Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istočno Sarajevo and Cebu

For one person, living costs are similar in Istočno Sarajevo and in Cebu: $897 and $918 a month, rent and utilities included.

44

Cost of Living Index in Istočno Sarajevo
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Istočno Sarajevo Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index

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Istočno Sarajevo

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina

$897

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istočno Sarajevo and in Cebu

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $897 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $918 in Cebu.

Istočno Sarajevo $897
Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,364 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $1,409 in Cebu.

Istočno Sarajevo $1,364
Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,830 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $1,900 in Cebu.

Istočno Sarajevo $1,830
Cebu $1,900

Living in Istočno Sarajevo costs roughly 2% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Istočno Sarajevo 34% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 BAM 15.02

$3.09 ₱194

178.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.53 BAM 65.5

$24.22 ₱1,520

54.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.83 BAM 11.92

$3.92 ₱246

74.23%

Cappuccino

$1.74 BAM 3.05

$2.51 ₱157

-30.68%

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

$2.02 BAM 3.53

$1.59 ₱99.9

27.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 BAM 2.57

$0.53 ₱33.33

177.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 BAM 4.02

$1.78 ₱112

29.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 BAM 3.92

$2.17 ₱136

3.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 BAM 2.54

$1.92 ₱120

-24.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 BAM 2.27

$1.36 ₱85.2

-4.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 BAM 3.73

$1.01 ₱63.3

111.88%

Eggs

$3.16 BAM 5.51

$2.03 ₱127

55.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.31 BAM 18.00

$9.86 ₱619

4.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.76 BAM 13.54

$4.39 ₱276

76.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.34 BAM 25.03

$7.60 ₱477

88.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 BAM 2.58

$3.30 ₱207

-55.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 BAM 2.78

$1.39 ₱87.5

14.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 BAM 2.72

$2.33 ₱146

-33.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 BAM 3.00

$1.50 ₱94.0

14.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 BAM 1.74

$2.36 ₱148

-58.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 BAM 1.93

$1.90 ₱119

-42.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 BAM 1.88

$1.19 ₱74.7

-9.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 BAM 1.58

$0.63 ₱39.59

44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.86 BAM 6.74

$3.00 ₱189

28.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 BAM 13.72

$6.03 ₱378

30.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 BAM 1.56

$1.23 ₱77.4

-27.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 BAM 2.69

$1.75 ₱110

-12.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 BAM 2.57

$0.25 ₱15.81

488.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱793

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 BAM 2.43

$0.77 ₱48.47

80.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 BAM 2.04

$0.23 ₱14.49

408.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.32 BAM 14.53

$4.46 ₱280

86.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 BAM 2.76

$1.31 ₱82.5

20.61%

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

$29.3K BAM 51.2K

$21.2K ₱1.3M

38.05%

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

$21.8K BAM 38.1K

$19.1K ₱1.2M

14.05%

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

$91.6 BAM 160

$120 ₱7,547

-23.82%

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

$18.17 BAM 31.71

$14.00 ₱879

29.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 BAM 49.44

$27.54 ₱1,729

2.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.17 BAM 57.9

$32.33 ₱2,029

2.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.57 BAM 23.68

$6.65 ₱417

104.06%

Cinema Ticket

$5.70 BAM 9.95

$5.65 ₱355

0.88%

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

$133 BAM 232

$275 ₱17.3K

-51.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,916 BAM 6,835

$7,918 ₱497.0K

-50.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.7 BAM 153

$49.33 ₱3,097

77.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 BAM 56.5

$25.24 ₱1,585

28.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 BAM 157

$77.0 ₱4,831

16.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.2 BAM 173

$57.2 ₱3,590

73.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$213 BAM 372

$500 ₱31.4K

-57.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 BAM 323

$309 ₱19.4K

-40.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 BAM 455

$1,078 ₱67.7K

-75.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 BAM 367

$615 ₱38.6K

-65.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,747 BAM 3,050

$2,886 ₱181.2K

-39.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,393 BAM 2,432

$1,917 ₱120.3K

-27.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$717 BAM 1,252

$346 ₱21.7K

107.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

7.2

-43.33%

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

Last update for Istočno Sarajevo: October 10, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Istočno Sarajevo

$237 26.4%

Cebu

$206 22.4% 13.1% $31

Accommodation & Living

Istočno Sarajevo

$185 20.6%

Cebu

$309 33.6% 67% $124

Eating Out

Istočno Sarajevo

$140 15.6%

Cebu

$88 9.6% 37.1% $52

Clothing & Footwear

Istočno Sarajevo

$139 15.5%

Cebu

$94 10.2% 32.4% $45

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istočno Sarajevo

$138 15.4%

Cebu

$162 17.6% 17.2% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Istočno Sarajevo

$45 5%

Cebu

$44 4.8% 2.1% $1

Getting Around

Istočno Sarajevo

$13 * 1.5%

Cebu

$16 1.7% 18.6% $2.4

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $213 in Istočno Sarajevo and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Istočno Sarajevo pays 107% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Istočno Sarajevo vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $206 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇦 Istočno Sarajevo

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

13:05 1:05 PM

19:05 7:05 PM

6 h ahead of Istočno Sarajevo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

10,642

964,169

💱 Currency

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark BAM KM

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

1 BAM = 0.573 USD

1 BAM = 0.511 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to BAM – Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark (KM)

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BAM (1 BAM = 0.573 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BAM (1 BAM = 0.511 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 62.77 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.33 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

USD to BAM in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Istočno Sarajevo Cebu 10,430 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Istočno Sarajevo
Cebu

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

Istočno Sarajevo vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Istočno Sarajevo is cheaper overall, especially in transport. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 107% higher in Istočno Sarajevo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $213 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Cebu pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $897 per month in Istočno Sarajevo versus $918 in Cebu – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Istočno Sarajevo gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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

Safety-wise, Istočno Sarajevo and Cebu 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 Istočno Sarajevo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.