Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Istočno Sarajevo

For one person, living is cheaper in Istočno Sarajevo: $891 a month against $1,548 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
Istočno Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,548
/mo nomad
Istočno Sarajevo
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina
$891
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Istočno Sarajevo

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,548 in Mexico City versus $891 in Istočno Sarajevo.

  • Mexico City $1,548
  • Istočno Sarajevo $891

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,436 in Mexico City versus $1,356 in Istočno Sarajevo.

  • Mexico City $2,436
  • Istočno Sarajevo $1,356

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,323 in Mexico City versus $1,821 in Istočno Sarajevo.

  • Mexico City $3,323
  • Istočno Sarajevo $1,821

Living in Mexico City is roughly 74% more expensive than in Istočno Sarajevo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 14% above, Istočno Sarajevo is 34% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Istočno Sarajevo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.02 MX$206
$8.59 BAM 14.97
28.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.68 MX$911
$37.38 BAM 65.1
30.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.90 MX$204
$6.83 BAM 11.90
59.59%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.9
$1.70 BAM 2.95
116.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 MX$30.57
$1.98 BAM 3.44
-17.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25 MX$23.36
$1.40 BAM 2.44
-10.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.25 MX$60.8
$2.33 BAM 4.06
39.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.53 MX$104
$2.24 BAM 3.90
146.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Istočno Sarajevo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 MX$31.90
$1.46 BAM 2.55
16.44%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 MX$56.5
$1.32 BAM 2.29
128.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.99
$2.12 BAM 3.69
-9.43%
Eggs
$2.73 MX$51.2
$3.15 BAM 5.48
-13.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.77 MX$220
$10.23 BAM 17.83
15.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 MX$178
$7.66 BAM 13.35
24.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.41 MX$270
$14.03 BAM 24.45
2.71%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 MX$56.5
$1.41 BAM 2.45
114.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.46
$1.58 BAM 2.75
19.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$37.17
$1.51 BAM 2.63
31.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 MX$40.90
$1.67 BAM 2.91
31.14%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.88
$0.92 BAM 1.60
108.70%
Onion (1kg)
$1.87 MX$34.94
$1.11 BAM 1.93
68.47%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 MX$26.96
$1.07 BAM 1.87
34.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.69
$0.98 BAM 1.71
29.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.22 MX$97.7
$3.91 BAM 6.81
33.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.17 MX$303
$8.20 BAM 14.29
97.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 MX$35.48
$0.87 BAM 1.52
118.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.22 MX$79.0
$1.56 BAM 2.71
170.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Istočno Sarajevo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 MX$6.38
$1.30 BAM 2.27
-73.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.65 MX$368
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.00 MX$37.37
$1.42 BAM 2.47
40.85%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.52 MX$9.80
$1.16 BAM 2.02
-55.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.34 MX$100.0
$8.80 BAM 15.33
-39.32%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 MX$28.50
$1.58 BAM 2.75
-3.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.1K MX$413.2K
$29.8K BAM 51.9K
-25.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K MX$458.7K
$21.6K BAM 37.7K
13.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Istočno Sarajevo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$61.1 MX$1,143
$90.8 BAM 158
-32.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.58 MX$535
$18.16 BAM 31.64
57.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.47 MX$645
$27.46 BAM 47.85
25.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Istočno Sarajevo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,055
$33.45 BAM 58.3
68.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.88 MX$466
$13.90 BAM 24.22
78.99%
Cinema Ticket
$6.66 MX$125
$5.64 BAM 9.82
18.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Istočno Sarajevo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$427 MX$7,993
$134 BAM 233
219.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K MX$217.8K
$3,824 BAM 6,663
204.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Istočno Sarajevo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.8 MX$1,269
$87.9 BAM 153
-22.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.0 MX$973
$31.68 BAM 55.2
64.02%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 MX$1,984
$89.0 BAM 155
19.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 MX$2,106
$98.1 BAM 171
14.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Istočno Sarajevo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,025 MX$19.2K
$215 BAM 375
376.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$654 MX$12.2K
$185 BAM 322
254.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,308 MX$43.2K
$253 BAM 441
811.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,242 MX$23.2K
$213 BAM 371
482.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,613 MX$67.6K
$1,722 BAM 3,000
109.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,936 MX$36.2K
$1,356 BAM 2,363
42.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Istočno Sarajevo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$964 MX$18.0K
$712 BAM 1,241
35.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.3
4.08
176.96%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Istočno Sarajevo: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$654
Istočno Sarajevo
$185 71.8% $470
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$318
Istočno Sarajevo
$236 25.9% $82
Eating Out
Mexico City
$204
Istočno Sarajevo
$139 31.7% $65
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$152
Istočno Sarajevo
$138 9.4% $14
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$124
Istočno Sarajevo
$136 9.9% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$70
Istočno Sarajevo
$45 35.8% $25
Getting Around
Mexico City
$26
Istočno Sarajevo
$12 * 51.6% $13

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,025 in Mexico City and $215 in Istočno Sarajevo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 35% 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: $49 in Mexico City vs $37 in Istočno Sarajevo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $236 per month, with Istočno Sarajevo cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇧🇦 Istočno Sarajevo
🕒 Local time
18:46 6:46 PM
01:46 1:46 AM
7 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
10,642
Exchange rates and currency converter

BAM, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 USD = 18.72 MXN (100 MXN = 5.34 USD). 1 EUR = 20.97 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

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
  • Mexico City Istočno Sarajevo 10,550 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Istočno 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
Mexico City vs Istočno Sarajevo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and in Istočno Sarajevo?
Mexico City and Istočno Sarajevo differ by about 74% in total monthly costs ($1,548 vs $891 including rent). Istočno Sarajevo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Mexico City or Istočno Sarajevo?
Average pay runs 35% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and in Istočno Sarajevo?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,025 in Mexico City versus $215 in Istočno Sarajevo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Istočno Sarajevo?
Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $134 in Istočno Sarajevo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Istočno Sarajevo – a meal for two runs $37 versus $49 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $891 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $1,548 in Mexico City, a $1,200 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.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Istočno Sarajevo?
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.
How do I decide between Mexico City and Istočno Sarajevo?
It comes down to priorities – Istočno Sarajevo wins on affordability, Mexico City on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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