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: $968 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,431 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,894 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Istočno Sarajevo costs roughly 23% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Istočno Sarajevo 30% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.74 BAM 14.67

$4.66 ฿153

87.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.25 BAM 64.2

$32.22 ฿1,060

18.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.92 BAM 11.62

$8.68 ฿286

-20.28%

Cappuccino

$1.80 BAM 3.02

$2.90 ฿95.4

-37.93%

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

$2.13 BAM 3.57

$0.84 ฿27.78

153.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 BAM 2.45

$0.49 ฿16.10

197.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 BAM 3.87

$2.48 ฿81.7

-6.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 BAM 4.01

$3.73 ฿123

-35.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 BAM 2.52

$1.89 ฿62.0

-20.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 BAM 2.37

$1.41 ฿46.36

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 BAM 3.82

$1.62 ฿53.4

40.12%

Eggs

$3.24 BAM 5.44

$2.24 ฿73.8

44.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 BAM 17.10

$19.84 ฿653

-48.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 BAM 12.79

$3.48 ฿114

118.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 BAM 22.62

$11.37 ฿374

18.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 BAM 2.53

$2.90 ฿95.4

-47.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 BAM 2.95

$1.72 ฿56.8

2.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 BAM 2.92

$2.27 ฿74.8

-23.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 BAM 2.93

$2.13 ฿70.2

-18.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 BAM 1.76

$1.47 ฿48.53

-28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 BAM 2.01

$1.42 ฿46.73

-15.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 BAM 1.59

$1.10 ฿36.11

-14.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 BAM 1.63

$0.60 ฿19.68

61.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 BAM 6.85

$4.31 ฿142

-5.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.17 BAM 13.72

$18.60 ฿612

-56.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 BAM 1.62

$1.80 ฿59.3

-46.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 BAM 2.60

$2.97 ฿97.6

-47.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 BAM 2.20

$2.25 ฿73.9

-41.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿773

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 BAM 2.54

$3.10 ฿102

-51.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 BAM 1.85

$1.08 ฿35.42

1.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.53 BAM 17.68

$3.87 ฿127

172.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 BAM 2.66

$1.43 ฿46.97

11.19%

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

$30.6K BAM 51.4K

$27.8K ฿914.4K

10.14%

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

$22.4K BAM 37.6K

$27.0K ฿888.0K

-16.99%

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

$125 BAM 209

$105 ฿3,449

18.93%

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

$19.02 BAM 31.94

$11.39 ฿375

66.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.31 BAM 47.55

$17.54 ฿577

61.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.64 BAM 56.5

$54.3 ฿1,788

-38.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.33 BAM 24.07

$11.44 ฿377

25.26%

Cinema Ticket

$5.49 BAM 9.22

$7.78 ฿256

-29.43%

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

$155 BAM 260

$576 ฿19.0K

-73.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,013 BAM 6,740

$11.6K ฿381.2K

-65.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.1 BAM 151

$63.6 ฿2,094

41.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.37 BAM 59.4

$29.10 ฿958

21.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 BAM 155

$96.2 ฿3,167

-4.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 BAM 176

$90.0 ฿2,962

16.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$218 BAM 367

$733 ฿24.1K

-70.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 BAM 328

$501 ฿16.5K

-60.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 BAM 455

$2,126 ฿70.0K

-87.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 BAM 371

$1,252 ฿41.2K

-82.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,798 BAM 3,020

$3,534 ฿116.3K

-49.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,408 BAM 2,364

$2,622 ฿86.3K

-46.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$735 BAM 1,235

$508 ฿16.7K

44.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

5.57

-26.75%

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

Last update for Istočno Sarajevo: September 5, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $218 in Istočno Sarajevo and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Istočno Sarajevo pays 45% 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 $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $239 vs $275, with Istočno Sarajevo cheaper for home cooking.

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 31% in total monthly costs ($968 vs $1,265 including rent). Istočno Sarajevo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 45% 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: $218 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $155 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $576 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Istočno Sarajevo – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $968 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 31% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.