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: $860 in Zenica versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,260 in Zenica versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,660 in Zenica versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Zenica costs roughly 62% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Zenica is 36% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.06 BAM 12.07

$16.19 €14.17

-56.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.38 BAM 31.44

$63.3 €55.4

-70.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.23 BAM 7.23

$10.32 €9.03

-59.01%

Cappuccino

$1.61 BAM 2.75

$2.83 €2.48

-43.11%

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

$1.74 BAM 2.98

$2.29 €2.00

-24.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 BAM 2.00

$1.58 €1.38

-25.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 BAM 3.46

$3.40 €2.98

-40.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 BAM 3.45

$4.03 €3.52

-49.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 BAM 2.08

$1.09 €0.95

11.01%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 BAM 1.56

$1.75 €1.53

-48.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 BAM 3.04

$1.76 €1.54

1.14%

Eggs

$2.69 BAM 4.59

$3.17 €2.77

-15.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 BAM 13.28

$13.19 €11.54

-41.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.39 BAM 12.64

$7.97 €6.97

-7.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.68 BAM 21.69

$15.53 €13.59

-18.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 BAM 2.30

$2.37 €2.07

-43.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 BAM 2.78

$1.71 €1.49

-4.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 BAM 2.66

$2.01 €1.76

-22.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 BAM 3.13

$2.43 €2.13

-24.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 BAM 1.73

$1.76 €1.54

-42.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 BAM 2.23

$2.03 €1.78

-35.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 BAM 1.06

$1.92 €1.68

-67.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 BAM 1.33

$0.85 €0.74

-8.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.47 BAM 5.93

$6.58 €5.76

-47.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.00 BAM 6.84

$5.58 €4.88

-28.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 BAM 1.45

$1.33 €1.17

-36.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 BAM 1.74

$2.97 €2.60

-65.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 BAM 1.54

$2.28 €1.99

-60.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.07 BAM 54.8

$45.79 €40.06

-29.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 BAM 2.70

$4.23 €3.70

-62.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 BAM 1.43

$0.81 €0.71

2.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.81 BAM 15.06

$18.44 €16.13

-52.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 BAM 2.47

$2.08 €1.82

-30.77%

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

$24.0K BAM 41.1K

$34.7K €30.3K

-30.65%

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

$26.1K BAM 44.6K

$39.2K €34.3K

-33.47%

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

$167 BAM 285

$148 €130

12.57%

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

$19.21 BAM 32.85

$20.46 €17.90

-6.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.03 BAM 42.81

$39.56 €34.61

-36.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.42 BAM 41.77

$47.99 €41.99

-49.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.91 BAM 25.51

$18.60 €16.27

-19.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 BAM 8.20

$9.22 €8.07

-48.05%

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

$154 BAM 264

$616 €539

-74.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,252 BAM 5,561

$16.4K €14.4K

-80.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 BAM 86.3

$103 €89.9

-50.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.90 BAM 52.9

$41.74 €36.52

-25.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 BAM 164

$94.8 €82.9

1.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 BAM 152

$122 €107

-27.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 BAM 341

$1,633 €1,428

-87.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$147 BAM 251

$1,232 €1,078

-88.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 BAM 480

$3,098 €2,711

-90.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 BAM 357

$2,031 €1,777

-89.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,609 BAM 2,753

$7,831 €6,851

-79.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,328 BAM 2,272

$4,389 €3,840

-69.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$719 BAM 1,230

$1,607 €1,406

-55.27%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $199 in Zenica and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 124% 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: $18.00 in Zenica vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $201 vs $267 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 166% in total monthly costs ($860 vs $2,291 including rent). Zenica is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 124% lower in Lisbon. 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: $199 in Zenica versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $154 in Zenica versus $616 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $860 in Zenica versus $2,291 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 166% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.