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: $946 in Foca versus $1,206 in Sarajevo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,406 in Foca versus $1,811 in Sarajevo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Foca versus $2,416 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 29% lower, Sarajevo 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.04 BAM 11.83

$7.21 BAM 12.11

-2.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.61 BAM 27.90

$35.65 BAM 59.9

-53.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 BAM 14.89

$8.96 BAM 15.05

-1.12%

Cappuccino

$1.66 BAM 2.80

$2.04 BAM 3.42

-18.63%

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

$1.02 BAM 1.72

$2.01 BAM 3.38

-49.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 BAM 0.93

$1.42 BAM 2.38

-61.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 BAM 3.49

$2.69 BAM 4.52

-22.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 BAM 4.84

$2.32 BAM 3.90

24.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 BAM 1.95

$1.43 BAM 2.40

-18.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 BAM 1.96

$1.21 BAM 2.03

-4.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 BAM 2.74

$2.08 BAM 3.50

-21.63%

Eggs

$3.03 BAM 5.08

$3.24 BAM 5.45

-6.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.38 BAM 15.76

$10.29 BAM 17.29

-8.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.37 BAM 9.03

$8.86 BAM 14.88

-39.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.23 BAM 20.55

$13.44 BAM 22.58

-9.00%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 BAM 1.54

$1.55 BAM 2.60

-41.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 BAM 2.66

$1.87 BAM 3.15

-14.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 BAM 3.27

$2.05 BAM 3.44

-4.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 BAM 3.27

$2.29 BAM 3.84

-14.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 BAM 1.99

$1.12 BAM 1.88

6.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 BAM 2.10

$1.20 BAM 2.02

4.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 BAM 2.05

$1.22 BAM 2.06

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 BAM 1.21

$0.76 BAM 1.27

-5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.71 BAM 6.24

$3.76 BAM 6.33

-1.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 BAM 13.91

$8.33 BAM 13.99

-0.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 BAM 1.20

$1.04 BAM 1.75

-30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 BAM 1.89

$1.31 BAM 2.21

-14.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 BAM 2.94

$1.08 BAM 1.82

62.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.84 BAM 58.5

$31.31 BAM 52.6

11.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 BAM 2.45

$1.44 BAM 2.42

1.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 BAM 0.94

$0.78 BAM 1.31

-28.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.08 BAM 15.26

$9.08 BAM 15.25

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 BAM 2.59

$1.52 BAM 2.55

1.32%

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

$29.1K BAM 48.8K

$26.7K BAM 44.9K

8.64%

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

$27.1K BAM 45.6K

$25.9K BAM 43.5K

4.76%

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

$174 BAM 292

$197 BAM 331

-11.69%

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

$18.69 BAM 31.41

$19.00 BAM 31.92

-1.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.44 BAM 39.39

$33.37 BAM 56.1

-29.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.75 BAM 49.98

$35.64 BAM 59.9

-16.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.01 BAM 18.49

$16.44 BAM 27.62

-33.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.69 BAM 7.88

$6.94 BAM 11.67

-32.42%

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

$238 BAM 400

$255 BAM 428

-6.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,653 BAM 6,137

$3,323 BAM 5,583

9.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 BAM 127

$91.3 BAM 153

-17.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.88 BAM 62.0

$36.66 BAM 61.6

0.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.9 BAM 121

$108 BAM 182

-33.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 BAM 207

$99.9 BAM 168

23.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 BAM 265

$432 BAM 726

-63.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 BAM 287

$313 BAM 526

-45.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 BAM 612

$877 BAM 1,474

-58.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 BAM 531

$600 BAM 1,008

-47.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,551 BAM 4,286

$3,430 BAM 5,762

-25.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,858 BAM 3,122

$2,383 BAM 4,003

-22.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,064 BAM 1,788

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Sarajevo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $158 in Foca and $432 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 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,418 in Foca and $1,808 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: $158 in Foca versus $432 in Sarajevo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $238 in Foca versus $255 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 $946 in Foca versus $1,206 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 27% less than in Sarajevo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.