Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Brcko Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Brcko

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,241 in Sarajevo versus $931 in Brcko.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,920 in Sarajevo versus $1,369 in Brcko.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,598 in Sarajevo versus $1,807 in Brcko.

Living in Sarajevo is roughly 33% more expensive than in Brcko, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sarajevo 10% lower, Brcko 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.74 BAM 14.68

$7.14 BAM 11.99

22.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.93 BAM 68.7

$38.85 BAM 65.3

5.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 BAM 14.72

$7.22 BAM 12.13

21.47%

Cappuccino

$2.36 BAM 3.97

$1.67 BAM 2.81

41.32%

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

$2.25 BAM 3.78

$1.72 BAM 2.88

30.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 BAM 2.57

$1.21 BAM 2.04

26.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 BAM 5.01

$0.85 BAM 1.43

250.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 BAM 4.92

$2.40 BAM 4.03

22.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 BAM 2.05

$1.51 BAM 2.53

-19.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 BAM 2.07

$1.17 BAM 1.97

5.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 BAM 3.85

$2.33 BAM 3.91

-1.72%

Eggs

$3.28 BAM 5.51

$2.96 BAM 4.98

10.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 BAM 18.58

$9.97 BAM 16.75

10.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 BAM 13.38

$7.38 BAM 12.39

7.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 BAM 25.48

$13.61 BAM 22.86

11.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 BAM 2.63

$1.21 BAM 2.03

29.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 BAM 2.96

$1.87 BAM 3.14

-5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 BAM 3.11

$1.94 BAM 3.25

-4.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 BAM 3.54

$1.76 BAM 2.96

19.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 BAM 1.67

$0.84 BAM 1.41

19.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 BAM 2.06

$0.75 BAM 1.26

64.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 BAM 1.93

$0.92 BAM 1.55

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BAM 1.20

$1.03 BAM 1.72

-31.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 BAM 6.81

$3.22 BAM 5.41

26.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.39 BAM 14.10

$8.05 BAM 13.52

4.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 BAM 1.54

$1.37 BAM 2.29

-32.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 BAM 2.60

$2.42 BAM 4.06

-35.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 BAM 2.16

$1.21 BAM 2.03

5.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.13 BAM 60.7

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 BAM 2.45

$1.22 BAM 2.04

19.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 BAM 2.03

$0.58 BAM 0.97

108.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.17 BAM 15.39

$10.63 BAM 17.85

-13.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 BAM 2.87

$1.50 BAM 2.53

14.00%

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

$31.1K BAM 52.2K

$32.3K BAM 54.3K

-3.80%

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

$24.5K BAM 41.1K

$22.7K BAM 38.2K

7.73%

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

$226 BAM 380

$126 BAM 211

79.85%

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

$14.70 BAM 24.69

$12.02 BAM 20.18

22.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.66 BAM 48.14

$28.62 BAM 48.07

0.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.96 BAM 70.5

$26.46 BAM 44.44

58.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.15 BAM 33.85

Cinema Ticket

$6.92 BAM 11.62

$5.54 BAM 9.30

24.91%

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

$218 BAM 367

$155 BAM 260

41.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,055 BAM 6,811

$14.1K BAM 23.7K

-71.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.7 BAM 154

$23.77 BAM 39.92

285.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.97 BAM 65.5

$17.88 BAM 30.03

117.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 BAM 160

$88.3 BAM 148

7.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 BAM 174

$88.1 BAM 148

17.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 BAM 785

$351 BAM 589

33.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 BAM 551

$267 BAM 449

22.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 BAM 1,819

$543 BAM 913

99.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$600 BAM 1,008

$350 BAM 588

71.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,438 BAM 5,774

$1,539 BAM 2,585

123.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,422 BAM 4,068

$1,216 BAM 2,042

99.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,085 BAM 1,823

$501 BAM 841

116.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.3

-5.12%

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

Last update for Sarajevo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Brcko: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $467 in Sarajevo and $351 in Brcko. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sarajevo pays 117% 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: $41.00 in Sarajevo vs $39.00 in Brcko for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $245 vs $237 per month, with Brcko 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

Sarajevo vs Brcko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brcko is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 117% higher in Sarajevo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $467 in Sarajevo versus $351 in Brcko. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $218 in Sarajevo versus $155 in Brcko. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Brcko – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $41.00 in Sarajevo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $931 in Brcko versus $1,241 in Sarajevo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Brcko but tight or insufficient in Sarajevo. The gap between the two cities makes Brcko the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Brcko is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Sarajevo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Sarajevo and Brcko 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 Brcko gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Sarajevo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.