Cost of Living Comparison Between Neum and Sarajevo Cost of Living Comparison Between Neum and Sarajevo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $952 in Neum versus $1,176 in Sarajevo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,490 in Neum versus $1,784 in Sarajevo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,027 in Neum versus $2,393 in Sarajevo.

Living in Neum costs roughly 19% less than in Sarajevo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Neum 29% lower, Sarajevo 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.60 BAM 14.69

$7.14 BAM 12.19

20.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.64 BAM 71.1

$35.96 BAM 61.4

15.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 BAM 12.87

$8.80 BAM 15.03

-14.43%

Cappuccino

$1.65 BAM 2.82

$2.07 BAM 3.54

-20.29%

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

$2.02 BAM 3.45

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 BAM 1.96

$1.39 BAM 2.38

-17.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 BAM 3.55

$2.73 BAM 4.66

-23.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 BAM 4.75

$2.39 BAM 4.09

16.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 BAM 2.28

$1.41 BAM 2.41

-4.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 BAM 2.19

$1.21 BAM 2.07

5.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 BAM 2.70

$2.04 BAM 3.49

-22.55%

Eggs

$2.95 BAM 5.04

$3.25 BAM 5.55

-9.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 BAM 15.81

$10.46 BAM 17.88

-11.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.51 BAM 14.55

$8.84 BAM 15.11

-3.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.70 BAM 19.99

$13.24 BAM 22.61

-11.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.44 BAM 2.45

$1.55 BAM 2.64

-7.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 BAM 2.80

$1.86 BAM 3.18

-11.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 BAM 3.32

$2.08 BAM 3.55

-6.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 BAM 3.44

$2.30 BAM 3.94

-12.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 BAM 1.98

$1.12 BAM 1.92

3.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 BAM 1.89

$1.21 BAM 2.07

-8.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 BAM 1.97

$1.27 BAM 2.18

-9.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BAM 1.21

$0.81 BAM 1.38

-12.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 BAM 6.46

$3.77 BAM 6.43

0.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.04 BAM 6.90

$8.00 BAM 13.67

-49.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BAM 1.22

$1.05 BAM 1.80

-32.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 BAM 1.84

$1.28 BAM 2.18

-15.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.82 BAM 3.11

$1.03 BAM 1.76

76.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.23 BAM 60.2

$31.73 BAM 54.2

11.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 BAM 2.45

$1.49 BAM 2.55

-4.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 BAM 1.86

$0.77 BAM 1.32

41.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.24 BAM 12.36

$8.63 BAM 14.75

-16.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 BAM 2.52

$1.49 BAM 2.54

-0.67%

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

$28.2K BAM 48.2K

$26.6K BAM 45.4K

6.08%

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

$26.1K BAM 44.6K

$25.8K BAM 44.2K

1.10%

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

$174 BAM 298

$202 BAM 345

-13.78%

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

$19.43 BAM 33.19

$19.03 BAM 32.52

2.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.03 BAM 41.06

$32.94 BAM 56.3

-27.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.92 BAM 51.1

$35.14 BAM 60.0

-14.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.09 BAM 18.95

$16.26 BAM 27.78

-31.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 BAM 7.98

$7.20 BAM 12.30

-35.14%

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

$207 BAM 354

$258 BAM 441

-19.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,694 BAM 6,312

$3,394 BAM 5,799

8.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 BAM 120

$91.6 BAM 156

-23.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.78 BAM 62.8

$37.77 BAM 64.5

-2.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 BAM 150

$108 BAM 184

-18.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 BAM 195

$101 BAM 172

13.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 BAM 447

$436 BAM 745

-39.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$167 BAM 285

$303 BAM 518

-45.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 BAM 620

$892 BAM 1,524

-59.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 BAM 537

$580 BAM 991

-45.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,490 BAM 4,255

$3,245 BAM 5,545

-23.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,817 BAM 3,104

$2,315 BAM 3,955

-21.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$877 BAM 1,498

$1,042 BAM 1,779

-15.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

3.8

-23.68%

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

Last update for Neum: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sarajevo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $262 in Neum and $436 in Sarajevo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sarajevo pays 19% 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: $42.00 in Neum vs $36.00 in Sarajevo. Groceries flip the comparison at $217 vs $246, with Neum 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

Neum vs Sarajevo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Neum and Sarajevo differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($952 vs $1,176 including rent). Neum is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 19% 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: $262 in Neum versus $436 in Sarajevo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Neum runs roughly 11% less than in Sarajevo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $207 in Neum versus $258 in Sarajevo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $952 in Neum versus $1,176 in Sarajevo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Neum but tight or insufficient in Sarajevo. The gap between the two cities makes Neum 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, Neum 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 Neum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Sarajevo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.