Cost of Living Comparison Between Brcko and Sarajevo Cost of Living Comparison Between Brcko and Sarajevo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $937 in Brcko versus $1,176 in Sarajevo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,381 in Brcko versus $1,784 in Sarajevo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,825 in Brcko versus $2,393 in Sarajevo.

Living in Brcko costs roughly 20% less than in Sarajevo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brcko 30% lower, Sarajevo 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.14 BAM 12.20

$7.14 BAM 12.19

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.59 BAM 60.8

$35.96 BAM 61.4

-1.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 BAM 9.35

$8.80 BAM 15.03

-37.73%

Cappuccino

$1.75 BAM 2.99

$2.07 BAM 3.54

-15.46%

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

$1.01 BAM 1.72

$2.02 BAM 3.45

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 BAM 1.24

$1.39 BAM 2.38

-47.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.92 BAM 1.58

$2.73 BAM 4.66

-66.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 BAM 3.61

$2.39 BAM 4.09

-11.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 BAM 2.42

$1.41 BAM 2.41

0.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 BAM 1.96

$1.21 BAM 2.07

-4.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 BAM 4.09

$2.04 BAM 3.49

17.16%

Eggs

$2.89 BAM 4.93

$3.25 BAM 5.55

-11.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.12 BAM 17.30

$10.46 BAM 17.88

-3.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.52 BAM 12.84

$8.84 BAM 15.11

-14.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.19 BAM 22.53

$13.24 BAM 22.61

-0.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 BAM 2.06

$1.55 BAM 2.64

-22.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 BAM 2.77

$1.86 BAM 3.18

-12.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 BAM 3.15

$2.08 BAM 3.55

-11.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 BAM 2.95

$2.30 BAM 3.94

-24.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 BAM 1.44

$1.12 BAM 1.92

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 BAM 1.21

$1.21 BAM 2.07

-41.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 BAM 1.64

$1.27 BAM 2.18

-24.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 BAM 1.75

$0.81 BAM 1.38

25.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 BAM 5.39

$3.77 BAM 6.43

-16.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.47 BAM 14.46

$8.00 BAM 13.67

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 BAM 2.13

$1.05 BAM 1.80

19.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 BAM 3.42

$1.28 BAM 2.18

56.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 BAM 1.97

$1.03 BAM 1.76

11.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.77 BAM 59.4

$31.73 BAM 54.2

9.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 BAM 2.07

$1.49 BAM 2.55

-18.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 BAM 0.90

$0.77 BAM 1.32

-32.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.59 BAM 18.09

$8.63 BAM 14.75

22.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 BAM 2.56

$1.49 BAM 2.54

0.67%

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

$23.9K BAM 40.8K

$26.6K BAM 45.4K

-10.06%

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

$26.6K BAM 45.4K

$25.8K BAM 44.2K

2.80%

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

$120 BAM 206

$202 BAM 345

-40.43%

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

$11.78 BAM 20.13

$19.03 BAM 32.52

-38.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.90 BAM 49.38

$32.94 BAM 56.3

-12.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.04 BAM 44.49

$35.14 BAM 60.0

-25.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.97 BAM 18.74

$16.26 BAM 27.78

-32.53%

Cinema Ticket

$5.68 BAM 9.70

$7.20 BAM 12.30

-21.11%

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

$153 BAM 261

$258 BAM 441

-40.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,271 BAM 5,588

$3,394 BAM 5,799

-3.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.87 BAM 40.79

$91.6 BAM 156

-73.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.78 BAM 30.38

$37.77 BAM 64.5

-52.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 BAM 151

$108 BAM 184

-18.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.8 BAM 150

$101 BAM 172

-12.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$359 BAM 613

$436 BAM 745

-17.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 BAM 456

$303 BAM 518

-12.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$529 BAM 903

$892 BAM 1,524

-40.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 BAM 606

$580 BAM 991

-38.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,533 BAM 2,618

$3,245 BAM 5,545

-52.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,195 BAM 2,042

$2,315 BAM 3,955

-48.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 BAM 859

$1,042 BAM 1,779

-51.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

3.8

8.95%

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

Last update for Brcko: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sarajevo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $359 in Brcko and $436 in Sarajevo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sarajevo pays 107% 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: $36.00 in Brcko vs $36.00 in Sarajevo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $246 per month, with Brcko 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

Brcko vs Sarajevo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brcko is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 107% lower in Sarajevo. 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: $359 in Brcko versus $436 in Sarajevo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $153 in Brcko versus $258 in Sarajevo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Sarajevo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $937 in Brcko versus $1,176 in Sarajevo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Brcko but tight or insufficient in Sarajevo. The gap between the two cities makes Brcko the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Brcko is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Sarajevo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Brcko and Sarajevo 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 Brcko gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Sarajevo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.