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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $963 per month in Bijeljina vs $1,133 in Banja Luka, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,460 per month in Bijeljina vs $1,675 in Banja Luka, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,957 per month in Bijeljina vs $2,217 in Banja Luka, rent included.

Bijeljina is about 15% cheaper than Banja Luka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Bijeljina and Banja Luka are more affordable than the global median – Bijeljina 28% lower, Banja Luka 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.90 BAM 14.96

$8.90 BAM 14.95

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.33 BAM 59.4

$41.26 BAM 69.3

-14.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 BAM 8.39

$8.70 BAM 14.61

-42.64%

Cappuccino

$1.44 BAM 2.41

$1.63 BAM 2.74

-11.66%

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

$1.73 BAM 2.90

$1.99 BAM 3.34

-13.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 BAM 1.83

$1.15 BAM 1.93

-5.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 BAM 3.02

$2.02 BAM 3.40

-10.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 BAM 3.99

$2.72 BAM 4.57

-12.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 BAM 2.71

$1.36 BAM 2.29

18.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 BAM 2.02

$1.25 BAM 2.10

-4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 BAM 2.91

$1.57 BAM 2.64

10.19%

Eggs

$3.10 BAM 5.21

$2.88 BAM 4.83

7.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.98 BAM 13.41

$9.25 BAM 15.54

-13.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.05 BAM 13.52

$8.71 BAM 14.64

-7.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 BAM 20.47

$12.26 BAM 20.59

-0.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 BAM 2.81

$1.40 BAM 2.34

19.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 BAM 3.10

$1.65 BAM 2.77

12.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 BAM 3.07

$1.93 BAM 3.24

-5.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 BAM 4.49

$2.03 BAM 3.41

31.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 BAM 2.69

$1.25 BAM 2.09

28.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 BAM 2.47

$1.26 BAM 2.11

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 BAM 1.91

$1.28 BAM 2.16

-10.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 BAM 1.12

$0.77 BAM 1.29

-12.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.73 BAM 6.27

$3.72 BAM 6.25

0.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 BAM 15.15

$8.36 BAM 14.04

7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 BAM 1.42

$0.74 BAM 1.25

13.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 BAM 2.44

$1.10 BAM 1.84

31.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 BAM 4.04

$1.36 BAM 2.29

77.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.94 BAM 30.15

$36.41 BAM 61.2

-50.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 BAM 2.43

$1.49 BAM 2.50

-2.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 BAM 0.93

$1.10 BAM 1.84

-49.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.77 BAM 19.78

$8.94 BAM 15.02

31.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 BAM 2.37

$1.46 BAM 2.45

-3.42%

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

$26.2K BAM 44.0K

$28.4K BAM 47.7K

-7.64%

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

$26.5K BAM 44.5K

$26.9K BAM 45.2K

-1.70%

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

$141 BAM 237

$174 BAM 292

-18.87%

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

$19.14 BAM 32.16

$19.29 BAM 32.41

-0.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.88 BAM 41.79

$23.24 BAM 39.05

7.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.66 BAM 51.5

$27.95 BAM 46.96

9.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.80 BAM 14.78

$9.92 BAM 16.66

-11.29%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 BAM 8.50

$4.69 BAM 7.89

7.89%

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

$214 BAM 359

$238 BAM 399

-9.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,300 BAM 5,544

$3,758 BAM 6,314

-12.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 BAM 98.4

$74.5 BAM 125

-21.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.71 BAM 44.87

$36.14 BAM 60.7

-26.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 BAM 227

$88.9 BAM 149

51.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 BAM 208

0.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$259 BAM 436

$465 BAM 781

-44.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$167 BAM 281

$322 BAM 542

-48.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 BAM 622

$646 BAM 1,085

-42.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 BAM 488

$477 BAM 802

-39.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,891 BAM 3,177

$3,163 BAM 5,314

-40.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 BAM 2,394

$2,023 BAM 3,399

-29.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$759 BAM 1,276

$901 BAM 1,514

-15.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.02

19.52%

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

Last update for Bijeljina: May 31, 2026

Last update for Banja Luka: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $259 in Bijeljina versus $465 in Banja Luka. 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 19% 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 $35.00 in Bijeljina versus $41.00 in Banja Luka. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Bijeljina vs $230 in Banja Luka – 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

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

Yes – Banja Luka is pricier by about 18%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,444 per month in Bijeljina and $1,699 in Banja Luka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% 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 $35.00 in Bijeljina and $41.00 in Banja Luka. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bijeljina, where all-in costs run around $963, than in Banja Luka at $1,133. In Bijeljina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Banja Luka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bijeljina – 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 Bijeljina. 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.