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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Lome vs $1,137 in Banja Luka, rent included.

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

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

Lome is about 10% cheaper than Banja Luka, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.18 F CFA 1,219

$9.05 BAM 15.03

-75.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.89 F CFA 17.8K

$42.16 BAM 70.0

-24.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 F CFA 2,876

$8.96 BAM 14.87

-42.52%

Cappuccino

$5.90 F CFA 3,291

$1.65 BAM 2.74

257.58%

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

$3.38 F CFA 1,888

$2.02 BAM 3.35

67.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 F CFA 621

$1.20 BAM 2.00

-7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.84 F CFA 472

$2.02 BAM 3.36

-58.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 F CFA 955

$2.72 BAM 4.51

-37.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.42 F CFA 1,353

$1.40 BAM 2.32

72.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 F CFA 706

$1.23 BAM 2.04

2.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 F CFA 1,031

$1.65 BAM 2.73

12.12%

Eggs

$2.06 F CFA 1,148

$2.91 BAM 4.84

-29.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.08 F CFA 7,859

$9.29 BAM 15.42

51.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.50 F CFA 4,746

$8.77 BAM 14.56

-3.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.91 F CFA 4,974

$12.13 BAM 20.13

-26.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 F CFA 1,471

$1.39 BAM 2.30

89.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 F CFA 842

$1.64 BAM 2.72

-7.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 F CFA 1,504

$1.87 BAM 3.10

43.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 F CFA 1,358

$1.97 BAM 3.26

23.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 F CFA 1,007

$1.21 BAM 2.00

48.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 F CFA 975

$1.31 BAM 2.17

33.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 F CFA 289

$1.29 BAM 2.13

-59.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 F CFA 479

$0.71 BAM 1.19

21.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.38 F CFA 773

$3.79 BAM 6.30

-63.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.83 F CFA 2,699

$8.17 BAM 13.56

-40.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 F CFA 760

$0.76 BAM 1.26

78.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 F CFA 839

$1.09 BAM 1.81

37.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 F CFA 190

$1.37 BAM 2.28

-75.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.2 F CFA 29.1K

$36.39 BAM 60.4

43.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 F CFA 1,172

$1.51 BAM 2.51

39.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 F CFA 415

$1.10 BAM 1.83

-32.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.27 F CFA 2,941

$8.82 BAM 14.64

-40.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 F CFA 666

$1.51 BAM 2.51

-21.19%

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

$14.1K F CFA 7.9M

$29.1K BAM 48.2K

-51.33%

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

$25.6K F CFA 14.3M

$26.6K BAM 44.2K

-3.79%

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

$172 F CFA 96.0K

$171 BAM 284

0.67%

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

$22.30 F CFA 12.4K

$18.88 BAM 31.33

18.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.33 F CFA 24.2K

$23.40 BAM 38.84

85.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.05 F CFA 27.4K

$28.35 BAM 47.06

73.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.08 F CFA 5,069

$10.16 BAM 16.86

-10.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.31 F CFA 2,404

$4.64 BAM 7.70

-7.11%

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

$178 F CFA 99.5K

$242 BAM 401

-26.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,148 F CFA 2.9M

$3,715 BAM 6,167

38.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.52 F CFA 13.7K

$74.2 BAM 123

-66.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.17 F CFA 15.2K

$36.61 BAM 60.8

-25.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.81 F CFA 22.8K

$90.9 BAM 151

-55.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.2 F CFA 52.6K

$126 BAM 209

-25.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$358 F CFA 199.9K

$450 BAM 747

-20.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 F CFA 123.2K

$325 BAM 539

-32.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 F CFA 426.4K

$655 BAM 1,087

16.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 F CFA 167.7K

$469 BAM 778

-35.93%

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)

$264 F CFA 147.4K

$876 BAM 1,454

-69.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.02

59.36%

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

Last update for Lome: April 14, 2026

Last update for Banja Luka: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $358 in Lome versus $450 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 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 $32 in Lome versus $42 in Banja Luka. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Lome vs $229 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

Lome vs Banja Luka: 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 $1,542 per month in Lome and $1,706 in Banja Luka. 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 $32.00 in Lome and $42.00 in Banja Luka. 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.