Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Banjul and Bansko

For one person, living is cheaper in Banjul: $677 a month against $964 in Bansko, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Bansko outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Banjul, Gambia
Bansko, Bulgaria
Banjul
🇬🇲 Gambia
$677
/mo nomad
Bansko
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$964
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Banjul and in Bansko

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Banjul and in Bansko actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $677 per month in Banjul vs $964 in Bansko, rent included.

  • Banjul $677
  • Bansko $964

A couple spends around $1,191 per month in Banjul vs $1,471 in Bansko, rent included.

  • Banjul $1,191
  • Bansko $1,471

A family of three spends $1,706 per month in Banjul vs $1,978 in Bansko, rent included.

  • Banjul $1,706
  • Bansko $1,978

Banjul is about 30% cheaper than Bansko, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Banjul and Bansko are more affordable than the global median – Banjul 50% lower, Bansko 29% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Banjul
Bansko
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.47 GMD 554
$8.34 BGN 14.68
-10.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$75.6 GMD 5,603
$45.11 BGN 79.4
67.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.04 GMD 596
$9.14 BGN 16.08
-12.04%
Cappuccino
$3.72 GMD 276
$2.31 BGN 4.06
61.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 GMD 197
$1.57 BGN 2.76
69.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53 GMD 114
$0.87 BGN 1.53
75.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.76 GMD 427
$1.70 BGN 2.99
238.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46 GMD 331
$2.02 BGN 3.56
120.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Banjul
Bansko
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.40 GMD 104
$1.74 BGN 3.06
-19.54%
White Bread (500g)
$0.61 GMD 44.98
$0.80 BGN 1.40
-23.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.32 GMD 97.6
$1.47 BGN 2.58
-10.20%
Eggs
$1.90 GMD 141
$2.24 BGN 3.95
-15.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.24 GMD 462
$9.50 BGN 16.73
-34.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.77 GMD 206
$6.38 BGN 11.22
-56.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.77 GMD 427
$8.48 BGN 14.93
-31.96%
Apples (1kg)
$2.08 GMD 154
$1.25 BGN 2.20
66.40%
Banana (1kg)
$1.27 GMD 93.9
$1.72 BGN 3.02
-26.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.79 GMD 132
$1.75 BGN 3.08
2.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.40 GMD 104
$1.97 BGN 3.46
-28.93%
Potato (1kg)
$0.93 GMD 69.0
$0.99 BGN 1.75
-6.06%
Onion (1kg)
$1.00 GMD 74.0
$0.72 BGN 1.27
38.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.23 GMD 17.04
$0.59 BGN 1.04
-61.02%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.62 GMD 46.05
$0.55 BGN 0.97
12.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.69 GMD 125
$3.35 BGN 5.90
-49.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.55 GMD 486
$5.02 BGN 8.84
30.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.51 GMD 112
$1.08 BGN 1.91
39.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 GMD 123
$1.69 BGN 2.97
-1.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Banjul
Bansko
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.18 GMD 13.08
$0.82 BGN 1.44
-78.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$6.66 GMD 493
$26.75 BGN 47.09
-75.10%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$1.30 BGN 2.28
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.71 GMD 52.5
$0.61 BGN 1.07
16.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.09 GMD 303
$9.97 BGN 17.55
-58.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 GMD 77.8
$1.50 BGN 2.63
-30.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$2,648 GMD 196.2K
$28.9K BGN 51.0K
-90.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$3,346 GMD 248.0K
$21.2K BGN 37.3K
-84.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Banjul
Bansko
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$30.46 GMD 2,257
$93.8 BGN 165
-67.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.52 GMD 1,076
$14.81 BGN 26.06
-1.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.51 GMD 3,298
$12.13 BGN 21.34
266.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Banjul
Bansko
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$24.02 GMD 1,780
$32.80 BGN 57.7
-26.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.42 GMD 994
$8.57 BGN 15.08
56.59%
Cinema Ticket
$3.33 GMD 247
$5.51 BGN 9.70
-39.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Banjul
Bansko
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$6.92 GMD 513
$228 BGN 402
-96.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$139 GMD 10.3K
$2,259 BGN 3,977
-93.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Banjul
Bansko
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.3 GMD 4,170
$30.12 BGN 53.0
86.82%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.27 GMD 3,280
$19.45 BGN 34.24
127.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.0 GMD 7,262
$46.08 BGN 81.1
112.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.9 GMD 6,439
$48.97 BGN 86.2
77.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Banjul
Bansko
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$105 GMD 7,744
$522 BGN 918
-79.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$82.1 GMD 6,082
$364 BGN 641
-77.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$220 GMD 16.3K
$629 BGN 1,107
-64.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$138 GMD 10.2K
$568 BGN 1,000
-75.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,443 GMD 107.0K
$1,159 BGN 2,041
24.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,165 GMD 86.3K
$955 BGN 1,681
21.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Banjul
Bansko
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$62.4 GMD 4,622
$1,669 BGN 2,938
-96.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
15
2.99
401.67%

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

Last update for Banjul: October 26, 2026

Last update for Bansko: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Eating Out
Banjul
$183
Bansko
$144 21.3% $39
Groceries & Markets
Banjul
$152
Bansko
$192 26% $40
Clothing & Footwear
Banjul
$128
Bansko
$65 49.3% $63
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Banjul
$89
Bansko
$121 34.9% $31
Accommodation & Living
Banjul
$82
Bansko
$364 344% $282
Sport & Entertainment
Banjul
$31
Bansko
$44 42.8% $13
Getting Around
Banjul
$11 *
Bansko
$34 215% $23

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $105 in Banjul versus $522 in Bansko. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Bansko are about 27 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Banjul versus $45 in Bansko. Groceries tell a different story – $152 in Banjul vs $192 in Bansko – so Banjul wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇬🇲 Banjul
🇧🇬 Bansko
🕒 Local time
20:47 8:47 PM
22:47 10:47 PM
2 h ahead of Banjul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
31,356 Capital
8,000
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to GMD – Gambian Dalasi Converter

Gambian Dalasi exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 74.1 GMD (100 GMD = 1.35 USD). 1 EUR = 82.49 GMD (100 GMD = 1.21 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.76 BGN (1 BGN = 0.568 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.51 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Banjul Bansko 4,980 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Banjul
  • Bansko

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Banjul vs Bansko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Banjul cheaper than Bansko?
Yes – Bansko is pricier by about 42%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,015 per month in Banjul and $1,446 in Bansko. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Banjul, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $105 there versus $522 in Bansko.
What are total monthly expenses in Banjul and in Bansko?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $677 in Banjul and $964 in Bansko. That makes Banjul about 30% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 75% less in Banjul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is Banjul or Bansko more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Banjul – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Banjul. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bansko makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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