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 $1,137 per month in Banja Luka vs $1,028 in Lome, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,674 per month in Banja Luka vs $1,520 in Lome, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,210 per month in Banja Luka vs $2,012 in Lome, rent included.

Banja Luka costs about 11% more than Lome, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Banja Luka and Lome are more affordable than the global median – Banja Luka 16% lower, Lome 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.05 BAM 15.03

$2.18 F CFA 1,219

315.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.16 BAM 70.0

$31.89 F CFA 17.8K

32.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 BAM 14.87

$5.15 F CFA 2,876

73.98%

Cappuccino

$1.65 BAM 2.74

$5.90 F CFA 3,291

-72.03%

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

$2.02 BAM 3.35

$3.38 F CFA 1,888

-40.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 BAM 2.00

$1.11 F CFA 621

8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 BAM 3.36

$0.84 F CFA 472

140.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 BAM 4.51

$1.71 F CFA 955

59.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 BAM 2.32

$2.42 F CFA 1,353

-42.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 BAM 2.04

$1.26 F CFA 706

-2.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 BAM 2.73

$1.85 F CFA 1,031

-10.81%

Eggs

$2.91 BAM 4.84

$2.06 F CFA 1,148

41.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 BAM 15.42

$14.08 F CFA 7,859

-34.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.77 BAM 14.56

$8.50 F CFA 4,746

3.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.13 BAM 20.13

$8.91 F CFA 4,974

36.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 BAM 2.30

$2.63 F CFA 1,471

-47.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 BAM 2.72

$1.51 F CFA 842

8.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 BAM 3.10

$2.69 F CFA 1,504

-30.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 BAM 3.26

$2.43 F CFA 1,358

-18.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 BAM 2.00

$1.80 F CFA 1,007

-32.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 BAM 2.17

$1.75 F CFA 975

-25.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 BAM 2.13

$0.52 F CFA 289

148.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BAM 1.19

$0.86 F CFA 479

-17.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 BAM 6.30

$1.38 F CFA 773

174.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.17 BAM 13.56

$4.83 F CFA 2,699

69.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BAM 1.26

$1.36 F CFA 760

-44.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 BAM 1.81

$1.50 F CFA 839

-27.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 BAM 2.28

$0.34 F CFA 190

302.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.39 BAM 60.4

$52.2 F CFA 29.1K

-30.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 BAM 2.51

$2.10 F CFA 1,172

-28.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 BAM 1.83

$0.74 F CFA 415

48.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.82 BAM 14.64

$5.27 F CFA 2,941

67.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BAM 2.51

$1.19 F CFA 666

26.89%

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

$29.1K BAM 48.2K

$14.1K F CFA 7.9M

105.47%

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

$26.6K BAM 44.2K

$25.6K F CFA 14.3M

3.94%

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

$171 BAM 284

$172 F CFA 96.0K

-0.66%

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

$18.88 BAM 31.33

$22.30 F CFA 12.4K

-15.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.40 BAM 38.84

$43.33 F CFA 24.2K

-46.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.35 BAM 47.06

$49.05 F CFA 27.4K

-42.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.16 BAM 16.86

$9.08 F CFA 5,069

11.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 BAM 7.70

$4.31 F CFA 2,404

7.66%

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

$242 BAM 401

$178 F CFA 99.5K

35.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,715 BAM 6,167

$5,148 F CFA 2.9M

-27.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 BAM 123

$24.52 F CFA 13.7K

202.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.61 BAM 60.8

$27.17 F CFA 15.2K

34.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 BAM 151

$40.81 F CFA 22.8K

122.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 BAM 209

$94.2 F CFA 52.6K

33.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$450 BAM 747

$358 F CFA 199.9K

25.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 BAM 539

$221 F CFA 123.2K

47.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$655 BAM 1,087

$764 F CFA 426.4K

-14.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$469 BAM 778

$300 F CFA 167.7K

56.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,009 BAM 4,995

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,041 BAM 3,389

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 BAM 1,454

$264 F CFA 147.4K

231.79%

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Lome: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $450 in Banja Luka versus $358 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 232% 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 in Banja Luka versus $32 in Lome. Groceries tell a different story – $229 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 11%, 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 $1,706 per month in Banja Luka and $1,542 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 9% 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 $1,028, than in Banja Luka at $1,137. 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.