Cost of Living Comparison Between Foca and Sarajevo Cost of Living Comparison Between Foca and Sarajevo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $921 in Foca versus $1,176 in Sarajevo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,387 in Foca versus $1,784 in Sarajevo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,853 in Foca versus $2,393 in Sarajevo.

Living in Foca costs roughly 22% less than in Sarajevo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Foca 31% lower, Sarajevo 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.98 BAM 11.96

$7.14 BAM 12.22

-2.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.76 BAM 28.70

$35.96 BAM 61.6

-53.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.97 BAM 15.37

$8.80 BAM 15.07

1.93%

Cappuccino

$1.57 BAM 2.70

$2.07 BAM 3.55

-24.15%

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

$0.98 BAM 1.68

$2.02 BAM 3.46

-51.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 BAM 0.97

$1.39 BAM 2.38

-58.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 BAM 3.44

$2.73 BAM 4.67

-26.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 BAM 4.77

$2.39 BAM 4.10

16.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 BAM 2.05

$1.41 BAM 2.41

-14.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 BAM 2.04

$1.21 BAM 2.08

-1.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 BAM 2.69

$2.04 BAM 3.50

-23.04%

Eggs

$2.96 BAM 5.06

$3.25 BAM 5.57

-8.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.60 BAM 16.44

$10.46 BAM 17.92

-8.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 BAM 8.97

$8.84 BAM 15.14

-40.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.92 BAM 20.42

$13.24 BAM 22.67

-9.97%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 BAM 1.43

$1.55 BAM 2.65

-45.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 BAM 2.83

$1.86 BAM 3.18

-11.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 BAM 3.18

$2.08 BAM 3.55

-10.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 BAM 3.34

$2.30 BAM 3.95

-15.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 BAM 2.04

$1.12 BAM 1.92

6.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 BAM 2.24

$1.21 BAM 2.08

8.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 BAM 2.09

$1.27 BAM 2.18

-3.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BAM 1.31

$0.81 BAM 1.38

-6.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.68 BAM 6.30

$3.77 BAM 6.45

-2.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.47 BAM 14.51

$8.00 BAM 13.70

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 BAM 1.19

$1.05 BAM 1.80

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 BAM 1.85

$1.28 BAM 2.19

-15.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.85 BAM 3.16

$1.03 BAM 1.77

79.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.83 BAM 61.4

$31.73 BAM 54.4

12.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 BAM 2.54

$1.49 BAM 2.56

-0.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 BAM 0.90

$0.77 BAM 1.32

-32.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.06 BAM 15.52

$8.63 BAM 14.78

4.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 BAM 2.60

$1.49 BAM 2.55

2.01%

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

$28.3K BAM 48.4K

$26.6K BAM 45.5K

6.33%

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

$27.0K BAM 46.2K

$25.8K BAM 44.3K

4.34%

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

$169 BAM 289

$202 BAM 346

-16.44%

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

$19.25 BAM 32.98

$19.03 BAM 32.60

1.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.25 BAM 39.82

$32.94 BAM 56.4

-29.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.29 BAM 50.2

$35.14 BAM 60.2

-16.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.84 BAM 18.56

$16.26 BAM 27.85

-33.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 BAM 7.87

$7.20 BAM 12.33

-36.25%

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

$237 BAM 405

$258 BAM 442

-8.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,714 BAM 6,360

$3,394 BAM 5,813

9.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.5 BAM 129

$91.6 BAM 157

-17.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.18 BAM 63.7

$37.77 BAM 64.7

-1.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.5 BAM 119

$108 BAM 184

-35.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 BAM 208

$101 BAM 172

20.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$157 BAM 269

$436 BAM 747

-63.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 BAM 295

$303 BAM 519

-43.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 BAM 617

$892 BAM 1,527

-59.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 BAM 547

$580 BAM 994

-44.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,544 BAM 4,358

$3,245 BAM 5,559

-21.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,760 BAM 3,014

$2,315 BAM 3,965

-23.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,042 BAM 1,784

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.02

3.8

32.11%

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

Last update for Foca: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sarajevo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $157 in Foca and $436 in Sarajevo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $17.00 in Foca vs $36.00 in Sarajevo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $246 per month, with Foca 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

Foca vs Sarajevo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Foca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,382 in Foca and $1,764 in Sarajevo to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $157 in Foca versus $436 in Sarajevo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $237 in Foca 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 19% higher in Sarajevo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $921 in Foca versus $1,176 in Sarajevo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Foca but tight or insufficient in Sarajevo. The gap between the two cities makes Foca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Foca 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, Foca 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 Foca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Sarajevo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.