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: $1,176 in Sarajevo versus $937 in Brcko.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,784 in Sarajevo versus $1,381 in Brcko.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,393 in Sarajevo versus $1,825 in Brcko.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Sarajevo 12% lower, Brcko 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.14 BAM 12.21

$7.14 BAM 12.22

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.96 BAM 61.5

$35.59 BAM 60.9

1.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 BAM 15.05

$5.48 BAM 9.36

60.58%

Cappuccino

$2.07 BAM 3.54

$1.75 BAM 2.99

18.29%

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

$2.02 BAM 3.45

$1.01 BAM 1.72

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 BAM 2.38

$0.73 BAM 1.25

90.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 BAM 4.67

$0.92 BAM 1.58

196.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 BAM 4.09

$2.11 BAM 3.61

13.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 BAM 2.41

$1.42 BAM 2.43

-0.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 BAM 2.07

$1.15 BAM 1.96

5.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 BAM 3.49

$2.39 BAM 4.10

-14.64%

Eggs

$3.25 BAM 5.56

$2.89 BAM 4.94

12.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.46 BAM 17.90

$10.12 BAM 17.31

3.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 BAM 15.12

$7.52 BAM 12.85

17.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 BAM 22.64

$13.19 BAM 22.55

0.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 BAM 2.65

$1.20 BAM 2.06

29.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 BAM 3.18

$1.62 BAM 2.77

14.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 BAM 3.55

$1.84 BAM 3.15

13.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 BAM 3.94

$1.73 BAM 2.96

32.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 BAM 1.92

$0.84 BAM 1.44

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 BAM 2.08

$0.71 BAM 1.21

70.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 BAM 2.18

$0.96 BAM 1.64

32.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 BAM 1.38

$1.02 BAM 1.75

-20.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.77 BAM 6.44

$3.16 BAM 5.40

19.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.00 BAM 13.68

$8.47 BAM 14.48

-5.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 BAM 1.80

$1.25 BAM 2.13

-16.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 BAM 2.19

$2.00 BAM 3.43

-36.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 BAM 1.76

$1.15 BAM 1.97

-10.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.73 BAM 54.3

$34.77 BAM 59.5

-8.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 BAM 2.56

$1.21 BAM 2.07

23.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 BAM 1.32

$0.52 BAM 0.90

48.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.63 BAM 14.76

$10.59 BAM 18.11

-18.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 BAM 2.55

$1.50 BAM 2.57

-0.67%

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

$26.6K BAM 45.5K

$23.9K BAM 40.9K

11.19%

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

$25.8K BAM 44.2K

$26.6K BAM 45.4K

-2.72%

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

$202 BAM 346

$120 BAM 206

67.87%

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

$19.03 BAM 32.55

$11.78 BAM 20.15

61.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.94 BAM 56.3

$28.90 BAM 49.43

13.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.14 BAM 60.1

$26.04 BAM 44.54

34.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.26 BAM 27.81

$10.97 BAM 18.76

48.22%

Cinema Ticket

$7.20 BAM 12.31

$5.68 BAM 9.71

26.76%

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

$258 BAM 441

$153 BAM 262

68.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,394 BAM 5,805

$3,271 BAM 5,594

3.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.6 BAM 157

$23.87 BAM 40.83

283.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.77 BAM 64.6

$17.78 BAM 30.41

112.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BAM 184

$88.3 BAM 151

21.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 BAM 172

$87.8 BAM 150

14.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 BAM 746

$359 BAM 614

21.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 BAM 519

$267 BAM 456

13.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$892 BAM 1,525

$529 BAM 904

68.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 BAM 992

$355 BAM 606

63.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,245 BAM 5,551

$1,533 BAM 2,621

111.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,315 BAM 3,959

$1,195 BAM 2,044

93.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,042 BAM 1,781

$503 BAM 860

107.19%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Brcko: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $436 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 $36.00 in Brcko. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $233, with Brcko 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

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.

Average pay runs 107% 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: $436 in Sarajevo versus $359 in Brcko. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $258 in Sarajevo versus $153 in Brcko. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Sarajevo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $937 in Brcko versus $1,176 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.