Cost of Living Comparison Between Istočno Sarajevo and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Istočno Sarajevo and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $962 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,440 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,918 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Istočno Sarajevo costs roughly 24% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Istočno Sarajevo 28% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.15 BAM 12.05

$4.70 ฿154

52.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.34 BAM 59.5

$45.37 ฿1,483

-22.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 BAM 9.20

$8.43 ฿276

-35.23%

Cappuccino

$1.79 BAM 3.01

$2.93 ฿95.7

-38.91%

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

$2.00 BAM 3.37

$0.69 ฿22.42

189.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 BAM 2.36

$0.37 ฿12.00

278.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 BAM 4.04

$2.41 ฿78.7

-0.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 BAM 3.57

$3.72 ฿122

-43.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 BAM 2.38

$2.23 ฿73.0

-36.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 BAM 2.26

$1.83 ฿59.9

-26.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 BAM 3.52

$2.17 ฿70.9

-3.69%

Eggs

$3.29 BAM 5.54

$2.21 ฿72.4

48.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 BAM 17.11

$19.74 ฿645

-48.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.28 BAM 13.95

$3.63 ฿119

128.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 BAM 21.99

$13.53 ฿442

-3.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.54 BAM 2.59

$3.28 ฿107

-53.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 BAM 2.75

$1.61 ฿52.7

1.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 BAM 2.89

$2.41 ฿78.7

-28.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 BAM 2.93

$2.08 ฿68.1

-16.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 BAM 1.82

$1.53 ฿49.97

-29.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 BAM 2.02

$1.48 ฿48.41

-18.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 BAM 1.67

$0.99 ฿32.32

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 BAM 1.57

$0.51 ฿16.68

82.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.67 BAM 6.19

$4.41 ฿144

-16.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 BAM 13.82

$19.38 ฿634

-57.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 BAM 1.82

$1.78 ฿58.1

-39.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 BAM 2.20

$2.71 ฿88.7

-52.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.83 BAM 3.08

$1.37 ฿44.83

33.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.83 BAM 60.4

$11.39 ฿372

214.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 BAM 2.40

$3.02 ฿98.7

-52.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 BAM 1.31

$0.99 ฿32.51

-21.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.61 BAM 17.87

$14.10 ฿461

-24.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 BAM 2.53

$1.36 ฿44.55

10.29%

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

$23.1K BAM 39.0K

$28.2K ฿921.9K

-18.00%

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

$26.0K BAM 43.8K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-20.98%

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

$121 BAM 204

$122 ฿3,978

-0.71%

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

$18.94 BAM 31.91

$13.57 ฿444

39.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.07 BAM 48.97

$18.31 ฿599

58.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.97 BAM 50.5

$60.2 ฿1,969

-50.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.02 BAM 18.57

$17.14 ฿560

-35.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.62 BAM 9.47

$8.69 ฿284

-35.33%

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

$154 BAM 259

$693 ฿22.7K

-77.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,306 BAM 5,570

$15.7K ฿512.8K

-78.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.7 BAM 153

$59.5 ฿1,946

52.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.26 BAM 59.4

$34.77 ฿1,137

1.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 BAM 165

$115 ฿3,746

-14.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 BAM 171

$83.3 ฿2,723

21.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 BAM 369

$613 ฿20.0K

-64.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 BAM 327

$437 ฿14.3K

-55.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 BAM 454

$2,094 ฿68.5K

-87.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 BAM 365

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-85.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,826 BAM 3,076

$3,749 ฿122.6K

-51.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 BAM 2,401

$2,616 ฿85.5K

-45.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$725 BAM 1,221

$508 ฿16.6K

42.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

5.33

-28.71%

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

Last update for Istočno Sarajevo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $219 in Istočno Sarajevo and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Istočno Sarajevo pays 43% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Istočno Sarajevo vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $293 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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Istočno Sarajevo and Phuket differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($962 vs $1,265 including rent). Istočno Sarajevo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Istočno Sarajevo pays 43% more on average, 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: $219 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Phuket. 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 $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $962 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Istočno Sarajevo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. 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 Phuket 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 32% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.