Cost of Living Comparison Between Istočno Sarajevo and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Istočno Sarajevo and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $943 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,428 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,913 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Istočno Sarajevo costs roughly 35% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Istočno Sarajevo is 29% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.05 BAM 12.07

$13.07 MX$228

-46.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.79 BAM 59.6

$53.8 MX$936

-35.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.50 BAM 9.42

$9.68 MX$169

-43.18%

Cappuccino

$1.81 BAM 3.10

$3.74 MX$65.1

-51.60%

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

$2.07 BAM 3.55

$1.62 MX$28.13

27.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 BAM 2.42

$1.16 MX$20.23

21.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 BAM 3.97

$3.23 MX$56.2

-28.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 BAM 3.61

$4.74 MX$82.5

-55.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 BAM 2.41

$1.65 MX$28.68

-14.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 BAM 2.31

$2.75 MX$47.95

-50.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 BAM 3.69

$1.87 MX$32.63

15.51%

Eggs

$3.17 BAM 5.43

$2.50 MX$43.54

26.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 BAM 17.41

$10.20 MX$178

-0.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.31 BAM 14.24

$8.25 MX$144

0.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.11 BAM 22.45

$11.82 MX$206

10.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 BAM 2.54

$3.01 MX$52.4

-50.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 BAM 2.78

$1.81 MX$31.54

-9.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 BAM 3.07

$2.00 MX$34.81

-10.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 BAM 2.96

$2.00 MX$34.74

-13.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 BAM 1.86

$2.08 MX$36.30

-47.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 BAM 1.98

$2.27 MX$39.56

-48.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 BAM 1.59

$1.46 MX$25.36

-36.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 BAM 1.71

$1.08 MX$18.74

-7.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 BAM 6.42

$4.35 MX$75.7

-13.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 BAM 13.60

$16.99 MX$296

-53.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 BAM 1.86

$1.73 MX$30.18

-37.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 BAM 2.27

$3.58 MX$62.3

-62.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.84 BAM 3.15

$0.39 MX$6.74

371.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.82 BAM 61.4

$18.69 MX$325

91.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 BAM 2.56

$1.33 MX$23.08

12.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 BAM 1.31

$0.28 MX$4.87

171.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.56 BAM 18.09

$5.25 MX$91.5

101.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 BAM 2.70

$1.34 MX$23.27

17.16%

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

$23.6K BAM 40.5K

$19.4K MX$338.0K

21.71%

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

$25.5K BAM 43.7K

$23.8K MX$415.0K

7.07%

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

$123 BAM 210

$40.69 MX$709

201.08%

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

$18.78 BAM 32.17

$26.87 MX$468

-30.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.36 BAM 48.58

$30.51 MX$531

-7.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.91 BAM 49.51

$52.8 MX$919

-45.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.81 BAM 18.51

$26.65 MX$464

-59.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 BAM 9.64

$6.51 MX$113

-13.52%

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

$154 BAM 265

$428 MX$7,454

-63.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,321 BAM 5,688

$10.5K MX$182.8K

-68.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.0 BAM 158

$57.3 MX$997

60.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.81 BAM 59.6

$45.50 MX$792

-23.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 BAM 168

$104 MX$1,812

-5.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 BAM 177

$108 MX$1,878

-4.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$221 BAM 378

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-78.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 BAM 332

$623 MX$10.8K

-68.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 BAM 454

$2,109 MX$36.7K

-87.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$220 BAM 377

$1,218 MX$21.2K

-81.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,767 BAM 3,026

$3,885 MX$67.6K

-54.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 BAM 2,354

$2,033 MX$35.4K

-32.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$734 BAM 1,256

$1,038 MX$18.1K

-29.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

11.34

-66.49%

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

Last update for Istočno Sarajevo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $221 in Istočno Sarajevo and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 41% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Istočno Sarajevo vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $292 per month, with Istočno Sarajevo 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

Istočno Sarajevo vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Istočno Sarajevo and Mexico City differ by about 54% in total monthly costs ($943 vs $1,456 including rent). Istočno Sarajevo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 41% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $221 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Istočno Sarajevo – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $943 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Istočno Sarajevo but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Istočno Sarajevo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Istočno Sarajevo and Mexico City 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 54% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.