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 $1,133 per month in Banja Luka vs $1,047 in Lome, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,675 per month in Banja Luka vs $1,533 in Lome, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,217 per month in Banja Luka vs $2,020 in Lome, rent included.

Banja Luka costs about 8% more than Lome, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Banja Luka and Lome are more affordable than the global median – Banja Luka 15% lower, Lome 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.90 BAM 14.97

$2.15 F CFA 1,216

313.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.26 BAM 69.4

$31.22 F CFA 17.6K

32.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 BAM 14.63

$5.38 F CFA 3,036

61.71%

Cappuccino

$1.63 BAM 2.75

$5.61 F CFA 3,168

-70.94%

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

$1.99 BAM 3.34

$3.46 F CFA 1,953

-42.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 BAM 1.93

$1.11 F CFA 627

3.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 BAM 3.41

$0.84 F CFA 477

140.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 BAM 4.57

$1.71 F CFA 964

59.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 BAM 2.29

$2.48 F CFA 1,397

-45.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 BAM 2.10

$1.33 F CFA 748

-6.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 BAM 2.65

$1.83 F CFA 1,035

-14.21%

Eggs

$2.88 BAM 4.84

$2.10 F CFA 1,184

37.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 BAM 15.56

$14.13 F CFA 7,975

-34.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.71 BAM 14.66

$8.41 F CFA 4,748

3.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.26 BAM 20.62

$9.44 F CFA 5,326

29.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 BAM 2.35

$2.71 F CFA 1,530

-48.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 BAM 2.77

$1.50 F CFA 845

10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BAM 3.25

$2.62 F CFA 1,481

-26.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 BAM 3.42

$2.48 F CFA 1,402

-18.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 BAM 2.10

$1.79 F CFA 1,012

-30.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 BAM 2.12

$1.74 F CFA 981

-27.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 BAM 2.16

$0.50 F CFA 284

156.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 BAM 1.29

$0.85 F CFA 482

-9.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.72 BAM 6.26

$1.44 F CFA 815

158.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.36 BAM 14.06

$4.87 F CFA 2,748

71.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 BAM 1.25

$1.33 F CFA 749

-44.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 BAM 1.84

$1.51 F CFA 855

-27.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 BAM 2.29

$0.36 F CFA 204

277.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.41 BAM 61.3

$53.3 F CFA 30.1K

-31.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 BAM 2.50

$2.13 F CFA 1,203

-30.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 BAM 1.85

$0.69 F CFA 389

59.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.94 BAM 15.04

$5.21 F CFA 2,938

71.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 BAM 2.45

$1.25 F CFA 704

16.80%

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

$28.4K BAM 47.8K

$14.1K F CFA 7.9M

101.88%

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

$26.9K BAM 45.3K

$26.0K F CFA 14.7M

3.69%

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

$174 BAM 292

$173 F CFA 97.5K

0.52%

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

$19.29 BAM 32.46

$21.89 F CFA 12.4K

-11.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.24 BAM 39.11

$44.32 F CFA 25.0K

-47.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.95 BAM 47.03

$49.54 F CFA 28.0K

-43.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.92 BAM 16.69

$8.63 F CFA 4,871

14.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.69 BAM 7.90

$4.33 F CFA 2,444

8.31%

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

$238 BAM 400

$177 F CFA 99.9K

34.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,758 BAM 6,323

$5,103 F CFA 2.9M

-26.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.5 BAM 125

$24.39 F CFA 13.8K

205.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.14 BAM 60.8

$27.26 F CFA 15.4K

32.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 BAM 150

$42.14 F CFA 23.8K

110.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 BAM 208

$94.0 F CFA 53.0K

31.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$465 BAM 782

$360 F CFA 202.9K

29.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 BAM 543

$224 F CFA 126.2K

44.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 BAM 1,087

$765 F CFA 431.8K

-15.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 BAM 803

$299 F CFA 169.0K

59.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,163 BAM 5,322

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,023 BAM 3,404

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$901 BAM 1,516

$267 F CFA 150.6K

237.82%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Lome: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $465 in Banja Luka versus $360 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 238% 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 $41.00 in Banja Luka versus $31.00 in Lome. Groceries tell a different story – $230 in Banja Luka vs $252 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 8%, 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 $1,699 per month in Banja Luka and $1,570 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 10% 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 $41.00 in Banja Luka and $31.00 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 $1,047, than in Banja Luka at $1,133. 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.