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 $943 per month in Istočno Sarajevo vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,428 per month in Istočno Sarajevo vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,913 per month in Istočno Sarajevo vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Istočno Sarajevo costs about 10% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Istočno Sarajevo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Istočno Sarajevo 29% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.05 BAM 12.07

$1.96 ฿65.8

259.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.79 BAM 59.6

$18.35 ฿617

89.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.50 BAM 9.42

$7.48 ฿252

-26.47%

Cappuccino

$1.81 BAM 3.10

$2.02 ฿67.8

-10.40%

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

$2.07 BAM 3.55

$0.85 ฿28.50

143.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 BAM 2.42

$0.36 ฿11.96

291.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 BAM 3.97

$2.14 ฿71.8

8.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 BAM 3.61

$3.59 ฿121

-41.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 BAM 2.41

$1.65 ฿55.5

-14.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 BAM 2.31

$1.57 ฿52.7

-14.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 BAM 3.69

$1.19 ฿40.02

81.51%

Eggs

$3.17 BAM 5.43

$1.94 ฿65.1

63.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 BAM 17.41

$16.19 ฿544

-37.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.31 BAM 14.24

$2.99 ฿101

177.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.11 BAM 22.45

$10.94 ฿368

19.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 BAM 2.54

$2.71 ฿91.2

-45.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 BAM 2.78

$1.17 ฿39.25

39.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 BAM 3.07

$1.69 ฿56.7

5.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 BAM 2.96

$1.60 ฿54.0

8.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 BAM 1.86

$1.38 ฿46.54

-21.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 BAM 1.98

$1.20 ฿40.45

-3.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 BAM 1.59

$0.67 ฿22.50

38.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 BAM 1.71

$0.56 ฿18.73

78.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 BAM 6.42

$4.64 ฿156

-19.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 BAM 13.60

$17.62 ฿593

-54.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 BAM 1.86

$1.86 ฿62.5

-41.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 BAM 2.27

$3.30 ฿111

-59.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.84 BAM 3.15

$0.88 ฿29.68

109.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.82 BAM 61.4

$19.34 ฿650

85.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 BAM 2.56

$1.36 ฿45.90

9.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 BAM 1.31

$1.34 ฿44.98

-43.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.56 BAM 18.09

$8.21 ฿276

28.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 BAM 2.70

$1.22 ฿41.18

28.69%

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

$23.6K BAM 40.5K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

10.63%

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

$25.5K BAM 43.7K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

13.26%

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

$123 BAM 210

$70.7 ฿2,376

73.36%

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

$18.78 BAM 32.17

$14.04 ฿472

33.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.36 BAM 48.58

$17.49 ฿588

62.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.91 BAM 49.51

$42.15 ฿1,417

-31.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.81 BAM 18.51

$6.88 ฿231

57.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 BAM 9.64

$5.92 ฿199

-4.90%

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

$154 BAM 265

$309 ฿10.4K

-49.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,321 BAM 5,688

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-77.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.0 BAM 158

$55.8 ฿1,875

65.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.81 BAM 59.6

$26.11 ฿878

33.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 BAM 168

$83.0 ฿2,792

18.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 BAM 177

$70.5 ฿2,369

46.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$221 BAM 378

$432 ฿14.5K

-48.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 BAM 332

$239 ฿8,035

-18.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 BAM 454

$822 ฿27.7K

-67.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$220 BAM 377

$512 ฿17.2K

-56.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,767 BAM 3,026

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-7.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 BAM 2,354

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-6.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$734 BAM 1,256

$579 ฿19.5K

26.62%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $221 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $432 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 27% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Istočno Sarajevo vs $243 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 10% 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 $1,415 per month in Istočno Sarajevo and $1,292 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 $309 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 2% 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 $943 in Istočno Sarajevo and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $943 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.