Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bytom and Banja Luka

For one person, living is cheaper in Banja Luka: $1,200 a month against $1,466 in Bytom, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Bytom outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Bytom
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,466
/mo nomad
Banja Luka
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina
$1,200
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bytom and in Banja Luka

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

A single person spends $1,466 per month in Bytom vs $1,200 in Banja Luka, rent included.

  • Bytom $1,466
  • Banja Luka $1,200

A couple spends around $2,099 per month in Bytom vs $1,834 in Banja Luka, rent included.

  • Bytom $2,099
  • Banja Luka $1,834

A family of three spends $2,731 per month in Bytom vs $2,469 in Banja Luka, rent included.

  • Bytom $2,731
  • Banja Luka $2,469

Bytom costs about 22% more than Banja Luka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Bytom sits 9% above the global median, while Banja Luka is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bytom
Banja Luka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.31 zł 40.07
$9.77 BAM 16.99
5.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.40 zł 138
$49.48 BAM 86.0
-28.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.68 zł 33.73
$11.01 BAM 19.14
-21.16%
Cappuccino
$3.52 zł 13.69
$1.77 BAM 3.07
98.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 zł 8.23
$2.47 BAM 4.29
-14.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86 zł 7.22
$1.69 BAM 2.93
10.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.64 zł 14.15
$2.49 BAM 4.33
46.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.59 zł 17.85
$3.46 BAM 6.02
32.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bytom
Banja Luka
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.09 zł 4.23
$1.43 BAM 2.49
-23.78%
White Bread (500g)
$1.24 zł 4.81
$1.17 BAM 2.03
5.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.49 zł 5.79
$1.62 BAM 2.81
-8.02%
Eggs
$3.25 zł 12.61
$2.89 BAM 5.03
12.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.58 zł 37.22
$9.43 BAM 16.41
1.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.30 zł 20.60
$8.74 BAM 15.20
-39.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.93 zł 46.36
$14.13 BAM 24.57
-15.57%
Apples (1kg)
$1.06 zł 4.12
$1.85 BAM 3.22
-42.70%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 zł 6.28
$1.91 BAM 3.32
-15.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.49 zł 5.81
$2.23 BAM 3.87
-33.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.50 zł 9.70
$2.24 BAM 3.89
11.61%
Potato (1kg)
$0.91 zł 3.55
$1.03 BAM 1.79
-11.65%
Onion (1kg)
$0.78 zł 3.04
$1.42 BAM 2.47
-45.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 zł 4.82
$1.13 BAM 1.96
9.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66 zł 2.58
$0.87 BAM 1.51
-24.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.64 zł 21.92
$3.95 BAM 6.88
42.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.26 zł 24.32
$8.02 BAM 13.95
-21.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.03 zł 4.02
$0.94 BAM 1.64
9.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 zł 6.60
$1.41 BAM 2.45
20.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Bytom
Banja Luka
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.25 zł 4.85
$1.35 BAM 2.35
-7.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$33.83 zł 131
$44.37 BAM 77.2
-23.75%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 zł 7.04
$1.76 BAM 3.06
2.84%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.68 zł 2.66
$1.11 BAM 1.93
-38.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.01 zł 38.88
$17.35 BAM 30.17
-42.31%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.64 zł 6.36
$1.78 BAM 3.09
-7.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.1K zł 120.8K
$30.5K BAM 53.1K
1.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.8K zł 107.9K
$21.6K BAM 37.5K
28.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bytom
Banja Luka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$321 zł 1,249
$159 BAM 277
102.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.87 zł 30.58
$16.19 BAM 28.15
-51.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.68 zł 68.7
$35.60 BAM 61.9
-50.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bytom
Banja Luka
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.44 zł 149
$38.66 BAM 67.2
-0.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.62 zł 80.1
$14.63 BAM 25.45
40.94%
Cinema Ticket
$7.16 zł 27.82
$5.77 BAM 10.04
24.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bytom
Banja Luka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$488 zł 1,898
$296 BAM 514
65.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K zł 46.3K
$3,633 BAM 6,317
228.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bytom
Banja Luka
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.9 zł 272
$83.2 BAM 145
-15.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.85 zł 120
$36.12 BAM 62.8
-14.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.0 zł 346
$107 BAM 187
-17.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.5 zł 359
$145 BAM 252
-36.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bytom
Banja Luka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$530 zł 2,060
$452 BAM 786
17.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$496 zł 1,926
$302 BAM 526
63.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,005 zł 3,903
$707 BAM 1,229
42.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$834 zł 3,241
$484 BAM 842
72.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,853 zł 11.1K
$2,820 BAM 4,904
1.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,239 zł 8,699
$1,877 BAM 3,264
19.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bytom
Banja Luka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$889 BAM 1,546
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.19
4.44
61.94%

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

Last update for Bytom: October 13, 2026

Last update for Banja Luka: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bytom
$496
Banja Luka
$302 39% $193
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bytom
$347
Banja Luka
$211 39.2% $136
Groceries & Markets
Bytom
$205
Banja Luka
$244 18.8% $39
Eating Out
Bytom
$194
Banja Luka
$168 13.3% $26
Clothing & Footwear
Bytom
$127
Banja Luka
$167 31.6% $40
Sport & Entertainment
Bytom
$53
Banja Luka
$50 4.8% $2.5
Getting Around
Bytom
$44
Banja Luka
$57 29.6% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $530 in Bytom versus $452 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Bytom versus $49.00 in Banja Luka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $244 – making Bytom the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇱 Bytom
🇧🇦 Banja Luka
🕒 Local time
06:32 6:32 AM
06:32 6:32 AM
Same time as Bytom
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
162,250
138,963
Exchange rates and currency converter

BAM, USD, EUR to PLN – Polish Złoty Converter

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BAM (1 BAM = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.95 BAM (1 BAM = 0.512 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bytom Banja Luka 630 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Bytom
  • Banja Luka

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
Bytom vs Banja Luka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Banja Luka cheaper than Bytom?
Yes – Bytom is pricier by about 22%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,199 per month in Bytom and $1,800 in Banja Luka. 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 Banja Luka, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Bytom and in Banja Luka?
Interestingly, groceries are about 19% cheaper in Bytom – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is eating out cheaper in Bytom or in Banja Luka?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Bytom and $49.00 in Banja Luka. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Bytom or in Banja Luka?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Banja Luka, where all-in costs run around $1,200, than in Bytom at $1,466. In Banja Luka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bytom it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Bytom or Banja Luka more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Banja Luka – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Bytom or Banja Luka?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Banja Luka. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bytom makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Bytom vs other spots: cost of living compared

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