Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Neum and Sarajevo

For one person, living is cheaper in Neum: $955 a month against $1,206 in Sarajevo, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Neum
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina
$955
/mo nomad
Sarajevo
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina
$1,206
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Neum 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 Neum and in Sarajevo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $955 in Neum versus $1,206 in Sarajevo.

  • Neum $955
  • Sarajevo $1,206

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,410 in Neum versus $1,834 in Sarajevo.

  • Neum $1,410
  • Sarajevo $1,834

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Neum versus $2,461 in Sarajevo.

  • Neum $1,866
  • Sarajevo $2,461

Living in Neum costs roughly 21% less than in Sarajevo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Neum 29% lower, Sarajevo 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Neum
Sarajevo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.29 BAM 9.20
$8.61 BAM 14.97
-38.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.98 BAM 53.9
$39.25 BAM 68.3
-21.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.67 BAM 9.87
$8.40 BAM 14.60
-32.50%
Cappuccino
$1.90 BAM 3.31
$2.34 BAM 4.07
-18.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.90 BAM 3.31
$2.17 BAM 3.77
-12.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18 BAM 2.06
$1.42 BAM 2.47
-16.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.52 BAM 4.39
$2.94 BAM 5.11
-14.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 BAM 3.81
$2.93 BAM 5.10
-25.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Neum
Sarajevo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 BAM 1.95
$1.21 BAM 2.11
-7.44%
White Bread (500g)
$0.95 BAM 1.64
$1.17 BAM 2.04
-18.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.07 BAM 3.60
$2.10 BAM 3.65
-1.43%
Eggs
$2.57 BAM 4.46
$3.10 BAM 5.39
-17.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.88 BAM 13.70
$10.27 BAM 17.86
-23.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.37 BAM 12.81
$7.46 BAM 12.96
-1.21%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.39 BAM 18.06
$14.45 BAM 25.13
-28.10%
Apples (1kg)
$1.12 BAM 1.95
$1.41 BAM 2.45
-20.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 BAM 2.82
$1.67 BAM 2.91
-2.99%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.36 BAM 2.36
$1.50 BAM 2.61
-9.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.20 BAM 2.08
$2.05 BAM 3.56
-41.46%
Potato (1kg)
$0.98 BAM 1.71
$0.94 BAM 1.64
4.26%
Onion (1kg)
$0.99 BAM 1.71
$1.11 BAM 1.93
-10.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.76 BAM 1.32
$1.12 BAM 1.94
-32.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.71 BAM 1.23
$0.73 BAM 1.27
-2.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.93 BAM 6.83
$3.89 BAM 6.76
1.03%
Wine (Bottle)
$3.99 BAM 6.93
$7.25 BAM 12.61
-44.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 BAM 1.35
$0.88 BAM 1.53
-11.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.89 BAM 1.54
$1.55 BAM 2.69
-42.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Neum
Sarajevo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.27 BAM 2.20
$1.27 BAM 2.21
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$57.4 BAM 99.8
$34.16 BAM 59.4
68.06%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.74 BAM 3.03
$1.45 BAM 2.52
20.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.60 BAM 1.04
$1.16 BAM 2.02
-48.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.79 BAM 10.06
$8.38 BAM 14.58
-30.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 BAM 2.69
$1.73 BAM 3.01
-10.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.9K BAM 51.9K
$30.2K BAM 52.5K
-1.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.3K BAM 37.1K
$23.3K BAM 40.5K
-8.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Neum
Sarajevo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$135 BAM 235
$222 BAM 386
-39.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.64 BAM 30.67
$14.05 BAM 24.44
25.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.86 BAM 44.97
$27.44 BAM 47.72
-5.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Neum
Sarajevo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.47 BAM 56.5
$40.33 BAM 70.1
-19.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.52 BAM 20.04
$19.64 BAM 34.16
-41.34%
Cinema Ticket
$5.74 BAM 9.97
$6.90 BAM 12.01
-16.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Neum
Sarajevo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 BAM 344
$203 BAM 352
-2.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,317 BAM 4,029
$3,817 BAM 6,638
-39.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Neum
Sarajevo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.4 BAM 103
$88.7 BAM 154
-33.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.42 BAM 58.1
$37.24 BAM 64.8
-10.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.8 BAM 149
$90.5 BAM 157
-5.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3 BAM 145
$99.4 BAM 173
-16.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Neum
Sarajevo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$345 BAM 600
$457 BAM 794
-24.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$248 BAM 431
$313 BAM 544
-20.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$506 BAM 880
$1,014 BAM 1,762
-50.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$355 BAM 617
$596 BAM 1,037
-40.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,410 BAM 4,191
$3,278 BAM 5,700
-26.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,786 BAM 3,106
$2,341 BAM 4,070
-23.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Neum
Sarajevo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$847 BAM 1,473
$1,041 BAM 1,811
-18.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.9
4.08
-28.92%

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

Last update for Neum: October 11, 2026

Last update for Sarajevo: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Neum
$248
Sarajevo
$313 26.4% $65
Groceries & Markets
Neum
$188
Sarajevo
$230 22.4% $42
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Neum
$179
Sarajevo
$264 47.4% $85
Clothing & Footwear
Neum
$118
Sarajevo
$142 20.6% $24
Eating Out
Neum
$112
Sarajevo
$157 40.8% $46
Getting Around
Neum
$67
Sarajevo
$47 30.8% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Neum
$44
Sarajevo
$54 23.2% $10

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $345 in Neum and $457 in Sarajevo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sarajevo pays 23% 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: $31.00 in Neum vs $39.00 in Sarajevo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $230 per month, with Neum cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇦 Neum
🇧🇦 Sarajevo
🕒 Local time
08:49 8:49 AM
08:49 8:49 AM
Same time as Neum
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,200
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 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BAM (1 BAM = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.95 BAM (1 BAM = 0.512 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Neum Sarajevo 120 km
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  • Neum
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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
What is the total cost difference between living in Neum and in Sarajevo?
Neum and Sarajevo differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($955 vs $1,206 including rent). Neum is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 23% 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Neum and in Sarajevo?
Rent for a central apartment: $345 in Neum versus $457 in Sarajevo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Neum and in Sarajevo?
A monthly transit pass in Neum runs roughly 68% less than in Sarajevo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Neum and Sarajevo?
Childcare runs $198 in Neum versus $203 in Sarajevo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $955 in Neum versus $1,206 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.
How does quality of life compare between Neum and 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.
Is Neum or Sarajevo safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Neum or Sarajevo?
Expats usually find Neum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Sarajevo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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