Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Sarajevo Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Sarajevo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $1,216 in Sarajevo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,872 in Sarajevo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $2,527 in Sarajevo.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 36% more expensive than in Sarajevo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Sarajevo is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$8.69 BAM 14.82

37.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$41.56 BAM 70.9

24.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$8.65 BAM 14.75

31.91%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$2.41 BAM 4.10

65.56%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$2.31 BAM 3.94

-28.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$1.51 BAM 2.57

-11.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$2.93 BAM 5.00

18.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.96 BAM 5.05

99.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.27 BAM 2.16

48.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.25 BAM 2.14

160.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$2.27 BAM 3.87

-4.85%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$3.21 BAM 5.47

-9.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$10.68 BAM 18.20

20.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$7.98 BAM 13.61

25.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$14.82 BAM 25.26

7.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$1.53 BAM 2.60

115.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.67 BAM 2.85

20.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.70 BAM 2.89

29.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$2.14 BAM 3.65

10.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.04 BAM 1.77

97.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.15 BAM 1.96

65.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.17 BAM 1.99

37.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.70 BAM 1.19

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$4.18 BAM 7.13

30.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$8.43 BAM 14.37

109.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$0.92 BAM 1.57

123.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$1.45 BAM 2.47

222.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$1.33 BAM 2.26

-74.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$35.31 BAM 60.2

-41.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$1.45 BAM 2.47

44.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$1.21 BAM 2.06

-53.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$8.92 BAM 15.21

-34.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.65 BAM 2.82

-2.42%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$31.2K BAM 53.2K

-26.87%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$23.7K BAM 40.4K

12.75%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$229 BAM 390

-71.51%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$14.56 BAM 24.83

106.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$29.17 BAM 49.72

27.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$41.46 BAM 70.7

44.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$20.49 BAM 34.94

29.58%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$7.13 BAM 12.15

-1.26%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$210 BAM 357

121.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$3,969 BAM 6,767

234.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$90.4 BAM 154

-16.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$39.06 BAM 66.6

43.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$91.8 BAM 157

21.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$104 BAM 178

15.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$462 BAM 787

138.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$316 BAM 538

128.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$1,050 BAM 1,790

140.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$611 BAM 1,042

111.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$3,338 BAM 5,691

19.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$2,387 BAM 4,070

-12.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$1,050 BAM 1,791

-1.23%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Sarajevo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $462 in Sarajevo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sarajevo pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $42.00 in Sarajevo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $241 per month, with 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

Mexico City vs Sarajevo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Sarajevo differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $1,216 including rent). Sarajevo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Sarajevo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $462 in Sarajevo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sarajevo runs roughly 70% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $210 in Sarajevo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,216 in Sarajevo versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sarajevo but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes 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, Mexico City and 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 Sarajevo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.