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: $1,206 in Sarajevo versus $956 in Brcko.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,811 in Sarajevo versus $1,414 in Brcko.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,416 in Sarajevo versus $1,872 in Brcko.

Living in Sarajevo is roughly 26% more expensive than Brcko, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sarajevo 10% lower, Brcko 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.21 BAM 12.15

$6.97 BAM 11.74

3.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.65 BAM 60.1

$35.44 BAM 59.7

0.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 BAM 15.10

$5.57 BAM 9.38

60.86%

Cappuccino

$2.04 BAM 3.43

$1.76 BAM 2.97

15.91%

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

$2.01 BAM 3.39

$1.01 BAM 1.70

99.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 BAM 2.39

$0.68 BAM 1.15

108.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 BAM 4.54

$0.85 BAM 1.43

216.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 BAM 3.91

$2.07 BAM 3.49

12.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 BAM 2.40

$1.37 BAM 2.30

4.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 BAM 2.04

$1.17 BAM 1.97

3.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 BAM 3.51

$2.33 BAM 3.93

-10.73%

Eggs

$3.24 BAM 5.47

$2.90 BAM 4.89

11.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.29 BAM 17.34

$10.00 BAM 16.85

2.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 BAM 14.92

$7.31 BAM 12.32

21.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.44 BAM 22.64

$13.36 BAM 22.51

0.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 BAM 2.60

$1.20 BAM 2.02

29.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 BAM 3.15

$1.70 BAM 2.86

10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 BAM 3.45

$1.85 BAM 3.12

10.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 BAM 3.86

$1.67 BAM 2.81

37.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 BAM 1.88

$0.81 BAM 1.36

38.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 BAM 2.02

$0.74 BAM 1.24

62.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 BAM 2.06

$0.93 BAM 1.57

31.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BAM 1.28

$1.00 BAM 1.69

-24.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.76 BAM 6.34

$3.21 BAM 5.40

17.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 BAM 14.03

$8.45 BAM 14.23

-1.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 BAM 1.76

$1.27 BAM 2.13

-18.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 BAM 2.21

$2.05 BAM 3.46

-36.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 BAM 1.82

$1.16 BAM 1.95

-6.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.31 BAM 52.7

$35.76 BAM 60.3

-12.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 BAM 2.42

$1.16 BAM 1.96

24.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 BAM 1.32

$0.56 BAM 0.95

39.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.08 BAM 15.29

$10.65 BAM 17.94

-14.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 BAM 2.55

$1.44 BAM 2.43

5.56%

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

$26.7K BAM 45.1K

$23.2K BAM 39.1K

15.17%

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

$25.9K BAM 43.7K

$25.9K BAM 43.6K

0.13%

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

$197 BAM 332

$125 BAM 210

57.75%

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

$19.00 BAM 32.01

$11.67 BAM 19.66

62.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.37 BAM 56.2

$28.53 BAM 48.07

16.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.64 BAM 60.1

$26.43 BAM 44.53

34.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 BAM 27.70

$10.76 BAM 18.13

52.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.94 BAM 11.70

$5.53 BAM 9.32

25.50%

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

$255 BAM 429

$154 BAM 260

64.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,323 BAM 5,599

$3,285 BAM 5,535

1.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.3 BAM 154

$23.26 BAM 39.19

292.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.66 BAM 61.8

$17.85 BAM 30.07

105.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BAM 183

$87.9 BAM 148

23.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.9 BAM 168

$88.6 BAM 149

12.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 BAM 728

$359 BAM 605

20.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 BAM 527

$260 BAM 438

20.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 BAM 1,478

$523 BAM 882

67.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$600 BAM 1,011

$359 BAM 605

67.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,430 BAM 5,779

$1,542 BAM 2,598

122.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,383 BAM 4,014

$1,223 BAM 2,060

94.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,064 BAM 1,793

$514 BAM 866

107.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

4.14

-8.21%

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

Last update for Sarajevo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Brcko: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Sarajevo and $359 in Brcko. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sarajevo pays 107% 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: $36.00 in Sarajevo vs $35.00 in Brcko for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $232 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, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Sarajevo pays 107% more on average, 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: $432 in Sarajevo versus $359 in Brcko. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $255 in Sarajevo versus $154 in Brcko. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Sarajevo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $956 in Brcko versus $1,206 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 26% less than in Sarajevo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.