Cost of Living Comparison Between Istočno Sarajevo and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Istočno Sarajevo and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $962 per month in Istočno Sarajevo vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,440 per month in Istočno Sarajevo vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,918 per month in Istočno Sarajevo vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Istočno Sarajevo costs about 11% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Istočno Sarajevo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Istočno Sarajevo 28% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.15 BAM 12.05

$1.94 ฿63.6

268.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.34 BAM 59.5

$18.64 ฿609

89.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 BAM 9.20

$7.82 ฿256

-30.18%

Cappuccino

$1.79 BAM 3.01

$1.95 ฿63.9

-8.21%

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

$2.00 BAM 3.37

$0.85 ฿27.80

135.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 BAM 2.36

$0.35 ฿11.60

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 BAM 4.04

$2.13 ฿69.7

12.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 BAM 3.57

$3.73 ฿122

-43.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 BAM 2.38

$1.71 ฿56.0

-17.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 BAM 2.26

$1.63 ฿53.3

-17.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 BAM 3.52

$1.14 ฿37.18

83.33%

Eggs

$3.29 BAM 5.54

$1.93 ฿63.2

70.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 BAM 17.11

$16.21 ฿530

-37.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.28 BAM 13.95

$3.12 ฿102

165.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 BAM 21.99

$10.90 ฿356

19.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.54 BAM 2.59

$2.75 ฿90.1

-44.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 BAM 2.75

$1.21 ฿39.56

34.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 BAM 2.89

$1.62 ฿53.0

6.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 BAM 2.93

$1.59 ฿51.9

9.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 BAM 1.82

$1.40 ฿45.75

-22.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 BAM 2.02

$1.17 ฿38.20

2.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 BAM 1.67

$0.66 ฿21.62

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 BAM 1.57

$0.53 ฿17.24

75.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.67 BAM 6.19

$4.69 ฿153

-21.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 BAM 13.82

$18.66 ฿610

-56.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 BAM 1.82

$1.80 ฿58.8

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 BAM 2.20

$3.23 ฿106

-59.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.83 BAM 3.08

$0.90 ฿29.28

103.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.83 BAM 60.4

$19.21 ฿628

86.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 BAM 2.40

$1.41 ฿45.96

1.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 BAM 1.31

$1.29 ฿42.16

-39.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.61 BAM 17.87

$7.84 ฿256

35.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 BAM 2.53

$1.27 ฿41.62

18.11%

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

$23.1K BAM 39.0K

$21.3K ฿695.5K

8.69%

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

$26.0K BAM 43.8K

$22.2K ฿726.1K

17.05%

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

$121 BAM 204

$69.1 ฿2,258

74.94%

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

$18.94 BAM 31.91

$14.08 ฿460

34.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.07 BAM 48.97

$18.00 ฿588

61.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.97 BAM 50.5

$41.06 ฿1,342

-27.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.02 BAM 18.57

$6.96 ฿227

58.33%

Cinema Ticket

$5.62 BAM 9.47

$5.92 ฿193

-5.07%

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

$154 BAM 259

$299 ฿9,775

-48.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,306 BAM 5,570

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-77.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.7 BAM 153

$54.7 ฿1,788

65.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.26 BAM 59.4

$26.77 ฿875

31.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 BAM 165

$85.0 ฿2,778

15.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 BAM 171

$70.6 ฿2,308

43.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 BAM 369

$428 ฿14.0K

-48.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 BAM 327

$237 ฿7,759

-18.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 BAM 454

$801 ฿26.2K

-66.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 BAM 365

$515 ฿16.9K

-57.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,826 BAM 3,076

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-7.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 BAM 2,401

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-3.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$725 BAM 1,221

$617 ฿20.2K

17.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

-24.00%

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

Last update for Istočno Sarajevo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $219 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 17% higher in Istočno Sarajevo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Istočno Sarajevo vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Istočno Sarajevo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Istočno Sarajevo costs about 11% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,443 per month in Istočno Sarajevo and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $154 per month in Istočno Sarajevo and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Istočno Sarajevo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $962 in Istočno Sarajevo and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $962 in Istočno Sarajevo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istočno Sarajevo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.