Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lome and Bansko

For one person, living is cheaper in Lome: $557 a month against $970 in Bansko, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lome
🇹🇬 Togo
$557
/mo nomad
Bansko
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$970
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lome 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 Lome and in Bansko actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $557 per month in Lome vs $970 in Bansko, rent included.

  • Lome $557
  • Bansko $970

A couple spends around $980 per month in Lome vs $1,464 in Bansko, rent included.

  • Lome $980
  • Bansko $1,464

A family of three spends $1,404 per month in Lome vs $1,957 in Bansko, rent included.

  • Lome $1,404
  • Bansko $1,957

Lome is about 43% cheaper than Bansko, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Lome and Bansko are more affordable than the global median – Lome 58% lower, Bansko 28% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lome
Bansko
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.94 F CFA 1,718
$8.66 BGN 15.15
-66.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.61 F CFA 17.9K
$46.63 BGN 81.6
-34.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.64 F CFA 3,301
$9.01 BGN 15.77
-37.40%
Cappuccino
$5.65 F CFA 3,307
$2.24 BGN 3.92
152.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.22 F CFA 2,470
$1.50 BGN 2.63
181.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 F CFA 407
$0.86 BGN 1.51
-18.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.96 F CFA 560
$1.76 BGN 3.07
-45.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 F CFA 1,018
$2.00 BGN 3.51
-13.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lome
Bansko
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.22 F CFA 1,302
$1.79 BGN 3.14
24.02%
White Bread (500g)
$1.36 F CFA 795
$0.81 BGN 1.42
67.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.49 F CFA 872
$1.52 BGN 2.66
-1.97%
Eggs
$2.04 F CFA 1,194
$2.30 BGN 4.02
-11.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$9.60 BGN 16.81
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$6.32 BGN 11.06
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.70 F CFA 3,334
$8.64 BGN 15.12
-34.03%
Apples (1kg)
$2.92 F CFA 1,710
$1.28 BGN 2.24
128.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.67 F CFA 976
$1.68 BGN 2.95
-0.60%
Oranges (1kg)
-
$1.70 BGN 2.98
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.55 F CFA 1,489
$1.89 BGN 3.30
34.92%
Potato (1kg)
$1.75 F CFA 1,024
$0.93 BGN 1.63
88.17%
Onion (1kg)
$1.18 F CFA 692
$0.76 BGN 1.32
55.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$0.54 BGN 0.95
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 F CFA 487
$0.58 BGN 1.02
43.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$3.44 BGN 6.02
-
Wine (Bottle)
$4.85 F CFA 2,835
$5.14 BGN 9.00
-5.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 F CFA 640
$1.11 BGN 1.94
-1.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 F CFA 820
$1.70 BGN 2.97
-17.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Lome
Bansko
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.88 BGN 1.55
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.76 BGN 46.83
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$1.29 BGN 2.26
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.22 F CFA 714
$0.65 BGN 1.14
87.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.24 F CFA 2,482
$10.18 BGN 17.81
-58.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.23 F CFA 720
$1.50 BGN 2.63
-18.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$28.8K BGN 50.4K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$21.5K BGN 37.5K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lome
Bansko
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$146 F CFA 85.6K
$91.4 BGN 160
59.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.33 F CFA 12.5K
$14.68 BGN 25.68
45.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.15 F CFA 24.7K
$12.07 BGN 21.12
249.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lome
Bansko
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.5 F CFA 35.4K
$32.28 BGN 56.5
87.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.77 F CFA 5,132
$8.60 BGN 15.05
1.98%
Cinema Ticket
$4.22 F CFA 2,467
$5.63 BGN 9.86
-25.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lome
Bansko
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$228 BGN 400
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$2,311 BGN 4,045
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lome
Bansko
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$30.48 BGN 53.3
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$19.01 BGN 33.26
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$45.53 BGN 79.7
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$48.67 BGN 85.2
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lome
Bansko
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$521 BGN 913
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$367 BGN 643
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,196 F CFA 699.6K
$634 BGN 1,110
88.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$294 F CFA 172.2K
$558 BGN 976
-47.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$1,204 BGN 2,106
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$971 BGN 1,699
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lome
Bansko
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$295 F CFA 172.7K
$1,670 BGN 2,923
-82.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
2.99
-

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

Last update for Lome: October 5, 2026

Last update for Bansko: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lome
$210
Bansko
$118 43.6% $92
Groceries & Markets
Lome
$140 *
Bansko
$193 38% $53
Eating Out
Lome
$136
Bansko
$145 6.8% $9.2
Sport & Entertainment
Lome
$69
Bansko
$44 36.8% $25
Getting Around
Lome
$6.1 *
Bansko
$35 471% $29
Clothing & Footwear
Lome
- *
Bansko
$65
Accommodation & Living
Lome
- *
Bansko
$367

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 466% higher in Bansko, 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 $31.00 in Lome versus $47.00 in Bansko. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $140 vs $193 – making Lome the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇬 Lome
🇧🇬 Bansko
🕒 Local time
03:09 3:09 AM
06:09 6:09 AM
3 h ahead of Lome
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
837,437 Capital
8,000
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to XOF – West African CFA Franc Converter

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 585 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.52 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.509 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lome Bansko 4,540 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lome
  • 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
Lome vs Bansko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Lome and in Bansko compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $557 in Lome, $970 in Bansko – roughly 74% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Lome compared to Bansko?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $836 per month in Lome and $1,455 in Bansko. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Lome and $47.00 in Bansko. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lome or Bansko?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $557 in Lome and $970 in Bansko. That's a gap of about 74%.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Lome, where all-in costs run around $557, than in Bansko at $970. In Lome it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bansko it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Lome and Bansko?
It depends on your priorities. Lome has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $557 in Lome to $970 in Bansko. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Lome or Bansko safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Lome and Bansko?
If budget matters most, go with Lome. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, 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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