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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $962 in Istočno Sarajevo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,440 in Istočno Sarajevo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,918 in Istočno Sarajevo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 130% more expensive than Istočno Sarajevo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Istočno Sarajevo is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$7.15 BAM 12.05

122.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$35.34 BAM 59.5

83.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$5.46 BAM 9.20

92.49%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.79 BAM 3.01

60.34%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$2.00 BAM 3.37

12.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.40 BAM 2.36

7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$2.40 BAM 4.04

45.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.12 BAM 3.57

83.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.41 BAM 2.38

-19.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.34 BAM 2.26

30.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.09 BAM 3.52

-15.79%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$3.29 BAM 5.54

-2.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$10.15 BAM 17.11

32.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$8.28 BAM 13.95

-4.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$13.05 BAM 21.99

21.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.54 BAM 2.59

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.63 BAM 2.75

4.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.72 BAM 2.89

16.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.74 BAM 2.93

41.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.08 BAM 1.82

70.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.20 BAM 2.02

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.99 BAM 1.67

94.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.93 BAM 1.57

-15.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$3.67 BAM 6.19

80.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$8.20 BAM 13.82

-30.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.08 BAM 1.82

26.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.30 BAM 2.20

128.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.83 BAM 3.08

29.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

$35.83 BAM 60.4

27.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.43 BAM 2.40

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.78 BAM 1.31

5.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$10.61 BAM 17.87

72.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.50 BAM 2.53

37.33%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$23.1K BAM 39.0K

48.23%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$26.0K BAM 43.8K

51.13%

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

$148 €127

$121 BAM 204

22.38%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$18.94 BAM 31.91

8.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$29.07 BAM 48.97

36.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$29.97 BAM 50.5

59.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$11.02 BAM 18.57

71.69%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$5.62 BAM 9.47

63.35%

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

$614 €529

$154 BAM 259

299.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$3,306 BAM 5,570

385.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$90.7 BAM 153

15.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$35.26 BAM 59.4

19.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$98.2 BAM 165

-4.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$101 BAM 171

17.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$219 BAM 369

643.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$194 BAM 327

547.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$269 BAM 454

1025.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$217 BAM 365

831.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

$1,826 BAM 3,076

327.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$1,425 BAM 2,401

199.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$725 BAM 1,221

121.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.8

0.26%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Istočno Sarajevo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $219 in Istočno Sarajevo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 121% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $35.00 in Istočno Sarajevo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $238 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

Lisbon vs Istočno Sarajevo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Istočno Sarajevo differ by about 130% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $962 including rent). Istočno Sarajevo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 121% 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $219 in Istočno Sarajevo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Lisbon. 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 $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $962 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Istočno Sarajevo but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. 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, Lisbon and Istočno Sarajevo 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 130% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.