Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Istočno Sarajevo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Istočno Sarajevo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $968 in Istočno Sarajevo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,431 in Istočno Sarajevo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,894 in Istočno Sarajevo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 31% more expensive than in Istočno Sarajevo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Istočno Sarajevo 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿153

$8.74 BAM 14.67

-46.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,060

$38.25 BAM 64.2

-15.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿286

$6.92 BAM 11.62

25.43%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.4

$1.80 BAM 3.02

61.11%

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

$0.84 ฿27.78

$2.13 BAM 3.57

-60.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.10

$1.46 BAM 2.45

-66.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿81.7

$2.31 BAM 3.87

7.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$2.39 BAM 4.01

56.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.0

$1.50 BAM 2.52

26.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.36

$1.41 BAM 2.37

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.4

$2.27 BAM 3.82

-28.63%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.8

$3.24 BAM 5.44

-30.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿653

$10.18 BAM 17.10

94.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$7.62 BAM 12.79

-54.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿374

$13.47 BAM 22.62

-15.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.4

$1.51 BAM 2.53

92.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.8

$1.76 BAM 2.95

-2.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.8

$1.74 BAM 2.92

30.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.2

$1.74 BAM 2.93

22.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.53

$1.05 BAM 1.76

40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.73

$1.20 BAM 2.01

18.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.11

$0.94 BAM 1.59

17.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.68

$0.97 BAM 1.63

-38.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$4.08 BAM 6.85

5.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿612

$8.17 BAM 13.72

127.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.3

$0.97 BAM 1.62

85.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿97.6

$1.55 BAM 2.60

91.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿73.9

$1.31 BAM 2.20

71.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿773

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.51 BAM 2.54

105.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.42

$1.10 BAM 1.85

-1.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿127

$10.53 BAM 17.68

-63.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.97

$1.59 BAM 2.66

-10.06%

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

$27.8K ฿914.4K

$30.6K BAM 51.4K

-9.21%

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

$27.0K ฿888.0K

$22.4K BAM 37.6K

20.47%

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

$105 ฿3,449

$125 BAM 209

-15.92%

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

$11.39 ฿375

$19.02 BAM 31.94

-40.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿577

$28.31 BAM 47.55

-38.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,788

$33.64 BAM 56.5

61.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿377

$14.33 BAM 24.07

-20.17%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿256

$5.49 BAM 9.22

41.71%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$155 BAM 260

272.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.2K

$4,013 BAM 6,740

188.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,094

$90.1 BAM 151

-29.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿958

$35.37 BAM 59.4

-17.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,167

$92.1 BAM 155

4.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,962

$105 BAM 176

-13.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.1K

$218 BAM 367

236.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$195 BAM 328

156.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.0K

$271 BAM 455

685.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.2K

$221 BAM 371

466.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.3K

$1,798 BAM 3,020

96.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.3K

$1,408 BAM 2,364

86.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

$735 BAM 1,235

-30.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.08

36.52%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Istočno Sarajevo: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $218 in Istočno Sarajevo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Istočno Sarajevo pays 45% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $38.00 in Istočno Sarajevo. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $239, with Istočno Sarajevo 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

Phuket vs Istočno Sarajevo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Istočno Sarajevo differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $968 including rent). Istočno Sarajevo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 45% lower in Istočno 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: $733 in Phuket versus $218 in Istočno Sarajevo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $155 in Istočno Sarajevo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Istočno Sarajevo – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $968 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Istočno Sarajevo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Istočno 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, Phuket and Istočno 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 Istočno Sarajevo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.