,687 per month in Banja Luka vs $1,501 in Lome, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,218 per month in Banja Luka vs $1,954 in Lome, rent included.

Banja Luka costs about 10% more than Lome, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Banja Luka and Lome are more affordable than the global median – Banja Luka 13% lower, Lome 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.76 BAM 15.01

$2.17 F CFA 1,248

303.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.44 BAM 72.7

$32.09 F CFA 18.4K

32.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.89 BAM 15.22

$5.16 F CFA 2,964

72.29%

Cappuccino

$1.64 BAM 2.80

$5.62 F CFA 3,229

-70.82%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 BAM 3.45

$3.46 F CFA 1,984

-41.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 BAM 2.08

$1.11 F CFA 636

9.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 BAM 3.48

$0.86 F CFA 493

136.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 BAM 4.84

$1.80 F CFA 1,034

57.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 BAM 2.34

$2.42 F CFA 1,390

-43.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 BAM 2.21

$1.31 F CFA 751

-1.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 BAM 2.72

$1.81 F CFA 1,037

-12.15%

Eggs

$2.99 BAM 5.12

$2.06 F CFA 1,186

45.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.32 BAM 15.97

$14.16 F CFA 8,128

-34.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.83 BAM 15.12

$8.21 F CFA 4,711

7.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.25 BAM 20.98

$9.37 F CFA 5,381

30.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.46 BAM 2.50

$2.67 F CFA 1,532

-45.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 BAM 2.82

$1.43 F CFA 819

14.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 BAM 3.29

$2.62 F CFA 1,506

-26.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 BAM 3.44

$2.52 F CFA 1,447

-20.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 BAM 2.06

$1.80 F CFA 1,033

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 BAM 2.13

$1.75 F CFA 1,004

-29.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 BAM 2.18

$0.55 F CFA 313

130.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 BAM 1.25

$0.87 F CFA 497

-16.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.85 BAM 6.60

$1.43 F CFA 821

169.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.37 BAM 14.33

$4.66 F CFA 2,676

79.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 BAM 1.29

$1.38 F CFA 794

-45.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 BAM 1.96

$1.57 F CFA 901

-27.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 BAM 2.44

$0.34 F CFA 194

320.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.54 BAM 64.3

$53.9 F CFA 30.9K

-30.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 BAM 2.44

$2.04 F CFA 1,173

-29.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 BAM 1.97

$0.73 F CFA 421

57.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 BAM 15.03

$5.24 F CFA 3,008

67.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 BAM 2.54

$1.25 F CFA 720

18.40%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.1K BAM 49.8K

$14.1K F CFA 8.1M

105.94%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.6K BAM 45.5K

$25.8K F CFA 14.8M

2.93%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$172 BAM 294

$178 F CFA 102.4K

-3.83%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$18.77 BAM 32.15

$21.67 F CFA 12.4K

-13.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.79 BAM 40.74

$43.41 F CFA 24.9K

-45.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.49 BAM 48.80

$49.00 F CFA 28.1K

-41.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.94 BAM 17.02

$8.73 F CFA 5,013

13.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 BAM 8.26

$4.29 F CFA 2,465

12.35%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$239 BAM 410

$173 F CFA 99.3K

38.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,672 BAM 6,289

$5,151 F CFA 3.0M

-28.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.7 BAM 126

$24.78 F CFA 14.2K

197.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.10 BAM 63.5

$27.41 F CFA 15.7K

35.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 BAM 151

$40.82 F CFA 23.4K

115.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 BAM 211

$96.1 F CFA 55.2K

28.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 BAM 786

$363 F CFA 208.6K

26.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 BAM 557

$221 F CFA 126.6K

47.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 BAM 1,095

$757 F CFA 434.6K

-15.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 BAM 800

$302 F CFA 173.4K

54.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,982 BAM 5,107

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,925 BAM 3,297

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$893 BAM 1,529

$261 F CFA 149.9K

242.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.02

-37.25%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Banja Luka: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lome: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $459 in Banja Luka versus $363 in Lome. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 242% higher in Banja Luka, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Banja Luka versus $32.00 in Lome. Groceries tell a different story – $231 in Banja Luka vs $250 in Lome – so Banja Luka wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Banja Luka vs Lome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Banja Luka is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,735 per month in Banja Luka and $1,574 in Lome. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lome, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Banja Luka – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Banja Luka and $32.00 in Lome. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Lome, where all-in costs run around $1,049, than in Banja Luka at $1,157. In Lome it covers expenses comfortably, while in Banja Luka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lome – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lome. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Banja Luka makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.