Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Neum and Banja Luka

For one person, living is cheaper in Neum: $955 a month against $1,200 in Banja Luka, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Neum
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina
$955
/mo nomad
Banja Luka
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina
$1,200
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $955 per month in Neum vs $1,200 in Banja Luka, rent included.

  • Neum $955
  • Banja Luka $1,200

A couple spends around $1,410 per month in Neum vs $1,834 in Banja Luka, rent included.

  • Neum $1,410
  • Banja Luka $1,834

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Neum vs $2,469 in Banja Luka, rent included.

  • Neum $1,866
  • Banja Luka $2,469

Neum is about 20% cheaper than Banja Luka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Neum and Banja Luka are more affordable than the global median – Neum 29% lower, Banja Luka 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Neum
Banja Luka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.29 BAM 9.20
$9.77 BAM 16.99
-45.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.98 BAM 53.9
$49.48 BAM 86.0
-37.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.67 BAM 9.87
$11.01 BAM 19.14
-48.50%
Cappuccino
$1.90 BAM 3.31
$1.77 BAM 3.07
7.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.90 BAM 3.31
$2.47 BAM 4.29
-23.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18 BAM 2.06
$1.69 BAM 2.93
-30.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.52 BAM 4.39
$2.49 BAM 4.33
1.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 BAM 3.81
$3.46 BAM 6.02
-36.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Neum
Banja Luka
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 BAM 1.95
$1.43 BAM 2.49
-21.68%
White Bread (500g)
$0.95 BAM 1.64
$1.17 BAM 2.03
-18.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.07 BAM 3.60
$1.62 BAM 2.81
27.78%
Eggs
$2.57 BAM 4.46
$2.89 BAM 5.03
-11.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.88 BAM 13.70
$9.43 BAM 16.41
-16.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.37 BAM 12.81
$8.74 BAM 15.20
-15.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.39 BAM 18.06
$14.13 BAM 24.57
-26.47%
Apples (1kg)
$1.12 BAM 1.95
$1.85 BAM 3.22
-39.46%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 BAM 2.82
$1.91 BAM 3.32
-15.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.36 BAM 2.36
$2.23 BAM 3.87
-39.01%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.20 BAM 2.08
$2.24 BAM 3.89
-46.43%
Potato (1kg)
$0.98 BAM 1.71
$1.03 BAM 1.79
-4.85%
Onion (1kg)
$0.99 BAM 1.71
$1.42 BAM 2.47
-30.28%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.76 BAM 1.32
$1.13 BAM 1.96
-32.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.71 BAM 1.23
$0.87 BAM 1.51
-18.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.93 BAM 6.83
$3.95 BAM 6.88
-0.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$3.99 BAM 6.93
$8.02 BAM 13.95
-50.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 BAM 1.35
$0.94 BAM 1.64
-17.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.89 BAM 1.54
$1.41 BAM 2.45
-36.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Neum
Banja Luka
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.27 BAM 2.20
$1.35 BAM 2.35
-5.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$57.4 BAM 99.8
$44.37 BAM 77.2
29.39%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.74 BAM 3.03
$1.76 BAM 3.06
-1.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.60 BAM 1.04
$1.11 BAM 1.93
-45.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.79 BAM 10.06
$17.35 BAM 30.17
-66.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 BAM 2.69
$1.78 BAM 3.09
-12.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.9K BAM 51.9K
$30.5K BAM 53.1K
-2.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.3K BAM 37.1K
$21.6K BAM 37.5K
-1.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Neum
Banja Luka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$135 BAM 235
$159 BAM 277
-14.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.64 BAM 30.67
$16.19 BAM 28.15
8.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.86 BAM 44.97
$35.60 BAM 61.9
-27.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Neum
Banja Luka
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.47 BAM 56.5
$38.66 BAM 67.2
-16.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.52 BAM 20.04
$14.63 BAM 25.45
-21.26%
Cinema Ticket
$5.74 BAM 9.97
$5.77 BAM 10.04
-0.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Neum
Banja Luka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 BAM 344
$296 BAM 514
-33.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,317 BAM 4,029
$3,633 BAM 6,317
-36.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Neum
Banja Luka
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.4 BAM 103
$83.2 BAM 145
-28.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.42 BAM 58.1
$36.12 BAM 62.8
-7.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.8 BAM 149
$107 BAM 187
-20.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3 BAM 145
$145 BAM 252
-42.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Neum
Banja Luka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$345 BAM 600
$452 BAM 786
-23.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$248 BAM 431
$302 BAM 526
-18.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$506 BAM 880
$707 BAM 1,229
-28.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$355 BAM 617
$484 BAM 842
-26.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,410 BAM 4,191
$2,820 BAM 4,904
-14.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,786 BAM 3,106
$1,877 BAM 3,264
-4.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Neum
Banja Luka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$847 BAM 1,473
$889 BAM 1,546
-4.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.9
4.44
-34.68%

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

Last update for Neum: October 11, 2026

Last update for Banja Luka: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Neum
$248
Banja Luka
$302 22.2% $55
Groceries & Markets
Neum
$188
Banja Luka
$244 29.8% $56
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Neum
$179
Banja Luka
$211 17.8% $32
Clothing & Footwear
Neum
$118
Banja Luka
$167 41.8% $49
Eating Out
Neum
$112
Banja Luka
$168 51% $57
Getting Around
Neum
$67
Banja Luka
$57 15.1% $10
Sport & Entertainment
Neum
$44
Banja Luka
$50 14.3% $6.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $345 in Neum versus $452 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 5% 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 $31.00 in Neum versus $49.00 in Banja Luka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $244 – making Neum the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇦 Neum
🇧🇦 Banja Luka
🕒 Local time
09:48 9:48 AM
09:48 9:48 AM
Same time as Neum
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,200
138,963
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Neum Banja Luka 210 km
From you
  • Neum
  • 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
Neum vs Banja Luka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Banja Luka cheaper than Neum?
Yes – Banja Luka is pricier by about 26%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,432 per month in Neum and $1,800 in Banja Luka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Neum, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Neum and in Banja Luka?
Groceries cost about 30% more in Banja Luka, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Neum or in Banja Luka?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Neum and $49.00 in Banja Luka. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Neum or in Banja Luka?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Neum, where all-in costs run around $955, than in Banja Luka at $1,200. In Neum it covers expenses comfortably, while in Banja Luka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Neum or Banja Luka more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Neum – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Neum or Banja Luka?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Neum. 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.

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