Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maglaj and Sarajevo

For one person, living is cheaper in Maglaj: $904 a month against $1,202 in Sarajevo, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Maglaj, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Maglaj
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina
$904
/mo nomad
Sarajevo
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina
$1,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Maglaj and in Sarajevo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Maglaj and in Sarajevo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $904 per month in Maglaj vs $1,202 in Sarajevo, rent included.

  • Maglaj $904
  • Sarajevo $1,202

A couple spends around $1,369 per month in Maglaj vs $1,833 in Sarajevo, rent included.

  • Maglaj $1,369
  • Sarajevo $1,833

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Maglaj vs $2,464 in Sarajevo, rent included.

  • Maglaj $1,835
  • Sarajevo $2,464

Maglaj is about 25% cheaper than Sarajevo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Maglaj and Sarajevo are more affordable than the global median – Maglaj 33% lower, Sarajevo 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Maglaj
Sarajevo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.88 BAM 11.98
$8.80 BAM 15.34
-21.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.91 BAM 64.3
$40.97 BAM 71.4
-9.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.84 BAM 11.91
$8.86 BAM 15.43
-22.80%
Cappuccino
$1.64 BAM 2.86
$2.36 BAM 4.11
-30.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.90 BAM 3.31
$2.21 BAM 3.85
-14.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18 BAM 2.05
$1.47 BAM 2.56
-19.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.23 BAM 3.88
$2.84 BAM 4.95
-21.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 BAM 3.90
$2.81 BAM 4.89
-20.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Maglaj
Sarajevo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.40 BAM 2.44
$1.16 BAM 2.02
20.69%
White Bread (500g)
$0.95 BAM 1.66
$1.18 BAM 2.06
-19.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.75 BAM 3.05
$2.14 BAM 3.73
-18.22%
Eggs
$2.77 BAM 4.82
$3.02 BAM 5.27
-8.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.64 BAM 13.31
$10.22 BAM 17.81
-25.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.72 BAM 11.71
$7.71 BAM 13.43
-12.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.55 BAM 16.63
$14.23 BAM 24.79
-32.89%
Apples (1kg)
$1.12 BAM 1.95
$1.45 BAM 2.52
-22.76%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 BAM 2.78
$1.71 BAM 2.98
-7.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.68 BAM 2.92
$1.58 BAM 2.76
6.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.67 BAM 2.91
$1.99 BAM 3.47
-16.08%
Potato (1kg)
$1.11 BAM 1.94
$0.95 BAM 1.65
16.84%
Onion (1kg)
$1.16 BAM 2.02
$1.08 BAM 1.88
7.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.97 BAM 1.69
$1.09 BAM 1.91
-11.01%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 BAM 1.45
$0.73 BAM 1.28
13.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.48 BAM 6.06
$3.91 BAM 6.81
-11.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.95 BAM 12.11
$7.00 BAM 12.19
-0.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.12 BAM 1.95
$0.88 BAM 1.53
27.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.13 BAM 1.97
$1.56 BAM 2.72
-27.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Maglaj
Sarajevo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.26 BAM 2.19
$1.28 BAM 2.23
-1.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$34.18 BAM 59.6
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.76 BAM 3.06
$1.48 BAM 2.58
18.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.16 BAM 2.02
$1.16 BAM 2.02
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.34 BAM 18.02
$8.69 BAM 15.14
18.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.50 BAM 2.61
$1.65 BAM 2.88
-9.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.9K BAM 52.1K
$30.2K BAM 52.7K
-0.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.4K BAM 37.4K
$21.9K BAM 38.2K
-2.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maglaj
Sarajevo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$90.5 BAM 158
$215 BAM 375
-57.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.20 BAM 31.71
$14.04 BAM 24.47
29.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.52 BAM 49.69
$27.73 BAM 48.32
2.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Maglaj
Sarajevo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.80 BAM 57.2
$40.56 BAM 70.7
-19.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.58 BAM 34.11
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.60 BAM 8.01
$6.86 BAM 11.96
-32.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Maglaj
Sarajevo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$138 BAM 240
$210 BAM 366
-34.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,929 BAM 6,847
$3,887 BAM 6,773
1.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Maglaj
Sarajevo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.7 BAM 100
$89.7 BAM 156
-35.68%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.56 BAM 55.0
$38.21 BAM 66.6
-17.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.6 BAM 165
$89.8 BAM 156
5.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129 BAM 224
$98.5 BAM 172
30.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Maglaj
Sarajevo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$348 BAM 607
$451 BAM 786
-22.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$251 BAM 437
$313 BAM 546
-19.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$521 BAM 907
$996 BAM 1,735
-47.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$366 BAM 638
$592 BAM 1,032
-38.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,397 BAM 4,177
$3,302 BAM 5,753
-27.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,755 BAM 3,058
$2,322 BAM 4,046
-24.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Maglaj
Sarajevo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 BAM 1,280
$1,054 BAM 1,837
-30.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.3
4.08
5.39%

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

Last update for Maglaj: October 19, 2026

Last update for Sarajevo: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Maglaj
$251
Sarajevo
$313 25% $63
Groceries & Markets
Maglaj
$198
Sarajevo
$229 15.7% $31
Clothing & Footwear
Maglaj
$141
Sarajevo
$142 1.2% $1.7
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maglaj
$137
Sarajevo
$257 87.3% $120
Eating Out
Maglaj
$123
Sarajevo
$160 29.7% $37
Sport & Entertainment
Maglaj
$42
Sarajevo
$54 29.2% $12
Getting Around
Maglaj
$13 *
Sarajevo
$47 270% $34

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $348 in Maglaj versus $451 in Sarajevo. 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 43% higher in Sarajevo. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37 in Maglaj versus $41 in Sarajevo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $229 – making Maglaj the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇦 Maglaj
🇧🇦 Sarajevo
🕒 Local time
02:51 2:51 AM
02:51 2:51 AM
Same time as Maglaj
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
7,000
271,194 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BAM – Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark Converter

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BAM (1 BAM = 0.574 USD). 1 EUR = 1.95 BAM (1 BAM = 0.512 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Maglaj Sarajevo 81 km
From you
  • Maglaj
  • Sarajevo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Maglaj vs Sarajevo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Maglaj and in Sarajevo compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $904 in Maglaj, $1,202 in Sarajevo – roughly 33% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Maglaj compared to Sarajevo?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,356 per month in Maglaj and $1,804 in Sarajevo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Maglaj and Sarajevo?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Maglaj, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $348 there versus $451 in Sarajevo.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $37 in Maglaj and $41 in Sarajevo. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 16% more in Sarajevo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Maglaj, where all-in costs run around $904, than in Sarajevo at $1,202. In Maglaj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sarajevo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Maglaj or Sarajevo?
Families tend to lean toward Maglaj – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Maglaj or Sarajevo safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Maglaj and Sarajevo?
If budget matters most, go with Maglaj. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sarajevo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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