Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mostar and Banja Luka

For one person, living is cheaper in Mostar: $911 a month against $1,194 in Banja Luka, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Mostar
Learn more

Mostar Living Index
57

Cost of Living Index in Banja Luka
Learn more

Banja Luka Living Index

Jump to prices

Mostar

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina

$911

/mo nomad

Banja Luka

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina

$1,194

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mostar 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 Mostar and in Banja Luka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $911 per month in Mostar vs $1,194 in Banja Luka, rent included.

Mostar $911
Banja Luka $1,194

A couple spends around $1,423 per month in Mostar vs $1,824 in Banja Luka, rent included.

Mostar $1,423
Banja Luka $1,824

A family of three spends $1,935 per month in Mostar vs $2,454 in Banja Luka, rent included.

Mostar $1,935
Banja Luka $2,454

Mostar is about 24% cheaper than Banja Luka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Mostar and Banja Luka are more affordable than the global median – Mostar 33% lower, Banja Luka 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.86 BAM 11.94

$10.02 BAM 17.44

-31.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.32 BAM 65.0

$49.94 BAM 86.9

-25.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 BAM 9.80

$10.81 BAM 18.81

-47.92%

Cappuccino

$1.64 BAM 2.85

$1.84 BAM 3.19

-10.87%

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

$1.82 BAM 3.16

$2.54 BAM 4.43

-28.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 BAM 2.10

$1.68 BAM 2.93

-27.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 BAM 3.91

$2.49 BAM 4.33

-9.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 BAM 3.76

$3.40 BAM 5.92

-36.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 BAM 2.01

$1.43 BAM 2.50

-19.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 BAM 1.63

$1.17 BAM 2.03

-20.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 BAM 3.47

$1.55 BAM 2.70

29.03%

Eggs

$2.53 BAM 4.40

$2.85 BAM 4.95

-11.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.69 BAM 13.39

$9.37 BAM 16.31

-17.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.19 BAM 12.52

$8.89 BAM 15.47

-19.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.50 BAM 18.28

$13.78 BAM 23.99

-23.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.10 BAM 1.91

$1.79 BAM 3.11

-38.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 BAM 2.89

$1.96 BAM 3.41

-15.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 BAM 2.39

$2.23 BAM 3.88

-38.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 BAM 2.03

$2.15 BAM 3.73

-45.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 BAM 1.73

$1.00 BAM 1.73

-1.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 BAM 1.69

$1.42 BAM 2.47

-31.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 BAM 1.24

$1.14 BAM 1.99

-36.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 BAM 1.26

$0.86 BAM 1.50

-16.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 BAM 6.94

$3.94 BAM 6.86

1.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.11 BAM 7.14

$8.34 BAM 14.51

-50.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 BAM 1.37

$0.94 BAM 1.64

-15.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 BAM 1.66

$1.39 BAM 2.42

-31.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 BAM 2.03

$1.28 BAM 2.23

-8.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.28 BAM 59.7

$44.37 BAM 77.2

-22.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 BAM 2.95

$1.77 BAM 3.07

-4.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 BAM 1.04

$1.12 BAM 1.94

-46.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 BAM 14.78

$16.98 BAM 29.55

-49.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 BAM 2.78

$1.69 BAM 2.93

-5.92%

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

$30.6K BAM 53.2K

$30.6K BAM 53.3K

-0.09%

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

$21.0K BAM 36.5K

-0.04%

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

$90.3 BAM 157

$157 BAM 272

-42.33%

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

$17.94 BAM 31.22

$16.30 BAM 28.37

10.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.09 BAM 45.41

$35.93 BAM 62.5

-27.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.85 BAM 71.1

$37.06 BAM 64.5

10.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.84 BAM 17.13

$14.54 BAM 25.29

-32.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.21 BAM 10.81

$5.99 BAM 10.42

3.67%

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

$137 BAM 239

$287 BAM 499

-52.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K BAM 40.9K

$3,607 BAM 6,278

551.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 BAM 101

$82.8 BAM 144

-29.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.92 BAM 55.6

$36.22 BAM 63.0

-11.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 BAM 151

$105 BAM 183

-17.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.9 BAM 146

$142 BAM 247

-40.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 BAM 735

$441 BAM 767

-4.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 BAM 446

$301 BAM 523

-14.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$658 BAM 1,145

$667 BAM 1,160

-1.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$452 BAM 787

$475 BAM 826

-4.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,225 BAM 3,873

$2,831 BAM 4,926

-21.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,515 BAM 2,637

$1,874 BAM 3,261

-19.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$865 BAM 1,505

$867 BAM 1,509

-0.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.3

4.44

-3.15%

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

Last update for Mostar: November 1, 2026

Last update for Banja Luka: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mostar

$256 28.1%

Banja Luka

$301 25.2% 17.3% $44

Groceries & Markets

Mostar

$187 20.5%

Banja Luka

$243 20.3% 29.9% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mostar

$134 14.8%

Banja Luka

$209 17.5% 55.4% $74

Eating Out

Mostar

$119 13.1%

Banja Luka

$171 14.3% 43.4% $52

Clothing & Footwear

Mostar

$117 12.9%

Banja Luka

$165 13.8% 40.6% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Mostar

$53 5.9%

Banja Luka

$49 4.1% 8% $4.2

Getting Around

Mostar

$44 4.8%

Banja Luka

$57 4.8% 30.2% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $422 in Mostar versus $441 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 $37 in Mostar versus $50 in Banja Luka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $243 – making Mostar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇦 Mostar

🇧🇦 Banja Luka

🕒 Local time

22:30 10:30 PM

Same time as Mostar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

60,195

138,963

💱 Currency

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark BAM KM

📈 Exchange rate

1 BAM = 0.575 USD

1 BAM = 0.512 EUR

1 BAM = 0.575 USD

1 BAM = 0.512 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BAM – Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark (KM)

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BAM (1 BAM = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.95 BAM (1 BAM = 0.512 EUR).

USD to BAM in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mostar Banja Luka 170 km

From you

Mostar
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

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

Yes – Banja Luka is pricier by about 31%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,366 per month in Mostar and $1,791 in Banja Luka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $422 in Mostar and $441 in Banja Luka. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Banja Luka, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37 in Mostar and $50 in Banja Luka. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Families tend to lean toward Mostar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Mostar is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 24% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.