Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mostar and Bucharest

For one person, living is cheaper in Mostar: $899 a month against $1,340 in Bucharest, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Mostar
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Mostar Living Index
65

Cost of Living Index in Bucharest
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Bucharest Living Index

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Mostar

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina

$899

/mo nomad

Bucharest

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,340

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mostar and in Bucharest

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 Bucharest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $899 in Mostar versus $1,340 in Bucharest.

Mostar $899
Bucharest $1,340

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,402 in Mostar versus $2,037 in Bucharest.

Mostar $1,402
Bucharest $2,037

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,904 in Mostar versus $2,734 in Bucharest.

Mostar $1,904
Bucharest $2,734

Living in Mostar costs roughly 33% less than in Bucharest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mostar 33% lower, Bucharest 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.85 BAM 11.91

$14.49 RON 68.6

-52.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.14 BAM 54.2

$58.1 RON 275

-46.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 BAM 9.86

$7.48 RON 35.40

-24.20%

Cappuccino

$1.65 BAM 2.86

$3.44 RON 16.29

-52.03%

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

$1.83 BAM 3.18

$2.37 RON 11.22

-22.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 BAM 2.05

$2.30 RON 10.88

-48.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 BAM 4.07

$3.70 RON 17.51

-36.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 BAM 3.64

$4.16 RON 19.69

-49.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 BAM 2.01

$1.67 RON 7.90

-30.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 BAM 1.58

$1.37 RON 6.50

-33.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 BAM 3.43

$1.72 RON 8.14

14.53%

Eggs

$2.63 BAM 4.58

$3.64 RON 17.22

-27.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.77 BAM 13.52

$9.08 RON 42.98

-14.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.40 BAM 12.87

$6.84 RON 32.35

8.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 BAM 18.39

$12.00 RON 56.8

-11.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.10 BAM 1.91

$1.23 RON 5.80

-10.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 BAM 2.87

$1.63 RON 7.73

1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 BAM 2.35

$1.57 RON 7.45

-14.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 BAM 1.99

$2.54 RON 12.01

-54.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BAM 1.80

$0.79 RON 3.75

31.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 BAM 1.69

$0.77 RON 3.66

25.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 BAM 1.24

$0.87 RON 4.13

-18.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BAM 1.23

$0.99 RON 4.70

-28.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.92 BAM 6.82

$6.31 RON 29.86

-37.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.04 BAM 7.02

$6.20 RON 29.34

-34.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 BAM 1.39

$1.19 RON 5.63

-32.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 BAM 1.54

$1.57 RON 7.45

-43.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 BAM 1.94

$0.86 RON 4.08

29.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.85 BAM 64.1

$21.10 RON 99.8

74.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 BAM 3.00

$0.64 RON 3.05

170.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 BAM 0.96

$0.60 RON 2.86

-8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 BAM 10.03

$6.43 RON 30.43

-10.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BAM 2.63

$1.96 RON 9.25

-22.96%

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

$29.9K BAM 52.0K

$29.0K RON 137.2K

3.06%

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

$21.3K BAM 37.0K

$26.6K RON 126.0K

-20.17%

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

$90.6 BAM 158

$196 RON 927

-53.74%

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

$17.70 BAM 30.77

$8.04 RON 38.04

120.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.06 BAM 45.31

$9.35 RON 44.21

178.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.45 BAM 61.6

$50.2 RON 238

-29.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.08 BAM 17.54

$25.33 RON 120

-60.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 BAM 10.04

$8.15 RON 38.55

-29.20%

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

$135 BAM 235

$628 RON 2,971

-78.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K BAM 32.2K

$14.1K RON 66.6K

31.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 BAM 101

$89.6 RON 424

-35.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.01 BAM 55.7

$38.32 RON 181

-16.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 BAM 151

$79.3 RON 375

9.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.3 BAM 141

$90.4 RON 428

-10.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 BAM 752

$678 RON 3,209

-36.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 BAM 433

$448 RON 2,121

-44.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$663 BAM 1,153

$1,083 RON 5,125

-38.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 BAM 798

$725 RON 3,430

-36.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,305 BAM 4,008

$3,751 RON 17.7K

-38.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,582 BAM 2,751

$2,195 RON 10.4K

-27.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$860 BAM 1,495

$1,329 RON 6,290

-35.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.3

6.75

-36.30%

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

Last update for Mostar: October 11, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mostar

$249 27.7%

Bucharest

$448 33.5% 80.2% $200

Groceries & Markets

Mostar

$188 20.9%

Bucharest

$225 16.8% 19.8% $37

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mostar

$134 14.9%

Bucharest

$213 15.9% 58.7% $79

Eating Out

Mostar

$119 13.3%

Bucharest

$225 16.8% 88.5% $106

Clothing & Footwear

Mostar

$116 12.9%

Bucharest

$134 10% 15.2% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Mostar

$47 5.2%

Bucharest

$67 5% 41.6% $20

Getting Around

Mostar

$46 5.1%

Bucharest

$28 2.1% 38.4% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Mostar and $678 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 55% 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: $31.00 in Mostar vs $58.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $225 per month, with Mostar cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇦 Mostar

🇷🇴 Bucharest

🕒 Local time

11:51 11:51 AM

12:51 12:51 PM

1 h ahead of Mostar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

60,195

1,883,425 Capital

💱 Currency

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark BAM KM

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

1 BAM = 0.575 USD

1 BAM = 0.512 EUR

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, 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 October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BAM (1 BAM = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.95 BAM (1 BAM = 0.512 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

USD to BAM in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mostar Bucharest 680 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Mostar
Bucharest

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 Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mostar and Bucharest differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($899 vs $1,340 including rent). Mostar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 55% lower in Bucharest. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $432 in Mostar versus $678 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $899 per month in Mostar versus $1,340 in Bucharest – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mostar runs roughly 75% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $899 in Mostar versus $1,340 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mostar but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Mostar 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, Mostar and Bucharest 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 Mostar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.