Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tesanj and Banja Luka

For one person, living is cheaper in Tesanj: $869 a month against $1,200 in Banja Luka, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

42

Cost of Living Index in Tesanj
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Tesanj Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Banja Luka
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Banja Luka Living Index

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Tesanj

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina

$869

/mo nomad

Banja Luka

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina

$1,200

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $869 per month in Tesanj vs $1,200 in Banja Luka, rent included.

Tesanj $869
Banja Luka $1,200

A couple spends around $1,284 per month in Tesanj vs $1,829 in Banja Luka, rent included.

Tesanj $1,284
Banja Luka $1,829

A family of three spends $1,699 per month in Tesanj vs $2,458 in Banja Luka, rent included.

Tesanj $1,699
Banja Luka $2,458

Tesanj is about 28% cheaper than Banja Luka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Tesanj and Banja Luka are more affordable than the global median – Tesanj 36% lower, Banja Luka 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.49 BAM 6.08

$9.52 BAM 16.59

-63.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.11 BAM 28.07

$50.0 BAM 87.2

-67.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.94 BAM 5.12

$10.96 BAM 19.10

-73.18%

Cappuccino

$0.89 BAM 1.54

$1.80 BAM 3.14

-50.56%

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

$1.40 BAM 2.45

$2.60 BAM 4.52

-46.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 BAM 1.57

$1.62 BAM 2.82

-44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 BAM 3.41

$2.45 BAM 4.27

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 BAM 2.96

$3.42 BAM 5.96

-50.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 BAM 1.42

$1.39 BAM 2.43

-41.01%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 BAM 1.53

$1.18 BAM 2.06

-25.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 BAM 4.26

$1.60 BAM 2.79

52.50%

Eggs

$3.03 BAM 5.28

$2.80 BAM 4.88

8.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 BAM 17.32

$9.46 BAM 16.48

5.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.41 BAM 12.91

$8.83 BAM 15.39

-16.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 BAM 24.65

$14.02 BAM 24.43

0.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 BAM 1.97

$1.84 BAM 3.20

-38.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 BAM 2.81

$1.97 BAM 3.43

-18.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 BAM 2.47

$2.22 BAM 3.88

-36.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 BAM 2.79

$2.25 BAM 3.92

-28.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 BAM 1.73

$1.03 BAM 1.80

-3.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 BAM 1.85

$1.37 BAM 2.38

-22.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 BAM 1.97

$1.19 BAM 2.07

-5.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 BAM 1.63

$0.91 BAM 1.58

2.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 BAM 6.85

$3.98 BAM 6.93

-1.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.60 BAM 14.98

$8.31 BAM 14.47

3.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 BAM 1.93

$0.97 BAM 1.68

14.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 BAM 2.30

$1.35 BAM 2.36

-2.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 BAM 2.27

$1.29 BAM 2.25

0.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.41 BAM 77.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 BAM 1.93

$1.75 BAM 3.05

-36.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 BAM 0.97

$1.17 BAM 2.04

-52.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.24 BAM 17.85

$17.47 BAM 30.44

-41.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 BAM 2.65

$1.77 BAM 3.08

-14.12%

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

$31.0K BAM 53.9K

$30.4K BAM 52.9K

1.93%

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

$21.8K BAM 37.9K

$21.4K BAM 37.4K

1.44%

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

$91.4 BAM 159

$157 BAM 274

-41.82%

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

$18.51 BAM 32.25

$16.19 BAM 28.21

14.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.34 BAM 49.38

$37.07 BAM 64.6

-23.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.73 BAM 57.0

$38.44 BAM 67.0

-14.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.51 BAM 49.67

$14.70 BAM 25.62

93.95%

Cinema Ticket

$2.88 BAM 5.02

$5.77 BAM 10.06

-50.09%

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

$135 BAM 235

$294 BAM 512

-54.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,917 BAM 6,825

$3,564 BAM 6,210

9.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 BAM 101

$82.3 BAM 143

-29.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.02 BAM 55.8

$35.34 BAM 61.6

-9.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 BAM 164

$104 BAM 181

-9.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 BAM 228

$144 BAM 252

-9.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$345 BAM 601

$468 BAM 815

-26.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$248 BAM 432

$306 BAM 534

-19.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$519 BAM 905

$684 BAM 1,191

-24.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 BAM 638

$480 BAM 836

-23.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,462 BAM 4,290

$2,865 BAM 4,992

-14.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,757 BAM 3,061

$1,870 BAM 3,259

-6.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$686 BAM 1,196

$872 BAM 1,519

-21.28%

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 Tesanj: October 19, 2026

Last update for Banja Luka: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tesanj

$248 28.6%

Banja Luka

$306 25.5% 23.5% $58

Groceries & Markets

Tesanj

$223 25.7%

Banja Luka

$245 20.4% 9.6% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Tesanj

$142 16.3%

Banja Luka

$165 13.7% 16.3% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tesanj

$138 15.9%

Banja Luka

$210 17.5% 52.1% $72

Eating Out

Tesanj

$70 8%

Banja Luka

$167 13.9% 139% $97

Sport & Entertainment

Tesanj

$38 4.4%

Banja Luka

$50 4.2% 29.9% $12

Getting Around

Tesanj

$9.1 * 1.1%

Banja Luka

$57 4.8% 527% $48

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $345 in Tesanj versus $468 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 27% 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 $16 in Tesanj versus $50 in Banja Luka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $245 – making Tesanj the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇦 Tesanj

🇧🇦 Banja Luka

🕒 Local time

01:45 1:45 AM

Same time as Tesanj

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,500

138,963

💱 Currency

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark BAM KM

📈 Exchange rate

1 BAM = 0.574 USD

1 BAM = 0.512 EUR

1 BAM = 0.574 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 October 26, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BAM (1 BAM = 0.574 USD). 1 EUR = 1.95 BAM (1 BAM = 0.512 EUR).

USD to BAM in detail →

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Tesanj Banja Luka 65 km

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Tesanj
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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

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

Yes – Banja Luka is pricier by about 38%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Tesanj and $1,800 in Banja Luka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tesanj, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $345 there versus $468 in Banja Luka.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16 in Tesanj and $50 in Banja Luka. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tesanj, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Banja Luka at $1,200. In Tesanj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Banja Luka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tesanj – 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 Tesanj. 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.