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 $1,216 per month in Sarajevo vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,872 per month in Sarajevo vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,527 per month in Sarajevo vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sarajevo costs about 30% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sarajevo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sarajevo 11% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.69 BAM 14.82

$2.08 ฿69.5

317.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.56 BAM 70.9

$19.61 ฿655

111.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 BAM 14.75

$5.67 ฿189

52.56%

Cappuccino

$2.41 BAM 4.10

$1.81 ฿60.3

33.15%

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

$2.31 BAM 3.94

$0.77 ฿25.65

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 BAM 2.57

$0.35 ฿11.53

331.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 BAM 5.00

$2.21 ฿73.9

32.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 BAM 5.05

$3.79 ฿127

-21.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 BAM 2.16

$2.05 ฿68.4

-38.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 BAM 2.14

$1.51 ฿50.6

-17.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 BAM 3.87

$1.40 ฿46.69

62.14%

Eggs

$3.21 BAM 5.47

$2.26 ฿75.4

42.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.68 BAM 18.20

$16.19 ฿540

-34.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.98 BAM 13.61

$2.90 ฿96.7

175.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.82 BAM 25.26

$9.42 ฿314

57.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 BAM 2.60

$2.68 ฿89.4

-42.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 BAM 2.85

$1.09 ฿36.37

53.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 BAM 2.89

$1.62 ฿54.0

4.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 BAM 3.65

$1.46 ฿48.74

46.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BAM 1.77

$1.28 ฿42.65

-18.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 BAM 1.96

$1.06 ฿35.31

8.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 BAM 1.99

$0.72 ฿23.94

62.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 BAM 1.19

$0.53 ฿17.56

32.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 BAM 7.13

$4.23 ฿141

-1.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.43 BAM 14.37

$18.29 ฿611

-53.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 BAM 1.57

$1.63 ฿54.4

-43.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 BAM 2.47

$2.90 ฿96.8

-50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.33 BAM 2.26

$0.88 ฿29.32

51.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.31 BAM 60.2

$53.8 ฿1,795

-34.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 BAM 2.47

$1.17 ฿39.14

23.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 BAM 2.06

$0.58 ฿19.30

108.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.92 BAM 15.21

$2.39 ฿79.6

273.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 BAM 2.82

$1.45 ฿48.41

13.79%

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

$31.2K BAM 53.2K

$21.0K ฿701.4K

48.64%

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

$23.7K BAM 40.4K

$26.4K ฿882.0K

-10.21%

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

$229 BAM 390

$63.7 ฿2,125

259.39%

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

$14.56 BAM 24.83

$12.89 ฿430

12.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.17 BAM 49.72

$20.52 ฿685

42.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.46 BAM 70.7

$39.02 ฿1,302

6.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.49 BAM 34.94

$3.92 ฿131

422.70%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 BAM 12.15

$6.58 ฿220

8.36%

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

$210 BAM 357

$784 ฿26.2K

-73.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,969 BAM 6,767

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-72.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.4 BAM 154

$55.1 ฿1,840

64.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.06 BAM 66.6

$24.74 ฿826

57.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 BAM 157

$94.1 ฿3,142

-2.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 BAM 178

$74.0 ฿2,469

40.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$462 BAM 787

$490 ฿16.4K

-5.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 BAM 538

$288 ฿9,620

9.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 BAM 1,790

$891 ฿29.8K

17.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$611 BAM 1,042

$521 ฿17.4K

17.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,338 BAM 5,691

$1,974 ฿65.9K

69.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,387 BAM 4,070

$1,444 ฿48.2K

65.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,050 BAM 1,791

$602 ฿20.1K

74.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

5.57

-26.75%

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

Last update for Sarajevo: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $462 in Sarajevo versus $490 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 75% 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 $42.00 in Sarajevo versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Sarajevo vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Sarajevo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 30% 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 $1,825 per month in Sarajevo and $1,398 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 $210 per month in Sarajevo and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% 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 $932, than in Sarajevo at $1,216. 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 $932 versus $1,216 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.