Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zenica Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zenica

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $860 in Zenica.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,260 in Zenica.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,660 in Zenica.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 166% more expensive than in Zenica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Zenica is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$7.06 BAM 12.09

129.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$18.38 BAM 31.48

244.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$4.23 BAM 7.24

143.97%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.61 BAM 2.75

75.78%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$1.74 BAM 2.98

31.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.17 BAM 2.00

35.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$2.03 BAM 3.47

67.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$2.02 BAM 3.46

99.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.21 BAM 2.08

-9.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.91 BAM 1.56

92.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.78 BAM 3.05

-1.12%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.69 BAM 4.60

17.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$7.76 BAM 13.29

69.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$7.39 BAM 12.66

7.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$12.68 BAM 21.72

22.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.34 BAM 2.30

76.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.63 BAM 2.79

4.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.55 BAM 2.66

29.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.83 BAM 3.14

32.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.01 BAM 1.73

74.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.31 BAM 2.24

54.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.62 BAM 1.06

209.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.78 BAM 1.33

8.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$3.47 BAM 5.94

89.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$4.00 BAM 6.85

39.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$0.85 BAM 1.46

56.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.01 BAM 1.74

194.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.90 BAM 1.54

153.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$32.07 BAM 54.9

42.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$1.58 BAM 2.70

167.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.83 BAM 1.43

-2.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$8.81 BAM 15.09

109.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.44 BAM 2.47

44.44%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$24.0K BAM 41.2K

44.20%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$26.1K BAM 44.6K

50.30%

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

$148 €130

$167 BAM 285

-11.17%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$19.21 BAM 32.90

6.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$25.03 BAM 42.87

58.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$24.42 BAM 41.83

96.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$14.91 BAM 25.54

24.75%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$4.79 BAM 8.21

92.48%

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

$616 €540

$154 BAM 264

299.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$3,252 BAM 5,569

405.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$50.5 BAM 86.5

103.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$30.90 BAM 52.9

35.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$96.0 BAM 164

-1.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$88.7 BAM 152

37.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$199 BAM 342

718.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$147 BAM 252

738.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$280 BAM 480

1004.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$209 BAM 358

872.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$1,609 BAM 2,757

386.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$1,328 BAM 2,275

230.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$719 BAM 1,231

123.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

27.00%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Zenica: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $199 in Zenica. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 124% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $18.00 in Zenica for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $201 per month, with Zenica cheaper across the board.

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

Lisbon vs Zenica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Zenica differ by about 166% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $860 including rent). Zenica is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 124% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $199 in Zenica. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $154 in Zenica. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $860 in Zenica versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zenica but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Zenica the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Zenica are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Zenica gentler on the wallet – expenses run 166% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.