Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,176 per month in Sarajevo vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,784 per month in Sarajevo vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,393 per month in Sarajevo vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sarajevo costs about 37% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sarajevo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sarajevo 12% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.14 BAM 12.22

$1.96 ฿65.8

264.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.96 BAM 61.6

$18.35 ฿617

95.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 BAM 15.07

$7.48 ฿252

17.65%

Cappuccino

$2.07 BAM 3.55

$2.02 ฿67.8

2.48%

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

$2.02 BAM 3.46

$0.85 ฿28.50

137.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 BAM 2.38

$0.36 ฿11.96

286.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 BAM 4.67

$2.14 ฿71.8

27.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 BAM 4.10

$3.59 ฿121

-33.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 BAM 2.41

$1.65 ฿55.5

-14.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 BAM 2.08

$1.57 ฿52.7

-22.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 BAM 3.50

$1.19 ฿40.02

71.43%

Eggs

$3.25 BAM 5.57

$1.94 ฿65.1

67.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.46 BAM 17.92

$16.19 ฿544

-35.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 BAM 15.14

$2.99 ฿101

195.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 BAM 22.67

$10.94 ฿368

21.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 BAM 2.65

$2.71 ฿91.2

-42.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 BAM 3.18

$1.17 ฿39.25

58.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 BAM 3.55

$1.69 ฿56.7

23.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 BAM 3.95

$1.60 ฿54.0

43.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 BAM 1.92

$1.38 ฿46.54

-18.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 BAM 2.08

$1.20 ฿40.45

0.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 BAM 2.18

$0.67 ฿22.50

89.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 BAM 1.38

$0.56 ฿18.73

44.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.77 BAM 6.45

$4.64 ฿156

-18.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.00 BAM 13.70

$17.62 ฿593

-54.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 BAM 1.80

$1.86 ฿62.5

-43.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 BAM 2.19

$3.30 ฿111

-61.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 BAM 1.77

$0.88 ฿29.68

17.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.73 BAM 54.4

$19.34 ฿650

64.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 BAM 2.56

$1.36 ฿45.90

9.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 BAM 1.32

$1.34 ฿44.98

-42.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.63 BAM 14.78

$8.21 ฿276

5.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 BAM 2.55

$1.22 ฿41.18

22.13%

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

$26.6K BAM 45.5K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

24.49%

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

$25.8K BAM 44.3K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

14.71%

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

$202 BAM 346

$70.7 ฿2,376

185.91%

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

$19.03 BAM 32.60

$14.04 ฿472

35.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.94 BAM 56.4

$17.49 ฿588

88.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.14 BAM 60.2

$42.15 ฿1,417

-16.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.26 BAM 27.85

$6.88 ฿231

136.34%

Cinema Ticket

$7.20 BAM 12.33

$5.92 ฿199

21.62%

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

$258 BAM 442

$309 ฿10.4K

-16.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,394 BAM 5,813

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-77.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.6 BAM 157

$55.8 ฿1,875

64.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.77 BAM 64.7

$26.11 ฿878

44.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BAM 184

$83.0 ฿2,792

29.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 BAM 172

$70.5 ฿2,369

42.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 BAM 747

$432 ฿14.5K

0.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 BAM 519

$239 ฿8,035

26.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$892 BAM 1,527

$822 ฿27.7K

8.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 BAM 994

$512 ฿17.2K

13.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,245 BAM 5,559

$1,915 ฿64.4K

69.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,315 BAM 3,965

$1,467 ฿49.3K

57.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,042 BAM 1,784

$579 ฿19.5K

79.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

-24.00%

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

Last update for Sarajevo: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $436 in Sarajevo versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 80% higher in Sarajevo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Sarajevo versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $243 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sarajevo costs about 37% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,764 per month in Sarajevo and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $258 per month in Sarajevo and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Sarajevo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Sarajevo at $1,176. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sarajevo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,176 in Sarajevo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sarajevo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.