Cost of Living Comparison Between Zenica and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Zenica and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $884 in Zenica versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,294 in Zenica versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,703 in Zenica versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Zenica costs roughly 60% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Zenica is 34% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.87 BAM 11.54

$15.91 €13.69

-56.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.70 BAM 31.42

$64.8 €55.7

-71.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.20 BAM 7.05

$10.51 €9.04

-60.04%

Cappuccino

$1.59 BAM 2.68

$2.87 €2.47

-44.60%

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

$1.79 BAM 3.01

$2.24 €1.93

-20.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 BAM 2.01

$1.50 €1.29

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 BAM 3.41

$3.49 €3.00

-41.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 BAM 3.39

$3.88 €3.34

-47.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 BAM 2.04

$1.14 €0.98

7.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 BAM 1.43

$1.75 €1.51

-51.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 BAM 2.89

$1.76 €1.51

-2.27%

Eggs

$2.68 BAM 4.50

$3.22 €2.77

-16.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.66 BAM 12.88

$13.49 €11.61

-43.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 BAM 12.29

$7.91 €6.81

-7.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.96 BAM 21.78

$15.87 €13.65

-18.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 BAM 2.37

$2.31 €1.99

-38.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 BAM 2.76

$1.70 €1.46

-3.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 BAM 2.59

$2.01 €1.73

-23.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 BAM 3.09

$2.46 €2.12

-25.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BAM 1.74

$1.84 €1.59

-43.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 BAM 2.11

$2.00 €1.72

-37.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 BAM 0.97

$1.93 €1.66

-70.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BAM 1.20

$0.79 €0.68

-10.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.60 BAM 6.05

$6.61 €5.68

-45.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.24 BAM 7.12

$5.72 €4.92

-25.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 BAM 1.42

$1.37 €1.17

-38.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 BAM 1.68

$2.97 €2.56

-66.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 BAM 1.44

$2.37 €2.04

-64.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.08 BAM 53.9

$45.56 €39.19

-29.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 BAM 2.66

$4.29 €3.69

-62.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 BAM 1.41

$0.82 €0.70

2.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.99 BAM 15.10

$18.30 €15.74

-50.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 BAM 2.43

$2.06 €1.78

-29.61%

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

$23.8K BAM 40.0K

$34.3K €29.5K

-30.63%

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

$26.2K BAM 44.0K

$39.3K €33.8K

-33.35%

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

$168 BAM 283

$148 €127

13.85%

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

$19.17 BAM 32.20

$20.52 €17.65

-6.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 BAM 40.99

$39.61 €34.08

-38.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.13 BAM 40.54

$47.85 €41.16

-49.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.50 BAM 24.36

$18.92 €16.28

-23.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.63 BAM 7.78

$9.18 €7.90

-49.56%

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

$149 BAM 251

$614 €528

-75.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,286 BAM 5,521

$16.0K €13.8K

-79.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 BAM 85.8

$105 €90.0

-51.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.99 BAM 52.1

$42.06 €36.18

-26.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.6 BAM 159

$94.0 €80.8

0.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.2 BAM 155

$120 €103

-22.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$195 BAM 327

$1,628 €1,400

-88.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$145 BAM 244

$1,255 €1,080

-88.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 BAM 470

$3,030 €2,607

-90.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 BAM 346

$2,020 €1,738

-89.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,631 BAM 2,741

$7,800 €6,709

-79.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,337 BAM 2,246

$4,273 €3,675

-68.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$732 BAM 1,231

$1,603 €1,379

-54.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-21.26%

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

Last update for Zenica: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $195 in Zenica and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 119% 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: $19.00 in Zenica vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $200 vs $269 per month, with Zenica cheaper across the board.

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

Zenica vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zenica and Lisbon differ by about 150% in total monthly costs ($884 vs $2,210 including rent). Zenica is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 119% less. 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: $195 in Zenica versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $149 in Zenica versus $614 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $884 in Zenica versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zenica but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Zenica 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, Zenica and Lisbon 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 Zenica gentler on the wallet – expenses run 150% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.