Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Sarajevo

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $1,204 in Sarajevo, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Sarajevo
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Sarajevo Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Sarajevo

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Sarajevo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cebu and in Sarajevo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $1,204 in Sarajevo.

Cebu $934
Sarajevo $1,204

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $1,807 in Sarajevo.

Cebu $1,415
Sarajevo $1,807

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $2,410 in Sarajevo.

Cebu $1,896
Sarajevo $2,410

Living in Cebu costs roughly 22% less than in Sarajevo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 30% lower, Sarajevo 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱190

$8.60 BAM 15.01

-64.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,473

$39.59 BAM 69.1

-40.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱256

$8.48 BAM 14.79

-51.77%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$2.33 BAM 4.06

8.15%

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

$1.54 ₱96.9

$2.23 BAM 3.88

-30.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.98

$1.41 BAM 2.47

-65.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱112

$2.94 BAM 5.12

-39.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

$2.91 BAM 5.08

-22.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

$1.16 BAM 2.02

68.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.7

$1.17 BAM 2.05

22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱63.8

$2.22 BAM 3.87

-54.05%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$3.08 BAM 5.37

-33.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱615

$10.33 BAM 18.02

-5.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱289

$7.73 BAM 13.49

-40.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱483

$14.14 BAM 24.67

-45.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱207

$1.42 BAM 2.48

133.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱90.9

$1.70 BAM 2.96

-14.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$1.57 BAM 2.74

50.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.4

$1.98 BAM 3.46

-22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$0.98 BAM 1.71

140.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

$1.14 BAM 1.99

74.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.1

$1.07 BAM 1.86

7.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.15

$0.71 BAM 1.24

-5.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

$4.02 BAM 7.01

-25.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱398

$8.02 BAM 13.98

-20.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.9

$0.89 BAM 1.56

47.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

$1.42 BAM 2.47

21.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.78

$1.24 BAM 2.17

-79.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱793

$35.01 BAM 61.1

-63.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.32

$1.47 BAM 2.56

-49.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.11

$1.12 BAM 1.96

-81.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱271

$8.61 BAM 15.02

-49.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.5

$1.74 BAM 3.03

-23.56%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$29.9K BAM 52.2K

-27.29%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$23.2K BAM 40.5K

-16.39%

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

$121 ₱7,563

$220 BAM 384

-45.27%

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

$14.45 ₱907

$14.25 BAM 24.86

1.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,774

$28.24 BAM 49.28

0.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,050

$40.15 BAM 70.1

-18.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱401

$19.66 BAM 34.30

-67.50%

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱342

$6.68 BAM 11.66

-18.26%

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

$273 ₱17.1K

$206 BAM 359

32.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱511.5K

$3,856 BAM 6,727

111.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,109

$88.6 BAM 155

-44.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,560

$37.30 BAM 65.1

-33.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,804

$89.4 BAM 156

-14.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,717

$99.4 BAM 173

-40.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.7K

$449 BAM 783

12.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$305 BAM 533

1.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.0K

$997 BAM 1,740

5.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.8K

$587 BAM 1,024

5.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱182.9K

$3,243 BAM 5,658

-10.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.1K

$2,384 BAM 4,159

-21.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.4K

$1,023 BAM 1,785

-66.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

4.08

76.47%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Sarajevo: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Sarajevo

$305 25.5% 1.3% $4.2

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Sarajevo

$231 19.3% 10% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Sarajevo

$263 21.9% 60.9% $99

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Sarajevo

$142 11.8% 49.6% $47

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Sarajevo

$157 13.1% 78% $69

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Sarajevo

$54 4.5% 22.8% $9.9

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Sarajevo

$47 3.9% 205% $32

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Cebu and $449 in Sarajevo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sarajevo pays 200% 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: $23.00 in Cebu vs $40.00 in Sarajevo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $231 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇧🇦 Sarajevo

🕒 Local time

12:56 12:56 PM

06:56 6:56 AM

6 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

271,194 Capital

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark BAM KM

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1 BAM = 0.573 USD

1 BAM = 0.511 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BAM, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.35 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BAM (1 BAM = 0.573 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BAM (1 BAM = 0.511 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cebu Sarajevo 10,430 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Sarajevo

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

Cebu vs Sarajevo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 200% 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: $506 in Cebu versus $449 in Sarajevo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $1,204 in Sarajevo – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 177% less than in Sarajevo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $934 in Cebu versus $1,204 in Sarajevo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Sarajevo. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cebu 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, Cebu 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 Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Sarajevo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.